Video: Why And When Would You File For A Copyright

In this brief video, Fred Wilf explained the basics of copyright law and when to file an application. He described how copyright protects original expressions of ideas fixed in a tangible medium, but not the ideas themselves. He reviewed why registration matters, noting it is required before filing suit and that filing before infringement unlocks additional remedies, including attorneys' fees and statutory damages. He walked through filing at copyright.gov and offered a cost-benefit framework for deciding whether to register.