Purchasing product/rights

[JakeM]

I am looking to have a group of video game developers make some exclusive video games for a website that I am currently designing. I need to know what kind of special paperwork I will need to purchase these games from the group. The group that I am buying from is not an official development company and their products are not copyrighted. If purchased, should I copyright the product, or have them copyright the product pre-purchase?

 

[Zigner]

What US state are you in?

 

[JakeM]

My state

I live in Colorado, however the group I would like to purchase the games from is in California.

 

[quincy]

I am looking to have a group of video game developers make some exclusive video games for a website that I am currently designing. I need to know what kind of special paperwork I will need to purchase these games from the group. The group that I am buying from is not an official development company and their products are not copyrighted. If purchased, should I copyright the product, or have them copyright the product pre-purchase?

Any video created will automatically be copyrighted and the video will be the property of the creator, absent a written agreement to the contrary.

What you will need, if you are having these video developers create videos based on your ideas and designs, is to have a written and signed agreement between you and the developers that will transfer all rights in the videos to you upon their completion (in exchange for compensation of some sort).

I recommend you sit down with an IP attorney to draft a suitable agreement.

Good luck.

 

[JakeM]

Any video created will automatically be copyrighted and the video will be the property of the creator, absent a written agreement to the contrary.

What you will need, if you are having these video developers create videos based on your ideas and designs, is to have a written and signed agreement between you and the developers that will transfer all rights in the videos to you upon their completion (in exchange for compensation of some sort).

I recommend you sit down with an IP attorney to draft a suitable agreement.

Good luck.

Perfect, I will do that. I appreciate the advice.

 

[quincy]

Perfect, I will do that. I appreciate the advice.

As an additional note: If you want complete ownership of the videos, the agreement you sign with the video developer(s) will need to transfer all EXCLUSIVE copyrights in the videos to you and, although this is not required, you would be smart to have the copyrights registered and the transfer of copyrights recorded with the US Copyright Office.

Transfer of copyright ownership is covered under the US Copyright Act, Section 201 and Section 204.

Good luck with your website, Jake.