> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cinelaunch.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cinelaunch.io/general-business-affairs/chain-of-title.md).

# Chain of Title

#### **Chain of Title**

Chain of title is the paper trail of documents that proves who owns the rights to a film’s story, from the original idea through to the finished picture. It shows every transfer of rights between the original creator and the production company (usually the SPV, or single-purpose company set up for the film). With it, the producer can show clean ownership to everyone who relies on it: financiers, lenders, sales agents, distributors, the completion guarantor and the E\&O insurer. A film without clean chain of title can’t really be financed, insured or sold.

A typical chain of title package includes:

1. **Underlying rights agreements.** These are option and purchase agreements for any source material, such as a novel, article, life rights or a prior film for remakes.
2. **Writer agreements.** These cover every writer who worked on the script, as work-for-hire or as an assignment, along with a Certificate of Authorship for each.
3. **Assignments.** These move the rights from the entity that first acquired them (often the producer’s development company) into the production SPV.
4. **Copyright registrations.** These are filed with the U.S. Copyright Office for the screenplay and any underlying work, and later for the film itself.
5. **Copyright and title reports.** A research firm searches the registry for competing claims and conflicting titles. The title report backs the title clearance needed for E\&O.
6. **Recorded short-form documents.** Short-form options and assignments, quitclaims and copyright mortgages are recorded with the Copyright Office so the transfers go on the public record.