Screenwriting : I have what may seem like a dumb question. by Dwayne Pagnotto

It’ll get stolen in the most beautiful way. Always protect the critical action moments

You can't copyright an idea.... It's up to your own preference to share for a feedback or not.However everyone here have his/her own Ideas , creations and dreams.. I don't think anyone in this community will even consider stealing others hardwork.. cheers and best of luck.

You cannot steal execution, or storytelling craft, or your voice, point of view. Them are your fingerprints.

Great writers like Rhimes, Sorkin, Mamet do webinars and tell everyone how they write & think. Give away their secrets because they know the majority of writers don't/will never have their execution- they separated themselves from the field.

It has to go out sometime. The advice I've heard is to do it.

Thanks everyone so far for the wonderful advice you've given me. I've heard many great arguments for doing it either way. I'll take some time and carefully consider all the wise, and invaluable advice you have generously offered me. Bless you all.

Dwayne Pagnotto everyone has their own thoughts about this, for sure. It's only your decision to make. Definitely post your logline if you haven't already, an easy way to start sharing your work. You can do that here, https://www.stage32.com/loglines.

Good counsel from fellow forum dwellers. Dan MaxXx offered a particularly insightful post.

Here's my take:

1) I've read tons of written pitches. Most of them are not worth stealing.

2) I submitted hundreds of pitches and have never had anything stolen.

3) I only submit pitches for scripts that have a US Copyright. After that, I spend little time worrying about whether someone steals my concept.

4) If you want to work with producers and directors, you have to share your work. And you should consider doing that at every possible opportunity.

What good do you think will come from posting a treatment here? None. All you are doing is sharing an outline so they can use it to write their own screenplay if they want. You would probably be better off posting the screenplay you registered. If you think posting it here will help you sell it, it won't. If you want to sell a screenplay call people who actually buy them.

Thanks all the rest of you for yer very wise and observant answers. I will think long and and hard about which way I should go with this. Thanks Dan, I will post my screenplay here, tho i don't think it'll do much good. I should probably go to those who actually buy them and see what happens. But i will take yer advice under consideration. Take care.

You can do both, Dwayne Pagnotto. Post your script on here and go to the people who buy scripts. That way you have two opportunities to sell a script. I've sold four short scripts on Stage 32 by posting them on here.

Dwayne I hesitate also, for your same reasons. Have you submitted a screenplay for consideration for Stage 32's Lookbook? If selected, it goes out to 500+ in the industry. I was included recently and believe me, it was a shot in the dark. You never know if you don't try.

If it's registered you should be fine. But, that doesn't stop people from ripping you off, they won't be able to take it verbatim but they may steal a premise. This even happens to professional films! In conclusion, don't worry about it too much.

You have a fixed form of a unique artistic expression, therefore copyright automatically applies. I am just going out on a limb here. But someone will have had the same idea as you in the last 1000 years of story telling. So it is how it is told. Plus it makes no economic sense to steal. Here is a video explain it in more detail.

https://youtu.be/sSWPtl3qgLk

Thanks everyone for yer wonderful advice. And i will continue to think about it until i am sure about what i wish to do.

You can't copyright ideas. And, if you believe those who say it, there are only seven types of story. Don't worry about it. If someone rips it off to the degree of simply changing character names or something like that, then sue their ass. Otherwise, don't worry.

I had an idea and scoped out a full story - never shared it with anyone - and then went to see Looper. "That's MY story!" I said! Mad... it's called the Stephenson's Rocket effect. Basically, Stephenson wasn't the only person developing steam engines. But he got their first. There were several others - some better, some worse, but the fact was there were lots around the same time being developed.

David, I believe it comes about because we all live in the same world at the same time. We are exposed to the same influences so some of us have the same thoughts.

I'd say if you have like some six-seven digits investment pending on the project and your script or treatment leaks, it's a trouble...concerning already produced stuff or spec stuff, knock yourself outta showing it around...I mean what's gonna happen? Someone 's snitch Spielberg's "Raiders of a lost ark" and spin it around for personal movie? This ain't no "Nikeee" industry...at least not yet...

Sir, think about story writer like me. Our story concept on back cover page. Then one can read full story by reading. We have copyright and ISBN for story. There is a possibility someone steal our story concept and make movie with similar story concept but we writers will never comes to know of it. It is impossible to follow all movies and OTT.

So my question is what happens when we story writer sell our fiction for movie production? Will judgement come in favour of us or the person who stole our story and made movie out of it?

I have published my fiction in U S and india . Also e book through Amazon.

Don’t mean to be stupid, but exactly what is a treatment and what does it do for you?

Hi Dwayne Pagnotto , everytime you post here, or anywhere, you run the risk of your materials/idea Being stolen- no matter how much protection you apply to it. But, the Majority of Stage32 users are legit and not out to indulge in theft…there are less than honest people here too…the thing is, how much of a risk are you willing to take? I just posted a link to my pilots pitch deck…it’s too expensive to steal.

"If i post the treatment of my screenplay here, what is the likelihood of it getting stolen and developed by someone else?"

Zip. Zilch. Nada.

I've been told by two different entertainment attorneys over the years:

Nobody legit will steal your idea (although they may be developing something similar - but you can't copyright an idea).

Non-legit people won't have the money to do anything with your work.

The few-and-far-between stories in the news about plagiarism ALWAYS have a backstory (some connection, history, etc.) that the news never reports because it would remove the sensationalism. And for every one of these stories you hear, there are literally HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of scripts out in the wild that NEVER get stolen.

Add to all this that you're talking about a Treatment, rather than an actual Script: again, not a snowball's chance of it getting stolen.

IMHO

Thanks John!

Thanks everyone. I am now closer to making up my mind about this. i will not post it. Because this movie will blow every other movie out of the water when it comes out. You people who say there's no way that it hasn't been done before, but i am telling you now, that you can make a story, screenplay, movie, treatment or whatever and fill it with so many quirky and off the wall details, that's will be impossible for it to have been done before. i mean think about it, if what yer saying were true, than there would never be anything original done...lol.

Gimme a break. A treatment is slightly less than posting the entire script. If anyone on this site is curious about it, interested parties who might be willing to pursue a deal with me, than this would give them a little taste, without giving away the whole thing.

Don't frigging tell me that it's useless posting the treatment or screenplay on here, that i should take it and sell it to those who buy them. I mean, what the hell is everyone on here for/ To get connected, right? Right!

But i am not gonna do it now, because this movie is gonna get a big build up. But not here. I'll wait until the right time. Thanks again everyone.

Peace.

Good for you Dwayne Pagnotto

Sorry but I just give up on this writing squelching paranoia.

Thank you for that, Abdur. I really appreciate the vote of confidence my friend.

Sorry Doug. But it is what it is. I do not like playing by the rules. Never have. If that offends you in any way, than i apologize. But i gotta go with my gut. Nevertheless, yer advice is always welcome. Take care my friend.