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WGA script registration vs a timestamp
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.
A TimeBind is a dated, checkable record that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. The fingerprint is made in the browser, and the file stays on your device. Your first Pooled TimeBind is free; after that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
In the TimeBinder app, drag and drop your file. Your browser creates its digital fingerprint. Your file stays on your device—we never receive or see its contents.
WGA script registration and a timestamp both create a dated record, but they work differently. The WGAW Registry keeps a copy of your script for five years, which you can renew. It doesn’t take the place of US copyright registration. TimeBinder® keeps nothing: your script is fingerprinted on your own device, and the fingerprint is recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain. Later, you can check the file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. There’s no deposit to renew, and you can record every draft. A TimeBind doesn’t show who wrote the script or how a court will treat it.
You can register a final draft with the WGA and timestamp your drafts and treatments as you go.
WGA script registration vs a timestamp: side by side
| WGAW Registry | US copyright registration | A TimeBind | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run by | Writers Guild of America West | US Copyright Office | TimeBinder, using the public Bitcoin blockchain |
| What is kept | A copy of your file, for the registration term | A deposit copy and a public record | Only a fingerprint. Your file stays on your device |
| How long | Five years, renewable. Unrenewed material is destroyed | Not covered here | Keep the exact file and certificate |
| Membership needed | No | n/a | No |
| What it records | WGAW: "a dated record of the writer’s claim to authorship" | The facts of your copyright on the public record | That the file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint |
| Replaces copyright registration | No. WGAW says it "does NOT take the place of" Copyright Office registration | n/a | No |
| Drafts | Each draft is a separate registration | Not covered here | Each draft has its own fingerprint |
| Fees | Set by WGAW. See the registration details | Set by the Copyright Office | See plans and pricing below |
The WGA and the Copyright Office each hold something. A TimeBind holds nothing and records a fingerprint. Which one fits depends on where you’re sending your work and how many drafts you have.
What WGA registration does
The WGAW Registry says: "Registration provides a dated record of the writer’s claim to authorship of literary material. The WGAW Registry may produce the material as evidence if legal action is initiated" (source).
Other points from the Registry’s own pages:
- Registration lasts five years. You can renew it for another five years, from three months before to three months after it expires (details).
- Material that isn’t renewed "is destroyed and purged" (FAQs).
- You don’t need to be a WGA member to register.
- Each draft is a separate registration. Staff don’t read what you submit.
WGA East runs its own script registration service with different terms. See WGA East script registration for its details.
What US copyright registration adds
The US Copyright Office says "Copyright exists from the moment the work is created." Registration is voluntary, but "You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work." It adds that "Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees in successful litigation" (source).
For more, read about copyright registration in the USA, or compare copyright registration vs a timestamp.
What a timestamp adds for screenwriters
A timestamp lets you record every draft, treatment, outline and pitch deck without sending your script anywhere. Each file is fingerprinted on your device, and you get a Proof of Time Certificate that can be checked later.
That helps when you need a timeline: which version existed when, in a co-writer disagreement, or for the exact file you sent to a contest. TimeBinder doesn’t store your file. Keep the exact files and certificates backed up, because a later edit makes a new file with a different fingerprint.
For step-by-step guides, see how to show a screenplay existed before a date and how to show a Word or Scrivener document existed before a date.
The limits: a TimeBind doesn’t show who wrote the script, that it’s original, or whether AI was used. It isn’t copyright registration, and it doesn’t say how a court will treat it.
Which should you use?
- Sending to US agents, contests or producers. WGA registration is one option for the draft you submit. Consider copyright registration if enforcement in the US may matter.
- Many drafts, a writers’ room or co-writers. Timestamp each draft as you go.
- Outside the US. Copyright is automatic in Australia and the UK, with no register. A timestamp gives you a dated record of each file. See timestamping manuscripts and drafts.
Mailing a script to yourself isn’t a substitute either. The Copyright Office says "poor man’s copyright" "is not a substitute for registration". Read more on the poor man’s copyright alternative.
When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool
- You need to sue for infringement of a US work. That needs US copyright registration.
- You want a third party to hold a copy of your script. That’s what a registry does. TimeBinder doesn’t keep your file.
- You’ve lost the original file. A match can only be checked against the exact file you timestamped.
FAQ
Is WGA registration the same as copyright?
No. The WGAW Registry says registration does not take the place of registering with the US Copyright Office. It provides a dated record of the writer’s claim to authorship.
Do I need to be a WGA member to register?
No. The WGAW Registry says you can register material whether or not you are a member.
How long does WGA registration last?
WGAW registration lasts five years and can be renewed. Renewal is accepted from three months before to three months after expiry. Material that is not renewed is destroyed.
Can I timestamp every draft?
Yes. Each file gets its own fingerprint, so you can record outlines, drafts and treatments as you go. Keep each exact file, because a later edit makes a new file with a different fingerprint.
Should I register with WGA, the Copyright Office or both?
They do different jobs. The US Copyright Office explains that registration is needed to sue for infringement of a US work. For your situation, ask an entertainment lawyer.
Is a timestamp enough before sending to a contest?
A timestamp gives you a dated record of the exact file you sent: it existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. It doesn’t show who wrote it or register your copyright, so some writers also use WGA or copyright registration.
General information, not legal advice.
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