South Africa, Jan. 26 -- Next time you watch a film, look at the long list of credits at the end. This will give you an idea of the mammoth army of people involved in making it: from actors to extras; musicians to make-up artists; stunt doubles to set designers; grips to gaffers. Filmmaking is a complex collaborative endeavour, giving rise to many different layers of production, including the script or screenplay, the soundtrack, the direction, and the performances. But did you know that there's another player in the game? Another role in the show? A lesser-known actor, so to speak, named "intellectual property"?

Intellectual property (IP) includes patents, registered designs, copyright, and trade marks, and IP law exists to protect thes...