808.10 (A) Identifying the Author of a Motion Picture
A number of people may be involved in making a motion picture, including the producer, director, writer, camera operator, editor, and others. In some cases, these individuals may jointly be co-authors of the work. But in most cases, an individual contributor is not considered the author of a motion picture under U.S. copyright law, because most motion pictures are created as a work made for hire. These issues are discussed below.