I'm writing this post because people have PMed me about these topics. I'm going to try to make this quick... The Hollywood Community does not "steal ideas" from content creators. We couldn't get away with it even if we wanted to, so we don't do it. Hollywood is a relatively small community. You have to protect your reputation. You're working with the same group of people and have to foster good working relationships. The ecosystem keeps everyone in check. Analogy: You live in a neighborhood. You know a bunch of your neighbors. Don't steal from your neighbors if you want to live comfortably and happily in your neighborhood. Analogy: It's like the Cold War and the Nuclear Arms Race. The US won't drop a nuke on the USSR because we don't want the USSR to drop one on us. I don't steal from you, and you don't steal from me. NDAs. In Hollywood, an example of the few NDAs I've seen is when a studio sends out a top secret script to a VFX house for a VFX bid. For example, maybe Paramount needs a VFX bid on TRANSFORMERS 5. They will most likely send an NDA with the script package. Analogy: "Hey, come to my dinner party. But don't steal anything from my house. Sign this agreement stating that I've invited you into my house, and you won't talk about it or take anything." Do you even need to say that? Isn't it understood? Do your guests have any decency? In cases with sensitive scripts that need to remain spoiler-free, studios may watermark scripts with the recipient's name, so if the script winds up on a spoiler site, you know who didn't properly store their copy. They may employ similar techniques, but NDAs are not standard practice. Now if you're dealing with random, unknown people outside of the community, who don't play by any rules, then enter at your own risk.
Screenwriting : Why the Hollywood Community doesn't "steal ideas" or send out NDAs by Regina Lee
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Is an NDA "A NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT"?
Yep that is what NDA stands for.
If you get an NDA just sign it. It commits you to nothing other than Non-Disclosure.
Thank you Regina for making that clear.
Hey Regina, thank you very much for your great input - like alway. I really love and appreciate your posts, comments and advice. VFX = visual effects? So, the common business rule in Hollywood actually is like Immanuel Kant says it in his categorical imperative. Kind of 'do as you would be done by'.
Hi Regina, Thanks to you I completed the treatment re my memoir Follow in the Tigerman's Footsteps, spoke to Nat and sent in the revised version I prep[ared after our last talk.
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Hi Elisabeth, yes VFX = visual effects. FX = effects. SFX = sound effects or special effects. Special effects are usually VFX these days.
Hi Colin, good to hear from you. Best of luck with Tigerman!! I have my fingers crossed for you.
Thank you again, Regina!
There is no such thing as stealing an idea because Ideas are free for the taking. You can "borrow" someone’s idea and make it your own but that is really a crappy thing to do. You can’t say the Hollywood Community doesn’t do it because anyone, a reader, an assistant, a secretary can read your script and take your idea and make it their own and there isn’t a thing you can do about it. Ideas are as free as the air we breathe. However, it doesn’t happen too often because it is much cheaper to buy a screenplay than it is to go to court and take a chance that your production could come to a grinding halt. I wouldn't worry about it if I was a screenwriter because if you don't your script won't get read and it is pretty hard to break in as a screenwriter if you don't send your script out to people to read.
A script is roughly 2.5% of a budget. So stealing a script isn't saving anything really. Not only that, but you could grab a "no win, no pay" mall lawyer and tie up the production, distribution or promotion costing them more than the 2.5%. The risk way out weighs the cost of just paying you. Plus they will need to pay some form of writer, as there will always be some rewrites during production.
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I really don't think Hollywood is stealing from anything except from old franchises. My god, how many more reboots are in the pipeline?
I agree stealing a script isn't saving anything but it isn’t just the producer that has access to the script when you send them a screenplay. A production company employee or a reader can and have stolen screenplays before. It is rare but it happens. I created enough inventory over the years that if someone stole one of mine I still have plenty more to send to people.