containing bonus features, including interviews, background stories, and outtakes. If there is sufficient creative authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the bonus features, the Office will register a claim in "compilation."
A compilation also may result from the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of material within a motion picture.
Example:
• The applicant submits a documentary that contains a substantial number of preexisting video clips chosen from a large film archive. Each clip is placed within the documentary at a particular point of the author's choosing. If there is sufficient creative authorship, the Office will register a claim in "compilation of footage."
For guidance in completing an application to register a compilation, see Chapter 600, Sections 613.7, 617.5, 618.6, 620.7, and 621.8(D).
808.10 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with motion pictures.
808.10(A) Identifying the Author of a Motion Picture
A number of people may be involved in making a motion picture, including the producer, director, writer, camera operator, editor, and others. In some cases, these individuals may jointly be co-authors of the work. But in most cases, an individual contributor is not considered the author of a motion picture under U.S. copyright law, because most motion pictures are created as a work made for hire. These issues are discussed below.
808.1 0(A)(1 ) Work Made for Hire Authorship
As described in Section 801.7, a work made for hire is a work that is either (i) prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment, or (ii) specially ordered or commissioned for use in various types of works, including a motion picture. 17 U.S.C. § 101. When a work is "made for hire," the employer or other party for whom the work was prepared is considered the author for copyright purposes.
The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if it appears that the work made for hire portion of the application has been completed incorrectly.
Examples:
• An application for a major theatrical production names A&O Corporation as the author and the work made for hire question is answered "yes." The production statement on the footage identifies
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