Screenwriting : Honest Producers by Billie Brannock

Though the behavior is shameful of stealing your ideas, ideas can not get a copyright an idea. Plagiarism runs rampant these days and many producers are in a race to the bottom , both in prices offered for scripts and in their ethics regarding acquisitions.

And I would love to see ethics return to this field. Nothing destroys creativity faster than dishonesty. You're right, ideas cannot be copy-written but it is incredibly easy to make a few minor alterations and call someone's great idea your own. I suppose our only hope lies in the honest few that remain but I've noticed younger individuals quickly jump on the money train to claim ownership and knowledge in this field when perhaps all they've ever done is shown up to one production to claim a crew position or scribbled up a single script that reads like a novel and never made it to the WGA for a copyright. There just seems to be a lot of 'wannabees' out there and few authentic individuals with true experience and an honest backing. I also wonder if any independent filmmakers take the time to do a background check on their cast/crew? When I produced a feature film we encountered a number of issues involving criminal participants that did not get uncovered until it was nearly too late and the production was suddenly liable. How does someone get around hiring someone like that in the movie biz, and can we legally have stage participants read and sign a contract confirming they do not have a criminal background?

know your community, Ask for references. make connections with good people, their friends. and know who is a good line producer. good casting agent... know the people you work with .

That's true, unless the idea has been registered with the Writer's Guild or has a copyright.

You can't register or copyright an idea. You can register a story or a treatment or a script, but not an idea. NO ONE has ever won a case where they thought their idea was stolen. Ideas are a dime a dozen. It's how YOU execute the idea that makes you and your script valuable. You can give ten writers the same idea and get ten different stories. As far as "producers" go... Do your homework. Check them out before you trust them. If you want to get into the business of filmmaking, you need to treat it like a business. Don't commit to anything until you check them out. Be polite, but be careful. IMDb. The internet. It's very easy to find out who is legitimate and who isn't. Don't let your emotions rule how you react. Unethical "producers" count of that from people desperate to break in. Treat it like the business it is. When you were producing your feature film were you paying these people? If not, you have to take what you get. If you were, you can do all the background checks you want. They cost money, but you can do that. If they are volunteers... you take the good with the bad. AND you should NEVER produce a film without insurance so that if there is a mishap, it's covered.

dont worry about the people who steal ideas, if they do...make sure your movie is far greater performance wise and artisitically. thats why i have no fear in the matter. the only person who can make it great is in the head of the writer. the founder of the creation ;)

writers know hows it being played properly, the stealers dont. our brains are made the same but dont think the same

like what Bob Saenz said pretty much

they steal your idea, you just enhance it even better

keep some reserves, (add ons) that only you know about in case it happens

And I had talked over coffee with another writer, he had asked about my current writing and like I do with many other people, we talked about it and shared ideas. I gave him a thank you for acknowledgement. He later wanted writing credits and financial reimbursement. "those were my ideas" and no I did not brazenly take any idea he had spoken, but a conversation will shape my opinions, flaws mentioned will be addressed, I offer my input into other people's writing all the time as professional courtesy and network building. when people take my ideas I am honored. when they write a script or book on the same topic - heck I am thrilled. I will be able to point to it and then point out where mine can be successful because it is similar, but different in these key ways and HOPEFULLY (or I am not earning my salt as a writer ) BETTER for this list of reasons. ... "stealing" is a big compliment. and more valuable than cash.... I mean truly is it not great to say, hey I was talking with James Cameron about the Smurfs and said I wanted to rewrite it as a Dances With Wolves sort of adventure story... Well that would be kind of cool even if you get no official credits for AVA-TARD ... to have the story that your creativity is so good that it has been incorporated into other folks work. I am always thankful when people incorporate my ideas and I know their project has improved from my touch... those impressions on the world and the other help and assistance we offer others is all that is left of us when we pass on...

to make a short story long , life is too short and there are vast oceans of ideas. dip your hook grab any one. make it a master piece. Any subject is a genius story. Haven't we all taken the challenge at some point that each person has a novel or a movie in them and while on the bus , in the mall, passing a school or passing a hospital, in a park, wherever . you see people no matter how plain simple and well commonplace boring and wonder what their novel is and then start to develop their story? Every single person is the lead character in some drama... editing is the key. where does the story start and end. as Patrick the Starfish said something like "Is everyone happy? if not, it is not the end" (comedy) or in Shakespearean tragedy , is there a body pile yet? then it is not the end

I appreciate everyone's positivity on this subject, but might I add one small personal insight? I not only had my exact script stolen but it was also used online to draw traffic to a foreign makeup company. What's truly upsetting is the individual not only used my name for the sale, but had the copyright date off by two years and rewrote parts of the short so badly it was embarrassing. This is likely why I tend to be less trusting or happily enthused about having my work stolen. But yes, I suppose it could be an ego boost to know someone wants to steal, change and take credit for my work over another, even if I didn't receive the paycheck in the long run. My concern is more about ethics and honesty than the loss of a script. Years ago it simply would not happen, but today it seems everyone enjoys some form of dishonesty, from stealing scripts to copying DVDs. This is more than about stealing or sharing an idea, it's about stealing the entire story and calling it yours. I agree about ideas. They're a dime a dozen. I'm way past that concept and onto a more ethical level. And God forbid if you do ever have that one in a million idea and opt to share it with someone who lacks the integrity and decency to not capitalize on it.

Thanks Lyse. Clearly you can see where I'm coming from, above and beyond being grateful or generous for someone stealing my material. As it is most of my small productions are done on a very 'generous' level where I pay for everything without consideration for any form of financial return. I film for the love of filming and not necessarily for the profit, so I do feel as if I am extremely 'giving' as it is without having my scripts or ideas stolen, regardless of the acceptance by the general majority of "That's how it is!" in this business. I don't feel that's how it should be and really, it's time writers bond together, put their foot down and stop this kind of dishonest plagiarism. I think I've turned the other cheek more than enough in this business. Let's renew a sense of pride and integrity in the entertainment field instead of entitlement, as you noted. Then we can all move forward confidently without concern of having our writing stolen and chat without worries about someone benefiting from our hard work. I chuckle at some of the interaction here as it seems most have not experienced losing a script to a dishonest individual or having a film credit stolen or unfairly shared by a producer/director. Once they have their open-mindedness will most definitely change--especially when it affects them personally and a lawyer is their only option, which I might add, most starving writers cannot afford. I am one for saying how it is and not looking at things through rose-colored glasses. Most don't want to hear these things, but reality is such that sometimes these things need to be said. But don't just hop on board and dispute a situation if the time hasn't been put into the art. Once you wear your heart on your sleeve and become honest with yourself and have really dedicated yourself to years of writing then you've earned the right to tap me on the shoulder and dispute my upset over plagiarism. Otherwise most newbies to this field may be better off just sticking to their 'everything is good' attitude and kissing backsides to climb their way up the entertainment ladder. I can honestly say I've earned my kudos every step of the way without any hand-outs or suck-ups. I sleep very well at night because of it, too. My crew is dedicated because I am determined to do things the right way and I don't hesitate to make my feelings clear. I'm also a very strong achiever and competitor in the field who works very hard as a writer. By setting that example I acquire great young individuals eager to follow the entertainment field and work with me. I can also trust them beyond a doubt with all my ideas, scripts, and big picture concepts. That's how it should be in this field. Sorry for the rant, but again, I tell it like it is and how I sincerely feel. I'm sure others feel the same way but fear stepping on toes. I don't!

Billie, from someone with the "years of writing" I am tapping you on the shoulder. 'it seems most have not experienced losing a script to a dishonest individual or having a film credit stolen or unfairly shared by a producer/director. Once they have their open-mindedness will most definitely change--especially when it affects them personally" Of course I have experienced it. I will blame the people that did it, find the ones I can trust. I am certainly NOT "grateful or generous for someone stealing my material." I said I was grateful for the exchange of ideas and love when my insights and input are incorporated in others' works. "have not experienced losing a script to a dishonest individual or having a film credit stolen or unfairly shared by a producer/director. Once they have their open-mindedness will most definitely change--especially when it affects them personally" I have certainly been affected personally but my openmindedness and attitude will not change because of a few small people. I was the same jerk before and I will be the same jerk after. I will not get bitter and spiteful because of what others do. my outlook is all about me and happiness is a choice. Do i vett people and check their reputation? sure . not doing so is not trusting , it is naive. experience , even bad experience, does not call for one to become bitter.

again scripts being stolen? that is matter for litigation. Ideas can not be stolen. People have "stolen" my ideas and their script was very different (and pales in comparison) from the one I wrote. So I love the comparison between the stolen idea and what I wrote.