Writing music for internet video episodes, couple questions...

[Psuper]

I'm writing all the music(whole process) for a project involving video episodes. It's currently an amateur project that has commercial potential, but no commercial aspirations at the moment.

My own focus and interest is to have a project to gear me up for more opportunities. I won't be copyrighting via forms in the government in this case, but I do want to have some sort of agreement with the owner of the videos concerning how my music is handled now, and in the future should it ever make money.

Here's my questions:

1.What should I have in good faith from the guy I'm giving my music to? What should I have in writing or at least mutual consent? I was thinking I will allow my music in all episodes so long as they are not commercial or making money in any way. What would be the best way to handle this?

2.What's the best way to copyright works outside of the government forms? I can say that if someone "stole" my music I wouldn't be overly sour, especially since I'm not putting out my best stuff, just some real world feelers. Regardless, my music is still copyrighted the moment I write it, and I'd like a solution that is in-between Govt forms and the Postal return method if one exists. Something more reliable than the post, but not as time consuming as the forms. I've come up with a few ideas, but I'm hoping someone has some suggestions in this area.


Thanks for reading this, any thoughts are welcome.

Psuper!

 

[grn]

copyright it - it costs $30 to copyright all of it... every song, one form, wicked easy. have an agreement that you will get a cut of the profits if they ever sell them and depending on what you want if they can/can't use it to promote the product or license it out to other people, etc. or use it for anything other than those episodes.

 

[Psuper]

I may do that. It's just the music will be ongoing and changing episode to episode. I'm doing the theme, but also cue's throughout. I wouldn't know how to go about govt copyrighting ongoing material that changes often (per episode)..


I've copyrighted songs in the past, but did them individually. I'm assuming it's possible to include more songs and put them on one Dvd? Could they go as files(wav, etc) instead of a playable dvd? Is there a limit(copyright limit) to how many can go one one cd or dvd? It would make sense to properly copyright the theme and much of my past music if that's the case.

Psuper!

 

[grn]

I'm not sure if it will work as data files, it might have to be playable... you'll have to read in to that at copyright.gov, but as for a limit - there is none, you can send a couple CDs full of songs and put it all under one "collection". Then they will all be copywritten.