Rewriting someone else's script

[scriptdog]

A friend of mine is a director and he's asked me to rewrite a script for him.

My question: Is it a problem that the original screenwriter, who came up with the original idea (even though his use of it was terrible), is just being shoved off the project? How much of the script needs to change in order for us to still use the main idea? Or is the idea itself off limits without the original writer? Could he conceivably make trouble later on? It's a student film, so it's not going to make any money, but still . . .

 

[Lazlo]

You're asking a moral question... Is it okay to steal peoples ideas and say they're my own?

It depends. If you think stealing is okay. Nothing could come of it if no money was involved. However, if money ever was involved, you would have to be careful.

So the main idea is "off limits" if you think its wrong to take peoples ideas and call them your own. I would recommend talking to him, and possibly making it a co-writer thing. He did come up with the original script. And at least the main idea that you want to take. So he deserves some credit. You should at the very least talk to him about it...

 

[scriptdog]

Good call

Good call

That's pretty much the way I was feeling. I'll see if I can get contact information for him. Thanks.

 

[MarkG]

It's probably complicated by the fact that no money is involved: if the director had paid for the script then they'd have the right to give it to someone else to rewrite, but unless they own the script they're on somewhat dubious grounds.

As Lazlo said, you should at least talk to the other writer: it may only be a student short, but ten years from now when you're nominated for an Oscar you won't want news stories about how you 'stole' the idea for your first script .