Page:Compendium of US Copyright Office Practices (1973).pdf/117

2.14.3

Procedure for Registration.(cont'd)

II.

Fees.

a.

Published motion pictures.

1.

The registration fee for all motion pictures is $6.00.

2.

If the motion picture qualifies as a work of foreign origin, it may be registered without fee if two copies, a catalog card, and application are received within six months of first publication.

b.

Unpublished motion pictures. The registration fee for all unpublished motion pictures is $6.00.

III.

Information contained in application.

a.

Authorship

1.

The law requires a statement of the author's citizenship and the application form calls

for his name.

2.

The law does not make the identity of the "author" of a motion picture clear.

(1)

Ordinarily a motion picture embodies a large number of contributions, including the of the author of the story, author of the screenplay, director, editor, cameraman, individual producer, etc. These persons ordinarily are not regarded as the "author" of the film in the copy"right sense.

(1)

Since most films are largely "made for hire" the employer is usually regarded as the "author." In most cases the employer is the producing company, although there may be cases where a releasing company, a bank or other organization or an individual is regarded as the author.

[1973]