Hi Everyone,

I had a hard time figuring out where on the forums this discussion should go, so please tell me if it should be moved...

Back in January, I submitted a logline to MoviePoet's feature competition. While many people praised it, just as many, if not more, slammed it and it went no further than the first round. Understandable.

Here is where it gets interesting...
This month, I was reading entries into last month's shorts competition and noticed a script with a similar premise to mine. It's actually very different from mine in script form, but the general premise is there. I should mention that in no way do I believe this person took my idea or anything ridiculous like that, and, in fact, one of the reasons my logline got panned is the fact that it is a fairly common idea.

My only point is, don't you think it's a bad idea to enter a logline contest if you seriously intend on pursuing the idea? It has nothing to do with plagiarism and someone outright taking your idea, but why risk "inspiring" someone else into having a potentially better one?

Let's say I want to write the next great script about blind assassins and someone reads my logline and thinks of a completely different story that involves blind assassins. In the wild chance taht we both write winners, whichever one sells first is likely the only one that will sell. Why would Warner Brothers buy a script about blind assassins when Fox is already in development?

People often laugh at writers who think "their" idea is going to be stolen for two reasons:

1. Ideas are not property. You can't own them or copyright them. You can only own the execution of an idea.

2. Why would hollywood steal your idea if you already have it ready for them in script form?

I also think it's incredibly silly to lose sleep over plagiarism and theft, but in the case of a logline competition, I think it may be warranted. Not because the idea will be stolen, but because IDEAS BREED IDEAS.

Nothing you can possibly think of is entirely your own. Everything you have ever experienced inspire your thoughts. That includes movies you've watched, music you've heard and yes, loglines you've read.

It's not theft and there is no "bad guy" in the story. It's just the way things work.

As of right now, I probably would not enter the logline contest with anything I seriously think is a definite winner. I'd rather write that on my own and enter it into contests when it's done. What about you guys? Any other ideas/theories?

I just wanted to have a discussion about that.

Felipe

P.S. I also would like to add that I am in no way claiming that my logline inspired this writer's short script. They may never have even read it for all I know/care. It just put this idea in my head and I thought I'd share it.

Felipe, if you get a killer idea, a high concept idea, don't put it out in the public forum.

I think a lot of amateur writers suspect their ideas are stolen anytime something seems familiar.

Nonetheless, ideas do get used by others, "stolen" if you will, so don't risk it.

What about short idea? shorts might not have much value, but plenty of shorts have been turned into features. If it's that kind of high concept idea that has feature potential, keep it for yourself.

You're on your way to a successful career, so I don't think there's much benefit for you playing around with these kinds of things like logline contests. I think the risk far outweighs any benefit, but what do I know.

Run your loglines and concepts by your friends. Even people here you trust. Then just write, man! At least once the scripts is written you can copyright it.

I agree taht it's a better idea to run ideas by friends or people you can trust.

And with that, I give you an ever worse idea than a logline contest:

http://logline.it/

Post your logline on this site if you want anyone in the world to be able to take your premise and run with it. Also if you want random unaccredited people to tell you what they think.

Any idea I have that I think is worth pursuing, I don't share with anyone...
Except my partner.

I continue to develop them.
Assuming I keep having new ideas about the idea, I'll keep it.

Every idea/premise gets recorded now, it's automatic.
And yeah, I've been inspired by scripts here.

There's a feature here that inspired a different way to take the tale.
But I never wrote the script, the elements were too close for my comfort.
And there's a short here that I'd love to turn into a feature.
But, it's not mine. So I kinda just let it ride.
Got a couple dozen ideas already percolating as it is! ;D

Regards,
E.D.

I have more ideas than I can handle...and I constantly blab about them. So far, no one has copied any of my ideas that I know of.  ;D

I love talking to writers. Throw ideas back and forth. A feature takes a lot of work to plot, write, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite....If someone wants to put that much effort into writing something that was just an idea, logline or short. Go ahead!

Obviously they can't use my characters...

Nobody ever listens to me, so I am lucky nobody will steal my ideas!

My daughter told me about a dream of her's.  She wanted me to make it into a story.  I shot it full of steroids and trying to make it into something interesting, but I told her I will give her credit when I win an Oscar!  I'm her dad, it's the least I can do.

I'm with Angry Bear on this one, I have a crap load of ideas in my head.  I just need to get them out!

Felipe,

Read Dreamland by Eric VonHeader on MP. Just read it! What it reminds you of? It came long before the movie though:) It's a fine read too.

Jung believed that ideas were part of the collective unconscious.  That's like this mystic mass storehouse of everything that's ever happened and ever will.   And that when you had an idea, you were tapping into this storehouse and it was a pretty good bet that someone else somewhere was tapping into the same idea at the same time.  

I'm kind of paraphrasing so it's close but probably not exactly what he said.  Still, I'm not sure that I buy into that 100%.  However, I've been in situations where I've had a great idea and then a year later it shows up in the movies or on TV.  Pretty much an indication that someone had the same idea at the same time. Spooky.      

Whilst I do have several ideas that I would kill ex-girlfriends in order to keep them safe...you do have to tell somebody, somewhere about them at some point to ever have a chance of getting them made or of making contacts who believe in your ability.

Ultimately someone who wants to be a professional screenwriter is someone who will almost certainly be a gun for hire and will write things they are paid to write. Very few screenwriters get to have all their great ideas made into films.

It's your one great script that gets you writing the next crappy studio flick.

You also have to remember that these days you aren't competing for quality, but for time.

Hollywood is not looking for the next great film idea, they are looking for stuff that already has an inbuilt audience.

Viral youtube clips have more chance of being made into full blown movies than scripts. Blogs are the same.

Getting millions to watch your constantly weeing dog gives you more chance of "Incontinent Pets" appearing on the big screen than you having a meticulously plotted epic.

That amazing idea that sits in a drawer is never going to build an audience, and so will probably never get made.

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films Whilst I do have several ideas that I would kill ex-girlfriends in order to keep them safe...you do have to tell somebody, somewhere about them at some point to ever have a chance of getting them made or of making contacts who believe in your ability. Ultimately someone who wants to be a professional screenwriter is someone who will almost certainly be a gun for hire and will write things they are paid to write. Very few screenwriters get to have all their great ideas made into films. It's your one great script that gets you writing the next crappy studio flick. You also have to remember that these days you aren't competing for quality, but for time. Hollywood is not looking for the next great film idea, they are looking for stuff that already has an inbuilt audience. Viral youtube clips have more chance of being made into full blown movies than scripts. Blogs are the same. Getting millions to watch your constantly weeing dog gives you more chance of "Incontinent Pets" appearing on the big screen than you having a meticulously plotted epic. That amazing idea that sits in a drawer is never going to build an audience, and so will probably never get made.

Rick, did you open up the dictionary, snatch out the word cynical and eat it or what?!

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films Getting millions to watch your constantly weeing dog gives you more chance of "Incontinent Pets" appearing on the big screen than you having a meticulously plotted epic.

That's my idea, Rick.  Back off!



:D

I'm not saying people need to keep their ideas hidden for all of eternity. I just think that posting it on some website where any anonymous person has access to it is asking for trouble.

You do need to tell people about it - especially to see if you really do have a winner - but it would probably be beneficial to exercise some caution in the process. As I said before, not really for fear of theft, but for fear that someone else will decide to write something on the same subject and cost you a chance at a sale.

You could use the Logline competition to your benefit. Say you have a great script about incontinent pets.  You could plaster the competition with similar loglines to get people thinking about incontinent pets.  Suddenly there's a demand for scripts about incontinent pets, and lo and behold, you already have one written.  I might test this theory.

Jordan