| Your video is copyrighted as soon as it is completed. There is no need to register it. The copyright is automatic.
You may want to "license" the video for use by the Festival. A license grants the Festival certain rights to use your video. These rights can be specifically spelled out in the license. There are exclusive and nonexclusive licenses.
A nonexclusive license authorizes the Festival to use the video in a specific way, but there is no transfer of copyright ownership. The license should be in writing, although this is not always necessary. This license allows you to continue to use the video, copy the video, grant additional licenses to the video, and exercise all other rights afforded you as the owner of a copyright.
An exclusive license needs to be in writing and it authorizes the Festival to exercise certain rights in the video - in this license, the Festival would own the rights granted in the license, becoming a copyright owner of these video rights.
If you retain copyright ownership, and only grant the Festival the right to use your video in a certain way, you would remain responsible for the content of the video. Should anyone sue over the content, for instance, you could be held liable. If you transfer all rights to the video, the new copyright owner would be responsible for the content.
Although videos and photos taken in a public place are generally not the focus of an invasion of privacy action, they can be. You might want an attorney to review your video to see if any parts should be edited for your protection.
But, as for your one question, your work is already copyrighted. You do not need to do anything more to have the rights in your work. Registering your video would be necessary if you need to bring a copyright infringement action, however.
Last edited by quincy; 10-03-2008 at 04:09 PM.
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