Yep another one of my scripts, Above the Fog, has been filmed and posted on Youtube without my permission ;-(

At least this time the film-maker has done a better job than the previous three!

I've posted a comment and am awaiting a response from her... if you'd like to see it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7g74G4G5Oo

Anthony

You should report this to YouTube and get it pulled.  She didn't even put your name on the film.  

That fact that there is advertising on the page mean that someone is making money from this, so if she says, "This is a school project for educational purposes only!" Show her the ads. If someone is making money, it isn't for educational purposes.

And, based on the film itself, since you are not credited, this is also plagiarism.  

So, she needs to at the very least update the film with your creds, otherwise, someone googling her name may find Natalie Souza - Plagiarist and Thief as one of the results...

P.S. Please ask her where she found it.

P.P.S. I do not recommend going in gun blazing, but rather assume she didn't know any better and education her on using work found on the internet and what is 'fair use' and why, with the placement on You Tube, this isn't considered fair use.

Do they not teach opening credits anymore?

Looks like she's added a little nod to you in the blurb.  It's the afterthought that counts... :(  

Good on you for tracking these down.  What really strikes me is they never seem to change the title...

Anthony, have you written a script that hasn't been made yet?? With this strike rate you're probably the most produced writer on this site, albeit it's all illegal and you ain't seen a sodding penny...

Don - agree with all your points, and suspect that she's a student who doesn't understand, or who hasn't been taught, copyright and think it's fair use.

The issue that is also created by uploading it to Youtube is that it effects my ability to sell the rights to the script - who's gonna want to buy it if it's already up online?

Will keep you posted.

Steve, all four of them credited me on the Youtube page, it's how I found them... which is why I think they've got some warped interpretation of fair use in their heads.

Cammy, too funny, and yes a ton of ones not made yet and now I have 3 different type of 'finished' films/scripts
1) Legitimately made and finished - 6 shorts so far.
2) Legitimately made and stuck in post-production (potentially permanently) - 7 so far.
3) Made and uploaded to Youtube without my consent - 4 so far.

And then there's a bunch of sales/options...

I guess I should be flattered people want to make them ;-)

And the video has now been removed, but no response from the film maker ;-(

Quoted from AnthonyCawood And the video has now been removed, but no response from the film maker ;-(

Anthony,

Here in American we can still see the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7g74G4G5Oo


I've sent her a message via YouTube and will forward you her email address under separate cover.

- Don

Thanks Don - i'm getting video not available ;-(

Will contact her tomorrow.

Anthony

Plays fine for me...

Feeling flattered is okay, only if you feel the script was only so so. If it's something you feel you might have been able to option or sell, then it's definitely not okay!

The student I gave permission to film Two Psychos as a school project only and not to be shown anywhere else is now listed on imdb... Well, the guy that bought it and wanted exclusivity is not going to be happy when he sees the imdb thing! He has big plans for his film!In other words, even when you give someone limited permission, you still have to keep after them.

As far as the advert goes, there is actually a big problem at YT where third party people search for newly listed films and then reports the film to YT and reports it for copyright infringement. Usually on music or sounds and then the issue is "resolved" by YT letting ads appear during the film. The third party collects the money not the filmmaker. This is easily taken care of by contacting YT, but it's apparently a rampant problem. Learned this when Dena posted our pumpkin horror on YT...

Hope this gets resolved soon.  :-/

You should start putting disclaimers on the cover page of all your scripts.

Jebus, that's some hit list right there Anthony! At least you've it all the other productions/options to fall back on but it's not really the point.

Clearly your scripts are good enough to get produced, but have you any idea why the thieving keeps happening to yourself, is there something going on beyond the obvious quality of work? Does a film lecturer somewhere have you under observation, just for their students?? Any pattern between the videos that have been posted?

It really is a pain in the proverbials

Pia/Don - not sure what happened last night but I can now see the film again ;-(

Don - thanks for the email ad, I've emailed her, see what she says.

Pia - The flattered line was just a joke, I find it incredibly frustrating to see this continually happening ;-( and I feel for you with yours, IMDB is just as bad as appearing on YT - maybe we should stop saying yes to students? (though that feels harsh for those who ask and do it properly).

Gregory - cover sheet of my scripts show a Copyright date, I don't have a disclaimer as I've been told they look amateurish in the past, but Don has a disclaimer on the site, I have similar on my own site etc... I think the issue is what is being taught to students about 'fair use'. ;-(

Cammy - tx, be nice to see some more actually see light of day (legit ones of course) ;-)  
In terms of patterns, well they've been made by people in US and Australia and they always seem to pick the Drama's (which isn't my 'standard' genre) other than that no pattern. I did once get a rush of requests (5 I think) from students from one particular school, they were looking to use a short to work out production budgets and had found mine because it was near top of page on SS... I said yes to them all as they weren't filming anything and they all asked for permission first - obviously their tutor taught them properly!  

Anthony,

Go to: https://www.youtube.com/copyright_complaint_form and submit the request.  Regardless if you and the student come to an agreement, the video needs to come down until you reach and agreement and your name is added to the work itself.  A note in the comment doesn't help if the video is uploaded elsewhere.

Don

All too familiar with that form ;-(  tx Don.

Update...

I reported it to Youtube, who have since come back to me asking me for more details, in essence they want additional evidence that I have a copyright claim.

I'm a bit surprised by this as:-
a) They didn't ask for it last time I report an infringement.
b) It clearly says on the page that she's used my script.

Anyway, have sent them additional evidence, but until they review it the film stays up - updates to follow as and when.

Content now removed by Youtube.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Content now removed by Youtube.

Did this person ever get back to you?  

Nope, ignored the comments I made on YouTube and the email I sent them too, I guess I shouldn't be surprised if they were happy enough to use my script without asking!

Glad to hear it got taken down. Is it okay if I wish for bad things to happen to the person who ignored you? And I mean real bad. Like lost the remote control and forced to watch Gigli bad.

No one should be forced to watch that, no matter how heinous the crime!

Quoted from MarkItZero Is it okay if I wish for bad things to happen to the person who ignored you? And I mean real bad.

IMO, life is too short to carry anger around and wishing bad things to happen to others.

Regarding this script and its film, I think the worst case I've ever seen was back when there was a TV show produced by S. Spielberg called On The Lot. Filmmakers would submit short films to enter to be on the show where filmmakers would have to think up a story, write a script and then film it with real Hollywood crews. There was one guy, who submitted a film he made. In his intro, he sat and talked about how he wrote the script and blah blah blah... Well, that script was written by an SS member!!! But, thanks to having posted his script here at SS, there were enough people who recognized it and reported the guy to the show! His entry was yanked from the show.   :o :-/ >:(

Some people have no shame.

I was just setting up a bad joke, Pia. I swear I'm not wishing anything bad on anyone. My level of interest overall on the subject is actually quite low. Like Stephen Baldwin low.

Life is too short not to make fun of Baldwin brothers and Ben Affleck movies.

Quoted from MarkItZero ...Life is too short not to make fun of ... Ben Affleck movies.

Yep, we know you're a softie at heart.

I will just say this about BA:

The Town

Brilliant. Love it. Watch it!

Or, I might just take your remote control away.  ;D

I love The Town!

Film maker has come back to me, her teacher told her it was fine to use it!!!

Quoted from MarkItZero I was just setting up a bad joke, Pia. I swear I'm not wishing anything bad on anyone.

I know. But, there are people out there carrying grudges and wishing people bad things. I know this for a fact.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Film maker has come back to me, her teacher told her it was fine to use it!!!

Hi Anthony. That has happened before. Many teachers don't know how YouTube works with regard to advertising and fair use. I am a bit gobsmacked leaving your name off the film itself. In a paper, you can't quote someone without attribution.

This might be a case to reach out to the teacher. I've done it before.

- Don

Hi Don

I've gone back to the student, will try and pass a message to teacher, I spoke to legal reps at the Autralian uni last time who we appalled the tutor was mis-informing the students... I get that they don't understand Youtube, but copyright and fair use... surely people teaching film students should have some knowledge.

Wow, gobsmacked by all this. I suppose this is the risk we all take on when we put our scripts out there. I wonder how many of our scripts have been taken, re-named and changed just enough so we never find them?

From what I've learnt with this and the other three this year, the students involved aren't doing it maliciously and often do it on the advice of their teachers/tutors ;-(

But at least in these examples they are easy to find and sort out... hate to think that there's others up there that have been changed, no way can I watch every short film on Youtube!

Why can I still find this up on Youtube?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7g74G4G5Oo

Quoted from Cameron Does a film lecturer somewhere have you under observation, just for their students??

Anthony should write a thriller about this. A filmschool teacher, whose dreams never came true and now he spends his time trying to destroy up-and-coming screenwriters.

I've allowed it to go back up temporarily as the student in question has included the link in their college/university application... so if the school in question looked at the link they would have seen the page with no video and a copyright issue notice.

And I'm a big softy and didn't want to stop the kid getting into the right school as I suspect the teacher mis-advised her.

Will come back down when it's not needed for the application.

Am I being to nice.

Considering the circumstances, that was a very decent thing to do. Kudos to you!

Btw, has there ever been a stolen short of yours, made so well, you were actually glad they made it?

Quoted from AnthonyCawood I've allowed it to go back up temporarily as the student in question has included the link in their college/university application... so if the school in question looked at the link they would have seen the page with no video and a copyright issue notice. And I'm a big softy and didn't want to stop the kid getting into the right school as I suspect the teacher mis-advised her. Will come back down when it's not needed for the application. Am I being to nice.

I think that's really nice of you and totally agree it's the right thing to do.  

Vlade - No, though this particular one is the best shot to date, if they'd ask then I'd (potentially) get the chance to help with script revisions and such, but they tend to make 'their' version ;-(

Mark/Vlade - thanks, hope she learns from the experience too.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Vlade - No, though this particular one is the best shot to date, if they'd ask then I'd (potentially) get the chance to help with script revisions and such, but they tend to make 'their' version ;-(

If this helps any, I have made a few short films myself now with various results...   I usually try to use friends' scripts because I believe in helping each other along. I ALWAYS try to be as faithful to the script as possible, but sometimes that can be very hard. The last two films I produced and directed with Dena, the writer for the second film insisted we didn't change anything in the script at all. That made things VERY difficult. Not because we didn't like certain things in the script, but sometimes you have to make adjustments due to locations or actors not being quite what the script called for. It can be very hard to make the writer happy, but I believe we all do our best. The filmmakers want the best film possible and usually they are learning as they go along as well. I know how it feels when someone uses a script without permission, I've been there so many times I've lost count, but one thing I've learned is that in the long run, it didn't hurt me. I'm not sure I've read this particular script of yours, but I think she did a decent job on the film itself. She just messed up on the credits and not asking for permission to use the script. I'm assuming she's young and I'm sure she'll remember this and won't do it again. :)

Hey Pia

I think if a writer insists on nothing being changed in a script then they need to be writing fiction ;-)

A script by its nature is a template for a film, there's a hundred and one reasons that the script might need a tweak or two. And I have absolutely no issue with that, but I feel I can help with those changes and have done on many of my options/sales. For example my script for the elevator OWC has been re-set (by me) in an easier location, but remains mostly the same otherwise.

So yes she did a decent job on this, but there's various elements of the script now absent, which is a shame as I think it loses something.

But as you say, I'm sure she's learnt from the experience.