As a screenwriting teacher E-V-E-R-Y semester I'm asked by students, "Do I have to send my script in to copyright it? Can't I just mail it to myself and that will take care of it?" It feels like most writers believe there's a conspiracy out there to deprive them of their money by "forcing" them to register their scripts.

(Okay, wait maybe there IS a conspiracy out there to deprive writers of money, but that's called "stingy producers" and is a different issue.)

First of all, "copyright" and "registration" are two different things. Essentially copyright -- the idea that you own what you've created -- is automatically assigned to your script upon completion. It's an invisible act that happens thanks to U.S. copyright law (each country has different laws, so if you're reading this outside the U.S., first, Thank You!, and second, consult someone in your country who is knowledgeable). Wikipedia has a good succinct explanation of what constitutes copyright here.

Do you need to register your script with anyone to gain a copyright? No. But if you want to be able to enforce your copyright should it ever come into question, then registration is a very good idea!

Is it POSSIBLE you could mail yourself your script and then later, if a claim of ownership came up, you could defeat it with your well-preserved self-mailed package? Yes, it's possible. MANY things are possible ... including having a fire, flood, burglary, etc that destroys everything you own, even said self-mailed package.

But more than that, a self-mailed package would NOT have gotten me my first WGA film credit. My writing partner and I -- non-WGA members at the time -- wrote a script, creating characters, situations, dialogue and narrative dynamics, and as soon as the first draft was done, we registered it with the WGA. Ultimately the script was sold to a producer in Hollywood, who turned right around and hired at least 5 other writers to rewrite the material.  Sadly, a completely common Hollywood practice and so we weren't too upset, knowing that as the creators of the material we were at least going to receive a "Story By" credit.

Well, when the movie was in post-production we heard from a friend that our names were nowhere in the credit list. Neither was a WGA writer who had done significant rewriting. So, we banded with her and went to the WGA and filed for arbitration. To make a long story short (I'm skipping over the part where we were all named in a 10 million dollar lawsuit by the producer!), the WGA looked at all the drafts registered with it for that project and, of course, ours was the first and since no significant changes had been made to the storyline, they ruled that not only were Tom and I to receive "Story By" credit, we were also to get a shared "Screenplay By" credit too. (Which thankfully killed the 10 million dollar lawsuit!)

And trust me, that would NOT have happened if we had simply mailed the script to ourselves. Or even if we had only copyrighted it via the Library of Congress, since the WGA only deals with material registered with it. If you're seeking to have a Hollywood movie made of your script, then you need to register it with the WGA to be offered their protection with WGA signatory companies. (Register with the WGA West if you live west of the
Mississippi River and WGA East if you live east of it.) The registration is good for 10 years, then needs to be renewed if you want to continue to have the script under their auspices. $22 for 10 years -- $17 if you're a student -- works out to be $2.20/year. I know money is tight, but your work isn't worth that?

(If you know that you are definitely NOT going to be dealing with a WGA signatory, that you're going to be working only with non-signatory independent filmmakers, then save the WGA fee and do only the LoC copyright.  But let me tell you from personal experience, the most non-Hollywood script I ever wrote is the one that ended up getting around LA more than any other!)

I also see it as a matter of professionalism; do you want to be a professional writer? Then start acting like one -- register your scripts. Treat yourself like a pro and demand that others do too. No, registering with either the WGA or the Library of Congress will NOT stop you from having your script ripped off (an event that happens far less than imaginative people like to imagine I'm convinced, even after my own experience), but it will provide the first link in your chain of defense if it does happen. Why not take the most basic step in defending yourself and your unique creativity?

I wish you good writing.