Screenwriting : Can I trust people with my (copyrighted) screenplay for feedback purpose and what should I look out for? by Rick VanHattum

If you don't hand it out, no one will ever see it and it can never be made unless you make it yourself

What Pierre said. And hopefully you are already finishing up the next script and planning the one after that. The more babies you have, the less you'll fear one being kidnapped.

@william: thanks for the reaction. I sure have more screenplays on the way, but nothing as far in progress as this one.

As the others have said, there's no way you're going to sell anything without putting it out there, so it's a risk you take. That said, I actually think it's a really really small risk - most people in the business you'd be giving it to who could actually help you out - a vertical connection rather than horizontal - already have access to a ton of scripts and ideas, so stealing from someone isn't really on their radar. If they were that interested rather than steal it they'd probably just offer a smallish option agreement and go from there. Of course this is just my opinion, and it does happen from time to time, but I wouldn't worry about it to the point of it preventing you from sending out your work. =)

Thank you, Terri. :)

Rick, it's copyrighted, so relax. Share it with whomever you feel comfortable or if you need their review. Copyright is considered very common and most professionals and industry establishments require you to have your work protected before they'll even take a look. Or, perhaps they'll ask you to sign a submission request form -- because those reviewing your work want to be protected from you as well. Screenwriting competitions often require copyright or WGA registration on submissions too. Anyway, feel free to post your logline and script right here on your profile page, as a lot of our members do. Open yourself up to feedback. Then, perhaps get started on another. With all due respect, this is rather a minor thing to be worrying about as you develop your screenwriting. Craft warrants far more concern. :) Best to you!

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, Beth. I will post it soon.

I second everything that's been said here. I especially agree with what Terri said. If a producer likes your script that much, it's simpler to option it. Of course who rewrites it from there may not be entirely up to you. As for lateral reads (from other screenwriters, etc.), I always figure most writers are way too enamored of their own ideas to bother stealing mine.

I would also get anyone to whom you send the script to, to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).

Oh, I'm far from knowledgeable in these things, but I would have to guess that if you wanted people to read your scripts and asked for an NDA every time very few people would bother. Just guessing, but from everything I've learned the people who you want to ready your scripts have too many to read already. I can't imagine they'd be too thrilled with having to sign something every time.

Yeah, I can't imagine anyone wanting to sign an NDA. There's so much competition in this industry, putting up a hurdle would just work against you.

Yes, personally speaking, a copyright has been just fine -- sharing work among peers. Many of us help each other with ideas and give notes while working on spec scripts without any concern. I have signed release forms when asked by those wonderful folks on the other side of the table. No problem. Releases are rather standard. Be smart and knowledgable, but also be easy and fun to work with. :)

Again, thank you all for replying. Next step is to get my screenplay read. I'll keep you all posted.

Best of luck Rick! Just wanted to make a general comment on asking someone to sign an NDA. If we''re talking about people at a screenwriting group we're in, that's one thing, but asking someone in that vertical "power" position to us to sign an NDA before pitching or handing-over a concept or script is going to be a non-starter and, as far as I'm concerned, a good way to get that someone to move on from you. It's just not how things work. Anyone who could legitimately help a project along through connections, experience, money etc is most likely going to have 100 other people s/he could turn to on any given day to obtain an (unrepresented/unsolicited) script. So the chances that that person is going to be willing to take the time and energy to get the NDA from an unknown writer, send it his/her attorney (because they're not just going to sign it), have the attorney look it over, get the attorney's notes back, convey the notes to you, come to an agreement if need be, blah blah, on and on, all this without ever having laid eyes on the script, or even heard so much as an elevator pitch maybe, are really, really slim. What will happen is the person will just go to the next unknown writer with a script and no NDA request. Also, keep in mind that this is a business where ideas/concepts/scripts/stories are exchanged and handed off in a flow of information 1000 times a day. For you to arrive on the scene, throw up your hand and say, "HOLD UP! I'm gonna need everyone to sign an NDA before I can join the flow" is equivalent to you holding up a sign that reads, "I'm new here, and don't know how things work." (no offense on that, every writer I've ever met has gone through the stage where s/he was worried about idea and story theft. So been there, done that) It's like those people who creep off the on-ramp at 35 miles an hour when highway traffic is moving at 75, thinking that will keep them safe, when really the safest thing is to hit the gas and get in there not with recklessness but with confidence you can handle the merge. As Beth said in her post, get your copyright, get your WGA registration (and do your poor man's copyright if you want) and then let it go. Focus on your craft. Join the flow of traffic. Everything's going to be alright. =)

Simply register your script with the WGA West or East, it is simple costs about $20 dollars and is good for 20 years and will cover your tail. Nobody steals scripts, ideas or concepts, it is not worth the effort, the last thing any producer director wants is a law suit that freezes production or halts distribution. In fact any serious Agent or Production Company will have you sign a parallel development disclosure. Ever see two movies come out at the same time that are very similar? it happens, in fact i was just putting the polish on a script almost identical to Blood Diamond and had to let it go as it just was released in the movies as i was going submit to producers. Getting paid for the first version is not the issue, getting final/screen credit and royalties is were the fight is going to be.

"Is it safe?" "Yes, it's safe, it's very safe, it's so safe you wouldn't believe it." "Is it safe?" "No. It's not safe, it's... very dangerous, be careful."

Ha ha

Gotta get you some of that clove oil, Jim

I disagree with registering with the WGA. It has ZERO legal standing and only applied to members and signatories to the WGA itself. Period. Copyright the script with the Library of Congress as you did and its protected across the entire US and the world (even there, the countries have had to have signed onto international copyright treaties and conventions).

As for is it safe? Just Google "how many screenplay lawsuits are there" and you will see who did what to whom. So your only protection is: if you have your "I want this one special script made" screenplay, finish it, and put it on the shelf and don't touch it. Write other scripts that are of "lesser value" to you than your "the one" screenplay and toss those in the wild and see what catches someone's fancy. Once you get a name for yourself, then you can pitch the one great script directly to producers where it would be a smaller audience and therefore a bit safer. So in review, keep your best screenplay hidden and make many many more and circulate those.