... Once again without my permission. At least i get the opening credit and the film stays true to the script. Gotta say I enjoyed it, though they need better sound equipment.

Watch it here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eENZnYw8_1A

Script here- http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-short/m-1199652397/s-0/

~Zack~

If you don't want it up, you can ask the filmmaker to take it down.  If he doesn't, you can report it to youtube as copyright infringement.

I had someone e-mail me yesterday, saying he liked one of my scripts and that he was going to shoot it.  Apparently, he's not familiar with copyright, either.


Phil

Zack,

You need two things.  An Agent and an Attorney.   Seems you might hold the record for having the most pirated scripts on SS.  It was a tight little short, though.

They did a good job. Embelished on the script a bit, but thought what they did worked. At least they gave you credit.

Was weird, they didn't credit actors or director.

Take it your not gonna pursure anything here?

James

Nah, I'll just let it go and learn from it. I'm gonna start copyrighting my work from now on.

~Zack~

Zack, your work is automagically copyrighted the moment you write it.  That's the law.  

Unless you plan to recoup losses, yes.

But, even though Don put that whole "All rights reserved" crap on the site, it means nothing because any defendant can say, "Well, can they prove the date it was posted is 100% accurate?" As you're the plaintiff, that'd be a hard sell. Fucking rules, man. Some are great. Others... Let's just say, "Not so much."

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Unless you plan to recoup losses, yes. But, even though Don put that whole "All rights reserved" crap on the site, it means nothing because any defendant can say, "Well, can they prove the date it was posted is 100% accurate?" As you're the plaintiff, that'd be a hard sell. Fucking rules, man. Some are great. Others... Let's just say, "Not so much."

This is why I register my work with the Library of Congress.  Should it come to, "Can you prove you had this script in 2006,"  I can say, "Yes."


Phil

How much does that cost Phil?

~Zack~

Zack

A well put together film, nice touch with the opening of the brief case too, very Guy Ritchie (among many others) The big sunglasses and placing-of-match-type-thing-in-the-mouth was a little much in the cliché characterization of the anonymous stranger department but an undoubtedly slick production overall.

I agree with you about the dodgy sound because when Steven says the "You simply giving me permission to cure you, that’s all." line, it sounded like he said "kill" instead of "cure" thus, in a way, giving up the closing shot twist. ;)

A bit rude of them to film it without your permission but at least they stayed faithful to your script and put your name up front at the beginning.

Col.

Quoted from dogglebe This is why I register my work with the Library of Congress.  Should it come to, "Can you prove you had this script in 2006,"  I can say, "Yes." Phil

Couldn't you just go onto your computer and look up the date for when the document was created?

Sean

What surprised me is their comment on the video itself!

"The story is predictable but enjoy anyways."

If you're gonna steal a script, film it, and then post it online...at least have the courtesy to not slag it off! It's like nicking a TV, dragging it home, plugging it in and then saying, "It's pretty small, but I guess it'll do."

As to the film - I liked the way it was shot. The actors were too young (what was with the toothpick?), the sound was shoddy and they'd just nicked music from Lost, but some of it was pretty good. I've seen far worse. I actually think the absence of a tortuously long opening credit sequence (seemingly common in micro-budget student films) was a good thing.

It sucks that you've been stolen from again, Zack, but hey - in 20 years' time you can use this period as material in your seminars as a cautionary tale to fledgling screenwriters. Then you can screen the shorts for them, and people will laugh at the directors you were associated with before Rodriguez, Craven, Roth, etc.

Out of interest, how did you find out about this? Did they contact you? Or did you do Phil's Googling yourself and your script thing?

I agree with Johnny about the cast. They were to young for this. It's amateurish when the cast consists of late teens to early twenties only because the director didn't want to cast appropriately aged people.  The toothpick is out of place here, too. It denotes toughness (in a cliche way), not a mannerism for a healer.

I'd still ask to take it off youtube.


Phil

Quoted from Zack How much does that cost Phil? ~Zack~

WGA.  $20.00
http://www.wgawregistry.org/webrss/

Library of Congress.  $35.00
http://www.copyright.gov/register/

That was good Zack. Congratulations even if it was "stolen".

PS. those guys should invest in a tripod if they can't hold the camera steadier than that.

While the LOC costs more, it lasts for 75 years after your death.  WGA registration is only good for five years after it's been registered.

You don't need to register the scripts individually. You can register them as a collection.


Phil

Filmed again without my permission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdHlMTVmJrs

~Zack~

And again. Without my permission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHnPFZ38Gyo

~Zack~

Wow, Zack ;D ;D.

How is that even possible?

Not exactly sure how I feel right now... Is it possible to be both upset and honored at the same time?? Mostly upset.

~Zack~

Hey Zack,

For what it's worth I enjoyed watching it even though it was predictable. I could see the ending coming a mile away.

It's a great feeling getting produced and I also know how you feel as I have had contact with a producer recently who was keen to produce one of my shorts though refused to sign a minor agreement.
I told him NO in the end, and he said, "I will produce it anyway, and there is nothing you can do !!!".
He's an arse !!

Truth is i could get a lawyer involved and pay the associated costs though it was written for fun so I'll probably drop it. Nothing has turned up on YouTube yet, so time will tell.

I can relate to how you feel though the reality is if these guys don't profit from it then there would've been little in it for you anyway. Enjoy it and take it for what it is.

Regards Alex

Quoted from Zack_M._Akers - from 2010 Nah, I'll just let it go and learn from it. I'm gonna start copyrighting my work from now on.

How did that work out for you, Zack? ;D

One of them had you down as writer in the credits. It's amazing that this keeps happening to you...Are you taking any action this time?

I was watching one of the ones you have posted and off to the side this one was there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eENZnYw8_1A

This one gave you credit at the first and the end.  At least they acknowledge you wrote it.  Crazy that they don't try to contact you though.

Cool to see that many versions of it.