I’ve lost count of the number of times I have read posts on message boards asking this.

Posting ideas is foolhardy and dangerous because ideas cannot be protected. The same applies to posting a scene from an unfinished script.

A finished script can be registered on-line for $22 with WGA but if you want to discuss ideas you are thinking of working on, don’t without taking some precautions.

You can register a treatment with the WGA, this at least gives you some possible proof that the idea if presented as outlined in your treatment, was first thought of by you.

But here’s the rub, most ideas are not worth stealing because the idea, premise, concept or what ever you want to call it, is not enough on its own.

For any concept to work as a movie needs to have characters, objectives, conflict, a structure and a final outcome.

Now if you think through all those elements and write them down in a coherent, chronological order, you have the makings of a treatment.

I am at the moment creating a new Superhero. The concept of a Superhero is not new, and no doubt the skills I give my Hero will not be that different from other Superheros.

What will be different is how he is formed, the strengths and weakness of his character and the persona he projects when he is the Hero as to when he is not.

The originality is in the fine detail not the overall premise and it is this detail that makes your idea good, bad or indifferent and you will only know this if you work through all the elements of your story before you begin the story.

The advantage of doing this is you will see for yourself the flaws, the mistakes, the inconsistencies and the futility of your idea without having to discuss it with anyone else.

On the other hand it could also empathise the brilliance of your premise, the originality of your character and the value of turning your idea into a fully finished script.

The same applies to individual scenes, if you have written an outline, then fleshed it out to a treatment it should become obvious what each part of the revelation process of your story is needed to make it work.

Construction of the script after having sketched out your story is just a question of dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s in accordance to good script formatting and presentation as you have studied in the many ‘How To’ books you have read.

By the way, if you haven’t studied the craft of screenwriting do not start writing your first script, it will not be worth the paper it is written on or the time you spent writing it.

At some point you have to give your script to somebody else unless you intend to produce, direct, finance and distribute you movie yourself.

If you are not going to do it all by yourself, the established method of raising interest in you concept, is by sending a logline and possibility a synopsis to a complete stranger, neither which really are protected and both are telling somebody else what you idea is.  

The fear of being ripped off or having your idea stolen is a fear of many beginners, but think of it this way, if your idea is good enough to interest others you should be good enough to create more ideas.

In four years I have written 24 feature screenplays, including six assignments (commissions). I have also registered several treatments and have over 70 ideas in ‘My Ideas’ folder to consider at a later date.

Part of being a writer is creating new ideas, turning them into projects and presenting your ideas and projects to others, normally in a pitch.

You won’t be able to swim unless you get in the water.

All sensible advice. Writers do tend to be a paranoid bunch.

I can't remember were I heard this phrase before, but here goes:

"Good writers borrow from other writers. Great writers steal from them outright."

“Good writers borrow from other writers. Great writers steal from them outright."

Aaron Sorkin (American Screenwriter and Producer, b.1961)

Anyway, it's the same with music...

Quoted from michel Aaron Sorkin (American Screenwriter and Producer, b.1961)

Thaaaat's right. It was from The West Wing - Rob Lowe's character said it.

Quoted from rendevous All sensible advice. Writers do tend to be a paranoid bunch.

Even paranoid people have enemies.

And scripts have been stolen from Simplyscripts in the past.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Even paranoid people have enemies. And scripts have been stolen from Simplyscripts in the past.

I'm familiar with one particular incident where someone stole a script that was used in a competition, but has anything been stolen (like a feature) that has actually been produced and distributed?

Quoted from dogglebe Even paranoid people have enemies. And scripts have been stolen from Simplyscripts in the past. Phil

I read that if someone steals your work and has made it, you're more likely to make more money suing them than what you would selling the script to them.

Quoted from Muse32 I read that if someone steals your work and has made it, you're more likely to make more money suing them than what you would selling the script to them.

Yeah, but then you're caught up in court battles and you actually have to prove that it was stolen.  You should look for a court case involving "Dodgeball" that someone posted up here awhile back.  Very interesting stuff.

Somebody lifted a script from here which they filmed for the "On The Lot" competition last year.

The kid even had the nerve to list himself as writer.

He was outed pretty quick -- disqualified -- and it was obviously a pretty significant speed-bump in his young career.

Moral of the story is that in the age of the internet, this kind of theft is pretty dumb.

Eyes are everywhere, and somebody, somewhere, will recognize your plagiarism for what it is.

Quoted from dresseme Yeah, but then you're caught up in court battles and you actually have to prove that it was stolen.  You should look for a court case involving "Dodgeball" that someone posted up here awhile back.  Very interesting stuff.

All you need is proof of when material was written. If you have that then your laughing, especially if you have notes with it aswell of how to story evolved into what it was.

Other than that, if you can't prove it, then technically you're screwed... But to steal someone else's work is shocking, I couldn't imagine a writer stealing another writers work, what is this world coming to?

Plagiarism isn't new at all (I read once that Shakespeare didn't write the first version of Romeo and Juliet), but the advice on the ideas is quite sound. Anyone can take anyone else's idea and run with it, because it is the development of that idea that's worth the money, as opposed to the idea itself. That's why treatment can be copyrighted or registered while ideas really can't.

This is also why you get films from different studios with the same premise (I hearken back to the year of Armageddon/Deep Impact/Space Cowboys) and how The Asylum can do their Mockbusters, or "studio tie-ins". So if you've got a million dollar idea, perhaps you should consider carefully whether you should post it before you've fleshed it. In all honesty, it won't make a lick of difference, since an idea that good will get lifted even after you finish writing it and even after it's fully produced.

Quoted from George Willson Plagiarism isn't new at all (I read once that Shakespeare didn't write the first version of Romeo and Juliet), but the advice on the ideas is quite sound. Anyone can take anyone else's idea and run with it, because it is the development of that idea that's worth the money, as opposed to the idea itself. That's why treatment can be copyrighted or registered while ideas really can't. This is also why you get films from different studios with the same premise (I hearken back to the year of Armageddon/Deep Impact/Space Cowboys) and how The Asylum can do their Mockbusters, or "studio tie-ins". So if you've got a million dollar idea, perhaps you should consider carefully whether you should post it before you've fleshed it. In all honesty, it won't make a lick of difference, since an idea that good will get lifted even after you finish writing it and even after it's fully produced.

Makes sense, so whatever you write, they can rip it off anyways.

If you email your script to yourself before posting it anywhere,  would that not be sufficient proof of ownership?

I doubt that would hold up in a courtroom but I could be wrong. I heard posting to yourself works, via registered post...again that could be BS too.

That would be a version of a "Poor Man's Copyright," where people would send themselves their work via certified mail and never open, so they could use the postmark as the copyright date. Trouble is, people can steam those babies open later and add stuff. Emailing yourself the script is about the same as posting it on SimplyScripts. Don's server will have the upload date. Trouble there is that computer dates can be changed or fabricated. Its not likely to happen on a public server, but that would be a reason to just register it with the WGA or copyright it. It'll be cheaper in the long run if someone does try to swipe it.

Mailing a script to yourself will not carry much weight in court. You can anything to yourself and carefully reopen the envelope and put a script in its place at a later date.

The best way to protect your script is to register it with the Library of Congress.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Mailing a script to yourself will not carry much weight in court. You can anything to yourself and carefully reopen the envelope and put a script in its place at a later date. Phil

The funny thing is that here in Greece mailing your script to yourself is the only way.... There is no other way to prove your copyright. There is no organisation , no library , no anything....

And is very easy to open an envelope without damaging it. See the <<The Lives of Others>> for a nice tip.

Have you asked your local Scriptwriters' Guild of Greece?

http://www.senariografoi.gr/script.php?l=en&p=contact

Or ask a local lawyer?

Quoted from jayrex Have you asked your local Scriptwriters' Guild of Greece? http://www.senariografoi.gr/script.php?l=en&p=contact Or ask a local lawyer?

Jayrex , our local Scriptwriters guild reccoment to send a letter.....!
The truth is that there is one other way.... You have to go to a layer and he sigh a contract . But there he write that YOU claim that this script was in your hand this exact day.... He cant prove that the script is yours and he ask for 100-120 euros....

The letter costs 3 euros . Do the maths!

2-3 years ago there was the national library with a copyright department , but it was close because it was full with copies!

Anyone can register a script through the Library of Congress; you don't need to be a US citizen.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Anyone can register a script through the Library of Congress; you don't need to be a US citizen. Phil

You need to write it in english? Do they accept a foreign language script?

Guys, seriously, if you want to register your scripts... and you want the security of knowing they're safe, sound and protected.  Do me and you a favor... Just send me your script in PDF form and drop 15 dollars into my pay pal account.  I'll make sure it gets done for you.

... No, seriously.  I will.... "looks around"

I hear there's a guy called Martin Sanders who'll register your script for a small fee...if you're lucky he'll get you a production deal, too.

Script theft doesn't mean it only happens when someone finds your script and then films it without you knowing anything about it (happened to me btw), it also happens at the next level. I've heard many stories, one from a friend who gets paid to write where the original writer has his script optioned or sold then the "buyer" has someone else or himself do a re-write and when the film comes out the original writer isn't even mentioned...

I've also seen where producers put themselves down as the first listed writer and the real writer second even though the guy just told the writer what he wanted the writer to change with the script.

It's a "me first, fuck everyone else" business for sure.  

I've had the opportunity to work with someone in Hollywood, writing a script based her storyline.  Problem here is that the story was a rip off of two other movies, already produced.

While it's legal to use someone else's idea, stealing a story is still a bozo no-no.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe I've had the opportunity to work with someone in Hollywood, writing a script based her storyline.  Problem here is that the story was a rip off of two other movies, already produced. While it's legal to use someone else's idea, stealing a story is still a bozo no-no. Phil

I couldn't be happy with myself if I took anyone's idea or story... It just wouldn't fly with me.  There is too much ground to cover on your own without someone else's work weighting you down.  I could never understand the person who could pawn off other's work as their own... It borderline pisses me off.

Quoted from Baltis. I couldn't be happy with myself if I took anyone's idea or story... I could never understand the person who could pawn off other's work as their own.

Me neither, but there are plenty of people that will...

When I tried making changes in the 'new' story, to make it more my own, it was taken away from me.


Phil