A copyright registration’s effective date is the day it is filed. So, a work being stolen while you are waiting for your certificate will not affect it.

I cannot comment on unspecified websites that assist with filing trademark and copyright applications. I am sure many of them are “legitimate.” I would recommend using a good attorney though, at least initially.

If there is a large number of designs capable of being registered together and the copyright owner is on a budget, it generally makes sense to register them together.

The only advantage to copyrighting different works together is that you save money on the application fees. Copyrighting multiple works together would not stop you from later publishing them individually or enforcing your copyright for one of the works by itself. However, it would make it more difficult to license your works individually.

Could you explain what the process would be inorder to license the work individually, though it would be difficult. Also would you express your view concerning would this perhaps being the best way to start out for beginning and novices and gradually registering each work indivdual or will that not be necessary. Thanks for your consideration.

You cannot protect the idea per se, but you can protect your documentary by registering your copyright in it. You could trademark the title of the film. You would not generally get sued for trademark infringement if you were using the mark first. You do not need an attorney in LA necessarily, since IP law is generally federal law, however you might try the state bar referral service of Avvo.