Posting Screenplays Online

[Paul Holloway]

Hello I am almost done with the first draft of my screenplay. I am also building a online multimedia portfolio and was think of putting a portion of my script online or maybe the first draft. Is there a way to do this without worrying that someone could still the script and credit it to themself?

 

[Kim Welch]

I don't know. I would say don't do it even though i would like to read

 

[geckopelli]

Hello I am almost done with the first draft of my screenplay. I am also building a online multimedia portfolio and was think of putting a portion of my script online or maybe the first draft. Is there a way to do this without worrying that someone could still the script and credit it to themself?

Register it with the WGA and/or copyright it.

That way they can't directly steal. ( I'm still closing out with a director who tried to do just that, but now WGA registration is a big nail in his coffin.)

Other than that, I'm afraid it's naive to think your script is truly all that original. There's a lot of movies out there and many more writers.
The value of your script lay in the originality of your voice, not concepts and devices.

My own distinctive voice is the final nail in my sleazy director's coffin.

 

[Paul Holloway]

Register it with the WGA and/or copyright it.

That way they can't directly steal. ( I'm still closing out with a director who tried to do just that, but now WGA registration is a big nail in his coffin.)

Other than that, I'm afraid it's naive to think your script is truly all that original. There's a lot of movies out there and many more writers.
The value of your script lay in the originality of your voice, not concepts and devices.

My own distinctive voice is the final nail in my sleazy director's coffin.

How do I register it to the WGA?

 

[geckopelli]

How do I register it to the WGA?

https://www.wgaeast.org/ on the east side of the country

http://www.wga.org/ in the west.

Check west first even if you're in the east, as they are more film oriented.

You can also register Treatments.

It's $20

If you're using FD, the file drop-down menu takes you where you need to go.

 

[Kim Welch]

So did you register it?

 

[temerson]

Just don't do it. It's not enough to demonstrate that you wrote something and made it available. You would have to prove that they stole the idea from you. Making your work available online, there's no way to prove that they didn't find the material. There is plausible deniability that they came up with the idea themselves. This is why studios and agents don't take unsolicited material - they might be sued. Just send out queries to get solicited. Then you don't run the risk of getting stolen from by anybody - only the people who solicit your screenplay will steal from you! At least then you can demonstrate that they knew the material, so there is a reasonable chance it was stolen. Again, just don't do it.

 

[Kim Welch]

Sounds like good advice

 

[Kim Welch]

I have heard not to even talk about your screenplay ideas until you have protected them in some way.

 

[geckopelli]

Agents and such don't take unsolicited material mainly because it's a waste of time. Whose going to read all those thousands of scripts?
And usually, they aren't up to quality, anyway. Most of the stuff that comes through Agents isn't up to par, either, and a lot of time and money is wasted reading it.

Now Indie guys may indeed try to steal from you, but studio's and the like will not. They don't need to.
It's perfectly safe to post you're stuff on DoneDealPro and such places. I mean, they're dealing in hundreds of millions of dollars and they need to steal from some amateur to save $100,000?

And know this: Agents don't want scripts, they want writers. Producers want projects to develop, not scripts to produce. And Studios don't want original ideas. They want to sell tickets.

If you truly do have a unique story, [unlikely, but possible] your choice is to go Indie, or [the smart thing to do in my opinion] stick it in the drawer until you garner enough juice to bring it out.

For instance, Bruce Willis just said he's tired of Action movies. If I had a non-action script I felt Mr. Willis was particularly suited for, I'd be writing a letter of inquiry to his Agent, his Manager, and his freakin' fan club right now!
[Actually, I already finished it-- goes out tomorrow!]

But if you hide your script and wait for them to come to you, well, it's going to be a long wait.

 

[Kim Welch]

I hope Bruce is reading this.

 

[Kim Welch]

I was thinking about this some more. I still don't think it is a good idea. I think that if you put the time to write something you need to publish it or in some way copy write the thing. I do think people steel ideas. You might say nothing is new but I am sure Byron who had that same philosophy would trip if he saw a jet or the cell phones we use today. We have new ideas! At least we do here. I say Protect your story ideas until you are in a situation that warrants disclosure.

 

[Alex Whitmer]

Even registerd material can get ripped off. There is also the practice of mining, where they strip it down for the plot points and such, rendering the original a cheap and unmarkable knock-off.

I post my short screenplays, and always bite my lip when sending out a feature for a read. Ya can't hide it forever, and just gotta take the chance. Per my other thread, I've been royally ripped off. Not much I can do about it, either - actually I did, and the film was canceled in post - but the point is the script is dead and no check ever came in the mail.

Regardless, I still post work and send work out. A lot. In the long run it seems to pay off more than not. It's gonna happen. Pretty much every industry is subject to vermin, so ya just gatta go with it.

Do I know if my posted shorts have been ripped off or mined? Nope. Could be. They can just change the name, tweak a scene or two and call it their own. It's that easy. I'm on the verge of claiming some (many?) film schools encourage filmmakers NOT to pay for a screenplay if at all possible. My fave response so far, after working with a filmmaker's idea, and ready to hit the key board for a small fee - 'What? You mean I actually have to pay for this? Sorry I wasted your time.'

Okay, at least he said sorry in the same sentance.

I think with the internet and our becoming very accustomed to everything being free, paying for material just seems so yesterday. If it's there then it must be free, even it says otherwise, right? Arg.

alex

A

http://thestarvingdramaturge.wordpress.com/

 

[jaydog]

I am new to the film making scene and I have written a script or two. Honestly I hate writing scripts so I am looking for short film scripts that might be a good potential for film. The screenwriters that I have spoken with so far have been awesome and have allowed me to look at their scripts. I am honest and have assured them that if I want their script that they will be credited for the script. The scripts that I have not wanted I have always thanked the writer for their time and that was it.

But I understand the work that goes into the writing so I appreciate the screenwriter all the more. I hate writing scripts and would rather work on other aspects of film.

Again I am going to be shooting my first film this summer and am hoping that springboards into something else as well as allows screenwriters see what I can do.