What Questions Should I Answer Before Choosing a Title? (Trademarks Part 2A of 4)

When deciding on a title for your script, there are a few things you must keep in mind. One, you need to think about whether there is a show currently in distribution with that title. Two, you must think about whether there is a show currently on the air with the same title and whether the show itself is too similar to yours. Three, make sure there is no web series or popular blog with the same name because people might associate your title with a web series they have already watched or a blog they have already read. Four, avoid using the title of an organization with the same name such as a charity. In the case that you do find a charity of the same name as your film title, look into whether the organization is local or national. In other words, think about how many people are aware of that organization. If it is local, you may not need to worry at all whereas if it is national, you could be facing a problem.

Five, find out whether there is a ™ registration for your intended title or a combination of words that are close enough in Class 41 (TV Class, if that's your focus) that would prevent its use. Ask yourself if people would get confused by it if there is another title out there already with similar words in it. Potential audience confusion can be a great indicator of whether you should choose a different title or stick with the one you have. Finally, ask yourself whether there is already a one-off feature film with that same title or television show. If so, what date was the film released and was it franchised? For example, is your script about a war in space when there is already an entire franchise built around Star Wars? Are you dealing with a similar or same subject matter as another film that is being released at the same time? Timing is everything because this can cause confusion among your audience and be detrimental to how your film is received by the public.