I just recently completed my first screenplay and I would love some feedback on it. If you would be interested in reading it and giving me some constructive critisim on it that would be awesome.
My email is Brendan4130?gmail.com and I will send it along.
Thank You.
Send it. I sent you an email, but have no idea if it went through or not.
swordofdoom.101?gmail.com
And were an epitaph to be my story
I'd have a short one ready for my own.
I would have written of me on my stone:
I had a lover's quarrel with the world.
Robert Frost (1874-1963
That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough! I'm going to clown college!
just wondering if it's safe to be giving out your script to just about anyone out there? Perhaps I am paranoia personified, but am I the only one who thinks this way?
Don't worry, I'm not gonna steal the damn thing. I'm not that low.
And were an epitaph to be my story
I'd have a short one ready for my own.
I would have written of me on my stone:
I had a lover's quarrel with the world.
Robert Frost (1874-1963
That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough! I'm going to clown college!
Hey come on now Swordofdoom, wasn't meaning to single you out. Just questioning the practice in general. Matter of fact Brendan should be glad you agreed to help him get another viewpoint. cheers.
I know, just letting folks know. Nothing personal, I'm just very brash. Sorry about the misunderstanding. I must agree though, I would not strongly suggest posting this elsewhere. By the way, do you want the advice here, or emailed to you Brendan?
Peace Jaffar, nothing personal
And were an epitaph to be my story
I'd have a short one ready for my own.
I would have written of me on my stone:
I had a lover's quarrel with the world.
Robert Frost (1874-1963
That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough! I'm going to clown college!
Personally I think there are enough screenplays floating around that stealing someones is fairly unlikely. Then add in the chance that the screenplay may have been sent in for copyright or to the WGA and that stealing it could get you seriously fined or blacken your reputation and I think the chance drops close to zero.
Having said that you might want to have it copyrighted as insurance. Doesn't cost much and even if its not polished yet future versions can be leveraged off of the same copyright.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
Has there ever been a documented case of a script being stolen in the last few decades?
I know ideas have been 'stolen' (e.g. Terminator), but I can't think of any scripts.
ya actually I meant stealing of ideas too. No one can be stupid enough to steal a script in it's entirety, especially when they are copyrighted. Just that sometimes when we magically figure out some really cool ways to unfold four or five great events or incidents in our story, we've got ourselves a great script. And as much as I'd love to show these off to others, I tend to get very cautious and insecure about sharing them with just about anybody. The thing is you if you've ended up writing something really great, you want to be the first one to put it out there. Any variation of what you have originally thought of pops up somewhere before yours does, it kind of dampens your payoff. Hence the paranoia. But largely, thanks to some systems in place out there, your work as a whole is pretty much safeguarded.
And Sword, there was never an issue pal.
I think you'd find that happens rarely to never. Ideas are common and rarely what makes a script stand out (except for rare cases like Matrix).
In Hollywood you've got everyone thinking they can write scripts so they are knee deep in them. Some good and most bad. If one gets a greenlight and looks like a big deal (Robin Hood Prince of Theives) the similar ones will be located and given a second chance in the hopes of riding the coat tails (Robin Hood with Patrick Bergen). The timing is suspicious but completely innocent when it comes to idea theft. Even tv shows jump the gun because they have shorter cycles (Robin Hood episode of Star Trek TNG) and not far behind are parodies (Robin Hood Men in Tights). None of these would have been spawned without Kevin Costner's movie, all have similar ideas and themes and none are cases of idea theft.
To much money is on the line, even in small productions, to deal with lawsuits. Ideas are less protected than specific jokes might be. If you register your script with the WGA you'll have more protection from this sort of stuff than the copyright office would provide. I believe that is one of the points of double-registering. If they steal your idea you might get money and a credit on the film for it if you can prove you had it first and registered it.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
