The idea for this primer came to me when I attended Screen Yorkshire's presentation on the Yorkshire Content fund at Hull (see "Screen Yorkshire Roadshow: £15m for TV, film, games and digital sectors" 4 May 2012 IP Yorkshire at http://ipyorkshire.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/screen-yorkshire-roadshow-15m-for-tv.html). In answer to a question from me, Hugo Heppell, the Head of Production, said that Screen Yorkshire's investment would be secured by a charge over a business's intellectual property or at least the revenue to be generated by such IP.

In this article I discuss what is meant by IP, how it works, why it is important, how it is acquired, how it is enforced, the risk areas and how those risks can be mitigated. It is intended primarily for start-ups and other small businesses in the film, games and TV sectors.

This is to be read with "Vision" our new newsletter on IP developments affecting the film, games and TV industries.