Vicki,
I respectfully disagree on two of your points. While Anchorage Press Plays (now part of Dramatic), as I recall, required three productions, none of which you directed yourself, before they would even consider a play, and a play should certainly be produced to work out the kinks before the playwright seeks publication, whether that's three productions, one production or five productions depends on the play. It's not one size (or rule) fits all. Every play has to find, as my mentor William Alfred used to say, its own incontrovertible form. Some plays find them sooner, others later.
Also, the ultimate goal of playwrights isn't publication, it's production. Publication is simply a step in the furtherance of that goal, because particularly in the school and amateur markets, a publisher, whether that's Playscripts, Dramatic, Theatrefolk, YouthPLAYS or any of many others, is a bridge to to prospective producers. Publication in and of itself doesn't help me pay my rent. The productions that come from it do. My two cents.
Cheers,
Jonathan
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Jonathan Dorf
Playwright/ Co-founder of YouthPLAYS/ Co-chair of The Alliance Of Los Angeles Playwrights
Los Angeles CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-04-2014 11:43
From: Vicki Bartholomew
Subject: Copyright for script
Darren,
Jonathan is right. Mailing it to yourself did not hold up in court many years ago.
When you are finished also check the title list at the copyright office. Titles cannot be copyrighted, but you are better off for a full-length play if there are not twelve plays with the same name.
Send the play to contests (which usually require it to be unproduced). Continue working on it if it is not accepted as a semi-finalist, etc. After someone designates it in some way, you can send it to theatre groups. Winning a contest will catch a publisher's eye. Do not send it to a publisher until you have had three different performances with three different directors. This is not for the publisher's sake but for the play's. You will have worked out the kinks and the play will be better. You usually only get one chance with a publisher.
Some new playwrights think that a production is their goal, but it should be publication. Publication allows the play to live on and is closure for you to move on to the next project.
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Vicki Bartholomew
Playwright
Sherwood OR
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-03-2014 06:31
From: Kristie Bach
Subject: Copyright for script
If you go to the website for the federal copyright office, you can file on line and it only costs $35. It takes about 4-6 weeks to receive the copyright in the mail.
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Kristie Bach
Traverse City MI
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-02-2014 11:30
From: Darren Means
Subject: Copyright for script
Hi all. I am a new troop leader and any help is greatly appreciated. I am in the process of writing a script for our spring play and I think the idea is good (even if the application is a bit clunky). My question is for those of you you have experience in this. What is the easiest way to copyright script as cheap as possible? Some of the processes are a bit beyond my budget.
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Darren Means
Hardin MT
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