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3 years ago I began working on a Script called “Sheean”, working everyday for a month. Then re-writing, refining, polishing to a point I thought it was ready. My Script even made it as finalists in a contest. I knew this was probably my best work to date. Prior to even putting a single word on my PC screen, I did what I thought was due diligence by checking online by way of every possible search, search term. At the time nothing came up. It was only recently that I happen to stumble across a very similar Film currently in production, essentially the same story. At first my thought was someone had ripped off my idea. After some detective work by me I managed to get a Phone number of the of the other Writer. ( a really bold move on my part, one that will probably come back to bite me in the backside) After some mulling over to call or not, I made the call. The upshot was that I had been beaten by several years, with no idea. As no one wants to make two films that are essential the same. Long story short, 3 years of work down the drain. I know many of you would have had a similar experience. And I am wondering how you would bounce back from something like this?
Difficult to comment too much without specifics but there are plenty of examples of very similar movies getting made at essentially the same time.
For example Antz/Bug's Life, Prestige/The Illusionist, Deep Impact/Armageddon... and many more.
So if it were me I guess I'd be looking at what the differences are and maybe work on those a little, then if the other movie is successful then you have a ready made companion script that you could try push as 'in the vein of XXX'
This is a re-post from a thread years ago, and cause it happens all the time, figure I’ll just post it again to hopefully quell some of your despair.
Anyway, I remember doing some research on this phenomenon (people having similar/identical script ideas) after I read a set of screenplays all pointing towards a similar concept of man/machine integration:
… which I believe quickly spawned 2 other scripts almost identical in their approach to a virtual mindscape, and being ‘Jacked’ into a digital realm. Both have serious overtones of William Gibson's Neoromancer, were written the same year, and, both released just in time for the new millennium.
eXistenZ – written by David Cronenberg in 1996 and released in 1999… (Cronenberg already had a similar theme of a human/digital hybrid with his 1983 Videodrome, and thus his concept took on a more organic approach when 'Jacking' into a digital matrix)
What I found (in my research) is, some believe it has to do with the collective (mind) being easily imprinted with thought patterns. Alchemists might call it an ‘Egregore’, while others, such as Rupert Sheldrake, have termed it a ‘Morphic Resonance’.
Perhaps, our minds are always in a perpetual state of somnambulism, constantly searching the ether of the collective for ideas floating about, and, when one (idea) lands, we feel certain to claim it as something dredged from the depths of our own thought form, not realizing it may have been a transmission from some unknown source trying to create ideology patterns within society.
I know many of you would have had a similar experience. And I am wondering how you would bounce back from something like this?
I remember scripting a black ops creature I called ‘Intrepid’ who would transfer and archive (peoples) altar memories into a digital matrix called ‘The Hydra’ (which I based on an archaic computer from the CIA’s (previously the O.S.S. ‘Camp X’), months later I saw the entire idea/concept fully realized as a 'NAZI Maschine' in the movie ‘The Winter Soldier’. That was a serious WTF moment…
With respect to bouncing back? Rework the idea, a script can be written a million ways with the same idea, but as noted above, can be accomplished via similar yet different avenues of approach. Best of luck.
Patrick, I remember this topic from a couple of weeks ago, right? And it looks like you had Don pull the script?
Set in Australia - a very specific naval war story? I agree with what the others said, don't necessarily think it's dead in the water - excuse the naval pun there.
I read some of it and recall it was a very accomplished written script.
Did you get the opportunity to read the other script? Yours might be better.
If it were me at the very least I'd enter it in screenplay contests. You might at least get credit where credit's due for your work. And why pull it from the site? It's still a great example of your writing skills. Someone might see it and hire you to write something else.
That said, despite the obvious disappointment you feel now, find another project to sink your teeth into and immerse yourself in writing that.
I'm assuming the competing movie is the Craig Monahan one that's announced? If so, cool, he's a solid director! If he does a good job with this one, people may well be looking for another take on the same material.
And in any case, it's never bad to have a great piece of writing. If you don't have an agent, this sounds like a good piece to get you one.
And finally -- the way to bounce back is probably just to start a new project. When it all comes down to it, no matter how things went with this script, that's what you were eventually gonna do anyway...
Lots of scripts have similarities; same idea, same theme, same plot even. What makes your script different from all the others is that it's YOU writing it. An art teacher tells 30 students to draw a tree. What she's going to get are 30 trees, no two of which are identical.
Write your script. Don't be put off because you found someone else is writing one like it. Who knows, yours may be better.
I duuno, you'd be a bit disappointed wouldn't you, Dave? Same biopic you worked hard on for years and then someone gets theirs greenlit?
The story of Teddy Sheean and HMAS Armidale ...Monahan said the recent controversy around the HMAS Armidale’s 18 year old gun loader Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean, who was denied the Victoria Cross despite the recommendation of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal, demonstrates the national interest in this story.
“Teddy Sheean stayed at his post during the three-minute firefight and went down with the ship, his gun still firing. Sheean was extraordinary, but his actions are but one part of the fascinating and multi-layered Armidale story,” Monahan said.
It's the risk we take with writing biopics specifically I'd say.
I duuno, you'd be a bit disappointed wouldn't you, Dave? Same biopic you worked hard on for years and then someone gets theirs greenlit?
The story of Teddy Sheean and HMAS Armidale ...Monahan said the recent controversy around the HMAS Armidale’s 18 year old gun loader Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean, who was denied the Victoria Cross despite the recommendation of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal, demonstrates the national interest in this story.
“Teddy Sheean stayed at his post during the three-minute firefight and went down with the ship, his gun still firing. Sheean was extraordinary, but his actions are but one part of the fascinating and multi-layered Armidale story,” Monahan said.
It's the risk we take with writing biopics specifically I'd say.
Part of " not understanding " was the lack of detail on the similarity of the stories. That being said, I still don't understand why this is a full stop. There were two Wyatt Earp movies released in the same year. There have been several Lincolns, Kennedys, etc. If he has a great script, I wouldn't bin it as all I'm saying. I'd soldier on.
Hi guys, LC spot on it was “Armidale” that I came across. At least when I spoke to Craig Monahan he was really nice about and professional. He even let me get away with a rather ballsy move of asking him would he take a look at my script for his feedback on it. But somehow I don’t think that would happen. But I am cool with that. Eldave1 that is my plan. Keep plugging away, I already have a new idea kicking around in the ol noodle. LC, Should I put the script back up on the boards?
Hi guys, LC spot on it was “Armidale” that I came across. At least when I spoke to Craig Monahan he was really nice about and professional. He even let me get away with a rather ballsy move of asking him would he take a look at my script for his feedback on it. But somehow I don’t think that would happen. But I am cool with that. Eldave1 that is my plan. Keep plugging away, I already have a new idea kicking around in the ol noodle. LC, Should I put the script back up on the boards?
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