Hey movie-fans...

My name is Scott Kessler and I used to a pretty regular fixture on this board. Some of you know me, some of you don't. In any case, that's not important. About a year ago I started playing an online Hollywood simulation/writing game called That Movie Game.

As of yesterday, it was brought to my attention (along with everyone else in the game) that a relatively new player calling himself "MICHAEL NICKS" has been passing off a number of scripts stolen from this site as his own.

The stolen scripts are:

The Arizona Monstrosity by Damian Sanders (retitled as "Arizona")
Airframe by Maurice S. Devaraj (retitled as "Airport '06: Airframe")
The Amazing Spider-man by Guy M. Derritt
Minds of Corruption by Michael Schwimmer

TMG's co-admin, Corey Fryia, just happened to be reading this site when he noticed The Arizona Monstrosity and the similarities. "Michael Nicks" has since been banned from our site. I have no idea what name he uses here (or if he just trolls looking to steal other people's work without being a member) but if he shows up using that name (or something like it) WATCH OUT! He may use another name, but I know for a fact that's 17 years old and lives in Oklahoma, so that may help to identify him.

Just thought I'd give you all a head's up.

Later!
FSK

Where is he passing them off?


Phil

It's one of those on-line games, Phil.  Where you try to get your script produced -- but in a "virtual" way with, like, Monopoly money or something.

I don't think any real harm done -- but passing someone else's work off as your own makes you a complete dick under any circumstances, no?

His taste in scripts ain't too good either haha.

The last post in "Arizona Monstrosity" (in Horror) has a link to the message board where they are griping about this guy.  If you are curious.

We're gonna find you if you are on our boards here, Micheal Nicks.  Then we'll kick your ass right off.  Don't think we won't.

He was banished from TMG!

It looks like he chose stuff by people who aren't regulars. I don't recognize any of those authors as regulars on the board. Just trying to get away with something, so he's not going to chose something by Phil or Bert or me or anyone else who would be more immediately recognizable or widely read.

Me, for example. Is very hard job to plagiarize me, george. It is a very hard to fix spelling and grammar errors together! It does not worth!

Hard to plagiarize you, Helio?  It's hard to understand you!  


Phil

Very funny, my dear Pugumentary fella!

What?  I'm sorry.  What was this?  Helio?  Can someone explain...?



Phil

Quoted from FSKessler He may use another name, but I know for a fact that's 17 years old and lives in Oklahoma, so that may help to identify him.

Okay George, as our man in Oklahoma, it's your responsibility to go and "talk" to him.

"What?  I'm sorry.  What was this?  Helio?  Can someone explain...?

Phil"


Hey Phil, how could you say I’m a fella hard to understand? I’m not offended, but I'm surprised.

Where did see hamburgers and neurotic bull-eye exposing their feelings honestly around there, huh? Just in my stories. I’m an easy reading fella, Phil, a democratic one. Most of boys or girls from the high school can understand my stories. I say the same about the nursery children. All of them love my stories about camels, crazy fugitives, suspicious old ladies, bible men and playful dogs as well. So, I’m sane screenwriter sailing on this sea of nuts around there, Phil. I'm a Saint Exupery of my time. I'm a Cervantes...I'm God in vacation in South America!!!!

What name did Michael Nicks post under?

Helio, I'm kidding you crazy blankety-blank-blank.


Phil

I figure that this thread is as good as any....

Remember that guy, LiveWire4QWK?  The guy with the 'war-in-the-supermarket' contest?  He still visits these boards regularly, though just to lurk.  He was on just yesterday, in fact.


Phil

I joined The Movie Game a while ago.  I haven't played it yet, but I joined it.  It does look like a fun and useful online community.  There's a similar game called Hollywood The Game which I tried to play a while ago.  But when all of the virtual TV networks were trying to get their grimy paws on my show, I learned that a rule of that game -- so that everyone can be on an equal playing feild -- is that half-hour virtual shows can only be seven minutes in length on Hollywood The Game.  It'd be ludicrus to have to show people my "baby" in that butchered manner.  Yes, it's extra exposure, but I don't want to compromise art for exposure.  Writing is art, and anyone who doesn't view writing as art has the right to have and maintain their wrong opinion.  The Movie Game doesn't have that ludicrus "seven minute rule."  So based on my not too thourough examinations of Hollywood The Game and The Movie Game, I'd pick The Movie Game as the one to try if you want to try that sort of thing.  But a good way to avoid having people steal work is to support only the best sites.  Don't support a new site unless its goals are totally compatible with your own.  Keep the variety of online communities on a specific topic down to a self-policable level.  It's safer to post your unproduced script to simplyscripts than to any other site because simplyscripts is a more established community where people will vouch for you.  I love you guys :*

Yes, Alan, writing is art. But entertainment is business. Talk about two entities that regularly don't see eye to eye but must co-exist in order for one to support the other.