Title change after WGA registration

[ILikePie]

I registered a spec with a certain title. I went back and forth between two titles, deciding on one. After some evaluation, I feel my second title would more suitable. I am about to submit the script to a couple of contests. Will changing the Title only have any effect on my protection offered by the WGA?

[Kenn Hoekstra]

You can't copyright a title or an idea... The only way you can really protect a title is if it's part of a logo design or piece of artwork.

My company, for example, is Raven Software. We have a trademark on the name Raven Software as it applies to video games and the name as it applies to our logo. There are at least five other "Raven Softwares" out there and there's nothing legally we can do about it.

Think of all the movies out there that have the same title... One that comes to mind is "Behind Enemy Lines." Another is "The Patriot."

The important thing is, your script is protected. Forget about the title...

--Kenn

www.kennhoekstra.com (http://www.kennhoekstra.com)

[TwoBrad Bradley]

I'm not a lawyer and don't have any real experience with this.

But, it's not the title you are registering. It's the story you want to "protect". I would think it doesn't matter how many times you change the title (without re-registering), the story is still the same.

btw, WGA does not offer "protection". WGA verifies that you registered something on a specific date.