[header] How to protect the copyright of a tv show or movie [title] Confirm that you are the rightful owner of the copyright. [step] Generally you have the right to claim a copyright in your work if you created it--unless it was a work-for-hire. If you were paid to create something for someone else, you can't claim the copyright. 
[substeps] If you created your movie or tv show independently, you have a copyright in it. If you accepted funding from someone else or allowed someone else to produce your work, your production contract should state who owns the copyright in the work.