Turning Ideas Into Intellectual Property | The Taku Newsletter Edition 6

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 This week, I want to talk about something I believe every creator should understand: Intellectual Property (IP).


There are four main types of IP:

• Copyright

• Trademark

• Patent

• Trade Secret

For this edition, I will focus primarily on copyright and trademark, since they are the most relevant to what I am building as a storyteller and filmmaker.


Last semester, I took a class titled Copyright, Commerce and Culture, and it aligned perfectly with my vision of developing original stories while protecting the worlds and characters I imagine. This was one of the best classes I took, and I will be sharing some of the knowledge I learned in this newsletter. As someone who is always thinking about how to turn ideas into tangible creations, I’ve come to realize how essential intellectual property is to doing this the right way.

So, what is copyright?

Copyright protects original works of authorship, which include films, scripts, characters, music, artwork, and more. It gives creators the legal right to control how their work is used, distributed, or adapted. This means that if you write a script, draw a character, or compose a score, your work is automatically protected by copyright law.

Think about iconic creations such as Mickey Mouse or Star Wars. These all began as simple ideas, and through copyright protection, they have grown into massive cultural phenomena. Even Superman, whose original copyright will soon expire, continues to show how intellectual property evolves and shapes our understanding of ownership in creative work.

What about trademarks?

Trademarks protect names, logos, slogans, or symbols that are used to represent a brand or product. For instance, if you design a clothing line that features a character you created, you can trademark the name and visual identity. This transforms your work into a recognizable brand that others can identify and support.

As a creative who is constantly developing new stories and characters, I find reassurance in knowing that I can protect my ideas legally. At the same time, I can explore creative ways to share and grow them. A story can become a series. A series can inspire merchandise. And all of this can expand into something even bigger. Understanding copyright and trademarks helps make this journey possible and sustainable.

What about the other types of intellectual property?

• Patents are more commonly used to protect inventions and innovations. However, they are also important in filmmaking, especially when it comes to new camera technology, visual effects tools, or sound equipment.

• Trade secrets refer to confidential business practices that provide companies with a competitive advantage. These could include anything from a secret formula to a unique production method.

Even in music, copyright law plays a crucial role. It governs how compositions and recordings are owned, licensed, or used in other creative works. Whether you are scoring a film or producing music, knowing how copyright works helps protect both your art and your business.

Whether you are designing characters, writing scripts, or imagining immersive experiences, intellectual property is the foundation that keeps your ideas truly yours.

The more I learn, the more I understand just how powerful these systems are in transforming creative work into lasting value.

That’s all for this week’s edition of the Taku Newsletter. Stay tuned for more as we continue exploring the unseen forces that shape the world of filmmaking, from the tech behind theme parks to the incentives behind the scenes.

Thank you for reading.

It only gets better from here.

- Takudzwa Thulani


#film #filmmaking #intellectualproperty #copyright #trademark

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