After reading my post about book trailers, an interview with Sheila Clover English at COS Productions, Notes from the Slush Pile author Candy Gourley asked how you copyright music and images used in a trailer.

I spoke with two attorneys out of St. Louis, Missouri, who work in this area. While your trailer is copyrighted the moment it is created, you can file it with the U.S. Copyright Office for additional protection. This is essential if you ever get into a lawsuit over right to use.

If you want to know more about copyright, listen to my interview with Missouri attorney Annette Heller about copyright at MoBarPodcast.org.

HOT TIP: When not using music or photos created by you, look for royalty-free tunes and images. This means you pay one fee and can use the items anyplace, anytime (or wherever approved in the seller's terms of service). Photos.com and eStockMusic.com are two great sites to visit. If you don't go royalty-free, be sure to get an individual licensing agreement from the artist or musician.