From the Email Bag

Hi Larry!

This is S_ _ _ _ L_ _ _ _. I was in your history of animation class last semester. I have been meaning to ask you some questions about copywriting (sic) and preparing a show idea to networks. Me (sic) and J_ _ _ _ N_ _ _ _ have an idea for a serialized cartoon show that would probably do best on a network like Adult Swim, Spike, or Sci-Fi. Do you know what we would need to do to make sure we are properly protected before we attempt to pitch it? Also what type of things do you think networks would like to see in a presentation portfolio for something like that. Is it good to have a pilot ready? I remember you saying I needed to copyright it with some type of screen actors guild? Any information would help out a lot. We are really excited about this project. Once we get some things together we would love to show it to you if you had any time! Thank you very much!
-S_ _ _ _ L_ _ _ _ and J_ _ _ _ N_ _ _ _
_&_ Productions

S_ _ _ _,
Good to hear from you. No really, I have been going through some rough times with a bunch of jerks and it is so nice to hear from real people. Reminds me what it is all about.

Enough of that. Copyright. Any idea you are going to sell to the networks they are going to want to own. The thing is to make sure you own it first before you sign that VIACOM contract with the 35 pages stating what is not considered profit.

Here is the link to the copyright office: http://www.loc.gov/copyright/ Copyright is $45 by mail and $35 over the Internet. They no longer even offer the printable forms at their website so they really want you register by Internet.

Your first project you are going to lose / sell. It is called paying dues. The idea is to make sure that your product (sorry - that is what they call it) is your Intellectual Property and not considered Work-For-Hire so that you can revoke the copyright 25 to 33 years down the road and get your characters back in the 35th year so that you have something to live on in your old age.

The only way you can hope to own your first project is to do it on your own in a media where it makes a name for itself. (EXAMPLE: Books, Self-Published Comic Books, Internet or Film Festivals) Then you have a little leverage. Also publishing prove copyright and kills the question of Work-For-Hire.

Less is more with a presentation and pitch. Some character design sheets with a mini bio on the main characters. An overall series idea, (EXAMPLE: a retirement home for imaginary friend that kids no longer believe in). If you can do a short pilot, do so. But short like maybe a minute or three. They don`t want to see everything worked out episode by episode. That way is death. That leaves them nothing to add and shape. And they are going to want to add and shape to prove that they are creative too. This small package is what you would send in for copyright.

Here is a link to a very good book of TV animation by my friend Jean Ann Wright - Animation Writing and Development: From Script Development to Pitch http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240805496/qid=1120503556/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_ur_1/103-0200484-5559859?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

Ideas can not be copyrighted. So they can see what you are doing and say to themselves good idea let`s do that and then say to you sorry not interested. Most times they won`t do this because they want your next idea and the one after that and will not have access to you if they screw you over too much. The more power you have the more you can get on your next deal. And that is what you are working for.

Here is a link to the The Writers Guild of America West: http://www.wga.org/ You can register you script with them for a small fee. It use to be $35 dollars. Don`t know what it is now.

You might also want to take part in the free Portfolio Review at the Animation Educators` Forum / ASIFA-Hollywood Student Animation Festival on October 18th on Woodbury University Campus. (See link below) The whole festival is free and open to the public.