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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 8:02pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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I'm new here but unless I missed something, this question wasn't answered where I read.

If I post a scene or short story, is it safe here without being copyrighted or WGA-registered?

I only really ask because most of my stories are really important to me and I don't want particular things, scene, etc taken from here.


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Ledbetter
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 8:10pm Report to Moderator
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Mr. Blonde,
Welcome to the site. There is a lot of great information here. People who are willing to help with what ever you have to offer script wise.

You will hear two schools of thought on this.

First (Which I agree with) protect your work. I do, even if it is junk  (like mine).

I do both, WGA and Copyright.

Others will say it is not important. That if someone wants to take your work they will.

Either way (in my opinion) follow your heart.

And again welcome and have fun.

Shawn....><  
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 8:14pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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Thank you, but that makes it difficult.

The stuff I've written is the stuff I care about. The stuff that I'd be willing to share, but it's impossible to register individual scenes with the WGA or copyright them...

Maybe I'll do some small tests.

Again, thank you and if it works out, I'd like to share some of my scenes with the people here.


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Ledbetter
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 8:26pm Report to Moderator
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So are you talking about a script, scenes, or ideas? If you have a script, all of your ideas in that script are protected when you file it.

Shawn.....><
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 8:33pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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That's the thing. In my first post, I stated that I have never finished a script. Never even gotten close. So, I have scenes and synopses.

A lot of them.


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Ledbetter
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 8:44pm Report to Moderator
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i'm sorry. I did not see in the starting thread that you have never finished a script, sorry.
Shawn.....><
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 8:57pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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I know you didn't. It's not a problem. =)

I was specifying so you'd know, not to make you feel bad. =)


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Sandra Elstree.
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 9:12pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients


What if the Hokey Pokey, IS what it's all about?

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From my research, once you post something, even to a blog: Boom! It's published and subject to copyright laws. BUT! We enter murky territory. Proof about copyright is sometimes difficult.

I don't worry about it myself. If someone wants to "steal" my work, then I'm flattered. There's lots more where that came from. Seriously. And I am very serious now. (Te-he). Snap out of it, Sandra.   No really...

If a person is working all the time, they really aren't concerned about it as much as you'd think. If you really are worried though, then register the copyright and don't fret.

One more thing... If you're working on something very long and intense, consider publishing it as a book first. The detail you have there will be plenty proof enough.

Sandra



A known mistake is better than an unknown truth.
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 9:18pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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Nah, screw it. I'll post a couple of my scenes here as test runs. After all, to use them, they'd have to write the entire story anyway, so, I should be good to go.


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Tommyp
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 9:25pm Report to Moderator
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You don't need to copyright your stuff, don't worry about it. If you really, really want to, copyright everything you have done, will cost you $25 or something.

In terms of not finishing work, just push through. Stop all this rewriting BS! Get a first draft out, leave it for a week, then come back to it. Oh, and post it on here too so we can help you/tell you how good it is/rip it to shreds.



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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 9:28pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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Please, rip it to shreds. But stealing is my one fear.

You know, that if I were finally to finish one, someone would snag it... Lol.

And, I can't stop re-writing. It's never right! Ever.

Maybe I'll post up one of my pilot openings before the night's out.


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Tommyp
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 9:36pm Report to Moderator
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Continuity Is For Pussies...

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Stealing happens much, much less than most people think. I was reading a book, and in it, it said that it's much easier to just buy a script, instead of read it, see that there is a great idea there, and hire some other random writers to write a script from that idea. It takes up time and effort and money, so they just buy the original.

In terms of rewriting ... well I dunno, I don't have that problem. Once it's done, it's done, ready for someone to tell me if it's actually good or not.


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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 9:40pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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I want to test something. For anyone looking at this, that is.

In my sig are some of my more recent projects.

Which, if any, sound interesting from the title/genre?

If you want, order them. That way, I'll get a sense of people's preferences here.

From reading posts, I'm getting the gist of some people but all the help I can get, the better off I am. =)


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Sandra Elstree.
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 9:56pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients


What if the Hokey Pokey, IS what it's all about?

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Quoted from Mr. Blonde
I want to test something. For anyone looking at this, that is.

In my sig are some of my more recent projects.

Which, if any, sound interesting from the title/genre?

If you want, order them. That way, I'll get a sense of people's preferences here.

From reading posts, I'm getting the gist of some people but all the help I can get, the better off I am. =)


Purely based on title:

I love the sound of

The Gold Standard

Sandra




A known mistake is better than an unknown truth.
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 1st, 2009, 10:11pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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We'll see. It's about a street gang.

Which reminds me, I checked out the Work in Progress section. It says that to post, a script has to be at least halfway-done.

Guess I'm not posting up anything I've written.

I was going to put up a few of my beginnings but I don't want to get the admins pissed off at me so soon.

That reminds me of something else. The FAQ section. I was reading that, but there's no area to put your script in, to upload. All they have is a link online, but that's not making a lick of sense to me.

EDIT:

That reminds me. On the introduction page, I put down one of my weaker beginnings, in case anyone cares. It seemed like the most logical place for it because it's an introduction to how I write.



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Tommyp
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 6:39am Report to Moderator
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Continuity Is For Pussies...

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http://www.simplyscripts.com/submit_your_script_new.html is the link to submit your script. You can upload it to the actual site, or have it linked from another site. Maybe you missed the bit, "If you wish to have simplyscripts.com host the script, you will have an opportunity to upload it after submitting this form".

Anyways the Golden Standard stood out for me too.


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Old Time Wesley
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 7:33am Report to Moderator
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If someone wants to take a "scene" they will take it regardless of copyright. A whole script you may have a case but a single scene they could probably argue.

I wrote something long ago and never did anything with it but read a short on ss with the same title, main character name and same basic story. I find it funny that something like that happened which shows that eventually someone else will think up the same basic ideas.

What you could do if it is not against any copyright/WGA regulations is throw all your scenes into one long file and submit that. That way all the stuff you like is registered.

Otherwise finish the actual scripts and go from there.


Practice safe lunch: Use a condiment.
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 11:18am Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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Quoted from Tommyp
http://www.simplyscripts.com/submit_your_script_new.html is the link to submit your script. You can upload it to the actual site, or have it linked from another site. Maybe you missed the bit, "If you wish to have simplyscripts.com host the script, you will have an opportunity to upload it after submitting this form".

Anyways the Golden Standard stood out for me too.


Yeah, I saw that, but I didn't release it pertained to parts.

Thank you.


Quoted from Wesley Private Dick
If someone wants to take a "scene" they will take it regardless of copyright. A whole script you may have a case but a single scene they could probably argue.

I wrote something long ago and never did anything with it but read a short on ss with the same title, main character name and same basic story. I find it funny that something like that happened which shows that eventually someone else will think up the same basic ideas.

What you could do if it is not against any copyright/WGA regulations is throw all your scenes into one long file and submit that. That way all the stuff you like is registered.

Otherwise finish the actual scripts and go from there.


I'll have to see if I can do that, as a way to keep things mine until (and if) I actually finish one.

Thanks.


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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 2:04pm Report to Moderator
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What good are choices if they're all bad?

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I'm sorry. One last thing for this.

It says the site hosts full scripts, not scenes

Is that true? If so, that's fine. I'll just keep looking around and reading some stuff to pass the time..


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playa
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 2:14pm Report to Moderator
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I quite like the sound of Crash, just judging by the title. Enlighten me, if you will.
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 2:16pm Report to Moderator
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I'll enlighten you once I get the greenlight to post scenes. I always write the beginnings and endings to my stuff. But that ending is different than the others.

Show revolves around a 14 car crash on I-95.


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playa
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 2:52pm Report to Moderator
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That sounds like a decent hook, but what do you mean? The show revolves around the consequences of the crash, or the whole show, which is aparrently 16 episodes, is the crash?
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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 2:59pm Report to Moderator
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Answering that question would ruin the show. Let's put it this way. The crash happens in every episode except the finale.


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Dreamscale
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 4:18pm Report to Moderator
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Hey man, you can post anything you want in the "My Work in Progress" thread  You can post a scene, 2 scenes, anything.  People do it all the time.  It will not be frowned upon at all.

Just go for it.  No one wil steal anything from you in here, so don't worry too much about it.  If you want to, just put on teh cover page that it's already Copyrighted...no one will know the difference.
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stevie
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 4:36pm Report to Moderator
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I realised the other week that having a script posted here can give it a valid protection of sorts - the date it was posted should stand as proof in itself. If anyone did 'take' something, this posting date shows when it was originally done. Does that make sense?
Here in Australia we aren't legally bound to copyright stuff. if it's got the copyright symbol, it's automatically 'protected by Aussie law.   I think...



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Tommyp
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 8:01pm Report to Moderator
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Stevie I read on another thread that the fact it was posted here wouldn't hold up in court as Don could mess around with the dates of the site and such.

Dunno about the Aussie Law...


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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 8:16pm Report to Moderator
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Well, I came to a conclusion that if someone were to steal a scene of mine, they'd have to build a story around it. Which, if they do that, they've done the majority of the work, which is fine by me.

But there's no way in hell I'd put a full script up here without the WGA-register and a copyright.


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Ledbetter
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 8:18pm Report to Moderator
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If you do this, you can copyright all of your stories under one copyright.

Starting at the end, While Tracking shots,  And Long takes while Re-using the same characters because Bad guys typically win especially when dealing with Hell on Earth but don?t run north because that?s where the South High Green Berets issued the Gold Standard in the case of Objective 66. Then a Crash unleashing the Note showing that a saw cube was planted at Alastair Plaza and all that was heard was an Echo 7 by which could only be seen under a midnight sun.

That way your covered on ALL of your scripts.

LED...><
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stevie
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 8:18pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Tommyp
Stevie I read on another thread that the fact it was posted here wouldn't hold up in court as Don could mess around with the dates of the site and such.

Dunno about the Aussie Law...


That sounds feasible. Um, the aussie law or standard is that we don't have to register if we don't want to. a copyright symbol on our work is enough if there was a shitfight later.



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Mr. Blonde
Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 8:20pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Ledbetter
If you do this, you can copyright all of your stories under one copyright.

Starting at the end, While Tracking shots,  And Long takes while Re-using the same characters because Bad guys typically win especially when dealing with Hell on Earth but don’t run north because that’s where the South High Green Berets issued the Gold Standard in the case of Objective 66. Then a Crash unleashing the Note showing that a saw cube was planted at Alastair Plaza and all that was heard was an Echo by which could only be seen under a midnight sun.

That way your covered on ALL of your scripts.

LED...><


If only, if only...

Maybe that's what I should do. Combine them all...

No, I can't. There's some CGI movies mixed in there. Oh well. =)


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dogglebe
Posted: July 13th, 2009, 10:13pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Mr. Blonde
If I post a scene or short story, is it safe here without being copyrighted or WGA-registered?


Here is further prof that you need to copyright everything. From TMZ.com

A long-time Hollywood writer/producer is suing ABC because he came up with the pilot for the series Lost thirty years ago.

The papers include many simularities between his idea and the show, many of which you can't chalk up to coincidence.

If established people in Hollywood can get fucked over, what does that say about us little guys?


Phil

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Baltis.
Posted: July 13th, 2009, 10:31pm Report to Moderator
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You can, and should, copyrite your material -- I know I do; but with that said... There are soooooooooooooooooooooooo many people writing scripts and soooooooooooooooooooooo many not getting so much as a glance it wouldn't matter if you were ripped off or not.  

You have to really, really, really, have a good idea. An original one. A ground breaking one... To get ripped off and notice it.

Trust me, you have ideas.. So do I. But you can bet your ass so do tens of millions out there and they're all very similar to one another... What I'm trying to say, why steal an idea when you can probably write it yourself?

Don't try pulling the "cos it's easier" card, either... It might be easy to steal it, but it's gonna be just as hard trying to sell it.

I hope this opens your eyes a bit more and gets the hamster wheel turning a little faster. I'm super proud of my work and ideas I've come up with, but at the same time I know there are other writers out there who are better than me and have similar ideas stored away.  Don't think you've got the golden goose with every piece you write. You're gonna drown in paranoia if you do.
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Dreamscale
Posted: July 13th, 2009, 10:38pm Report to Moderator
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The problem with that example is that it was 30 years ago.  It wouldn't have worked 30 years ago. Now, is it really a case of someone sitting on an idea for 30 years and ripping him off?  I doubt it, but I don't know anything about it.

If you've got something good, Copyright it...if you're literally just starting...save your cash and learn to write first.

PS  Balt...WHERE THE FUCK IS "FROST BITE"??????????

WEAK!!!!!!!!!  I check every day and get pissed with no new FROST BITE script.

E-Mail it to me, damnit!!!

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dogglebe
Posted: July 13th, 2009, 10:41pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Baltis.
You have to really, really, really, have a good idea.


I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry proves you don't even need a good idea.

Strange Bedfellows aka I Now Pronounce You Vince and Ralph tells the story of two straight men who fake being gay and get married for help themselves financially.


Phil
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