Filmmaker Genius
←Back to Toolbox

Certificate of Authorship

Confirm authorship and ownership of a work, and generate a ready-to-review certificate.

Who It's For

  • Writers certifying they authored a script or material.
  • Producers securing a clean chain of title.
  • Anyone confirming ownership of commissioned writing.

What It's For

  • Confirms who wrote the work and that it's original.
  • Assigns full ownership to the company (work-for-hire).
  • Locks a clean link in your chain of title.

Parties

The Work

Ownership

Governing Law

The jurisdiction whose laws govern this agreement — usually where your company is formed (e.g., California, New York, Delaware). Not where you film.

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORSHIP

The undersigned, [author name], located at [author address] ("Author"), hereby certifies to [company name], located at [company address] ("Company"), as of [effective date], as follows:

1. AUTHORSHIP. Author is the sole author and writer of the Screenplay titled "[work title]" (the "Work"), described as: [work description].

2. ORIGINALITY. The Work is original to Author and does not infringe upon the copyright, right of privacy, or any other right of any third party, except for material provided by Company or in the public domain.

3. OWNERSHIP. Author acknowledges that the Work was created as a "work made for hire" for Company, and that Company is the sole author and owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Work, including all copyright, throughout the universe in perpetuity. To the extent the Work is not deemed a work made for hire, Author hereby irrevocably assigns all such rights to Company.

4. FURTHER ASSURANCES. Author agrees to execute any further documents reasonably necessary to confirm Company's ownership of the Work.

5. GOVERNING LAW. This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Author has executed this Certificate of Authorship as of the date first written above.

AUTHOR: ______________________________ [author name]

TEMPLATE ONLY — NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Consult a qualified entertainment attorney before executing this or any agreement.

Filmmaker Genius — Document Library. Template only; not legal advice.