How would i copywrite or trademark my producer name

[BertosProductions]

How would I go about copywriting or trademarking my producer name, seeing if its already taken, and which site should I use?

[Crazy Pellas]

You can find information about registering your trademark here: Trademarks Home
You can search existing trademarks here: Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)

[BertosProductions]

Thanks crazy pellas.

Now when I get my name trademarked is it gonna be for life or will I have to renew it every so often.

[Crazy Pellas]

Check this page: Trademark Application Questions

[Huge Beatz]

Way too expensive to trademark. So forget it unless you're making some serious bank. Don't worry about it. If you build up your name/business FIRST, even if someone trademarked it, they will have to relinquish rights to you if they didn't do anything with it (assuming you are known and are successful by that name already).

[bandcoach]

As Huge Beatz says, first step is to secure the name as a business name.

Set the business up as either Sole Trader/Operator/Proprietor or as a private LLC.

Everything that you buy is then bought by the business (tax breaks etc) and everything released is released by the business. All sales are recorded to the business. As the sole owner, you take the risks and the rewards. Look into setting the business up ind different states, particularly in terms of tax breaks and funding costs/licensing costs.

Once you have established the business then look into trademarks - it is easier to get the trademark when it is associated with an established business.....

last but not least, get your own corporations lawyer to look over the details before you commit........

[BertosProductions]

Way too expensive to trademark. So forget it unless you're making some serious bank. Don't worry about it. If you build up your name/business FIRST, even if someone trademarked it, they will have to relinquish rights to you if they didn't do anything with it (assuming you are known and are successful by that name already).

I havent sold any of my beats yet, or made anything off of them. But I do plan on doin so in the future. But if you google my name I come up on the followin, Youtube, warbeats, myspace, facebook, futureproducers, blogspot, and soundclick. Its just there is a guy on youtube claims he is the original Berto Productions and i want to protect the name that I have been using since 2008. Ya kno.

[dylan_wtf]

if my producer name is the name of a character from a video game, can i trademark it as my stage name or will that clash with the video game companies trademark of a game's name?

[Huge Beatz]

haha. Is this for real? There was a rapper named Luke Skywalker and I don't think George Lucas ever sued him so I think you're safe. Worry less about trademarks and more about making good music that people want to buy! Fo rils yo!

---------- Post added at 10:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 PM ----------

I stand corrected:

"The nickname for Luther Campbell, who started the 2 live crew as Luke Skywalker, but stopped using that name after legal action was threatened by Lucasfilm."

Nonetheless, worry about it AFTER you start making the benjaminz!

---------- Post added at 10:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:11 PM ----------

Thank god I go by Huge and not Super Mario Bros

[Baby B]

dylan_wtf: If you use a video game character name and your work starts getting ANY visibility, you will eventually get a cease and desist letter. Intellectual Property law requires that the owners of copyrights and trademarks have to "protect" their property, or else they will lose their rights and their intellectual property reverts to the public domain.

That said, I think "Pac-Man" would be a cool producer name. Or maybe Baby-Pac instead of Baby B?