Screenwriting : Spec Scripts 1.0 by Christian Pius

Christian, perhaps when ready post your work on your profile page (as much or as little as you wish) or share a link in "Your Stage"-- that's where members post for feedback on a script or logline, etc. Plus you can always delete it as well. As far as copyright, as the creator of a written execution, such as a screenplay, you already have copyright. You can register your claim of copyright with the LOC if you wish. Perhaps do some research. There's really no need for paranoia. But do whatever makes you comfortable. :)

Hey Christian, Yes, a spec can be copyrighted. As long as it is the final version. Remember that if you copyright the script and make changes to it, then you have to copyright it again. Good luck with your script.

Again, you already have copyright as the creator of a fixed work, i.e., a script. Registering does not give you "copyright." It gives you an official claim of copyright, an official date -- should you ever need stronger legal standing in court. And you don't have to re-register with every little change. However if you make major changes, then perhaps do. Christian, you seem a bit ahead of yourself... So I would suggest you post a few pages if you're looking for general opinions. Or perhaps share work more privately through email. Or perhaps receive guidance through professional means. Then perhaps register when you have a solid "first draft" if you wish to share your script in its entirety online. But whatever you decide, do your own due diligence regarding copyright. Information is readily available online. Learn it for yourself and fear not. Focus on your writing. Best to you!

Ian. You would only have to copyright it again if the changes are significant enough that you would want to make sure those changes are protected.

Thanks Dan. ;-)

CP

Stop worrying. Post 5 pages. Only takes 1/2 page to gauge your storytelling.

There was a member from Aussie who posted his complete script "Duck Soup." I read like 3 sentences and it was obvious the guy knows how to write a movie script (key word: script. Not a novel) and has storytelling skills

Thank you @Beth, Ian, Dan G & Dan Maxxx. You guys are family.

Hi Christian. It requires a little faith to put your work out there but how else will you get the feedback if you don't. I would gratefully give you any feedback on your script that you need.

Thank you Stephen. It takes a brave heart to post regardless whatever. Will be very glad to have your feedback.

Christian, I understand, the bravery comes from writing your thoughts down and presenting them to complete strangers with no guarantee of a positive outcome. FREEDOM!

You got it, @Stephen. Well, strangers or professionals are the best you need.

Register it with the W.G.A. It will ease your mind for a rather small fee.

Okay. Yes Specs can be copyrighted.

However. You NEED to get it copyrighted by the US Copyright Office. The WGA registry is a good add on, but it won't work if you are taking a production company to court. I have seen this happen over and over again. File the application. The cost is a mere $35.

Actually, specs are pretty much all that you need to copyright. When I was hired to adapt a novel or write a sequel or write a remake, the producer controlled the underlying copyright so that was taken care of. And the producer usually took care of the copyright in the case of the sequel assignment.

@William. Shouldn't that be because it is from an existing copyrighted work?

Christian. get your work copywriting right now.

The WGA should discontinue it's registration service. They aren't doing people a service.

Dan... Let's see; 3,000 scripts a year at $20.00 a pop is $60K - enough to keep a couple of folks off welfare. To the OP (& others), I learned from our Legal Department that the moment you set your thoughts to paper (or computer) that your work is automatically recognized as yours. Period, end of discussion! If you believe that some low-down has bagged your work - remember that they are still innocent until proven guilty. You can certainly remove 'em from your Christmas card list but unless you want to gamble some big money (an' it's a losing bet), that's about all you can do. My advice; just walk it off.

Kay Luke. Okay! I won't risk not copyrighting.

Doug. What you say is true but you completely disregarded the fact someone could accuse you of bagging their screenplay. If you are named as the defendant you can't just walk away. Most producers know that can happen so unless they are extremely stupid they wouldn’t touch a screenplay with a ten-foot pole if the screenwriter didn’t bother to register their screenplay and preferably with the LOC.

Dan - true enough. I can't think of a single living producer that would be dumb enough to filch someone's screenplay. If the script is so wonderful, it would be a lot cheaper to just buy it to produce for a profit than it would be to steal it. Of the zillions of scripts I had to read over the years, I've yet to find one that was worthy of production. Hey, why steal junk?

Doug. True. What I would be more worried about is the screenwriter that thinks someone stole his screenplay because it is similar. That does happen more than someone actually stealing someones screenplay.

Dan, In real life I've had lots of scripts "stolen" and so have you. You & I have read scripts or watched a film that sparked some creative flame in us. So what? I get ideas from the news, songs, paintings, advertising and other places - an so do you. My "Guide to the Afterlife" was obviously "stolen" and produced as "Beetlejuice". No it wasn't - some other nut came up with a very similar idea and pitched it first. Heavens - what to do? Just walk it off and start my next project. You cannot copyright an idea and whatever you put to paper/computer is automatically your property. If someone thinks I stole their screenplay, it's up to them to prove my guilt - I need not defend myself because I'm innocent until proven guilty.

My advice to one and all is to just get over it and go about your business. If your scripts are so bad that you can't sell 'em - why would anyone want to steal 'em?

I distinctly remember my significant other and I sitting in a movie theater and the previews for "Warm Bodies" came on. We looked at each other in horror. Not because it was scary but because it was SO MUCH like the zombie script I'd just finished. And sure enough, for the next couple years I tried to shop that script, all I heard was "oh, that's like Warm Bodies. No thanks."

Ideas are a dime a dozen and people come up with variations of the same idea allllll the time. Nothing to be done but write faster!!

Jody. Same thing happened to me once so I had to shelve the script.

@Doug. Don't underestimate. Some folks haunt for ideas anywhere.

Christian that's the point, doesn't matter. Ideas cannot be "stolen" and any idea is up for grabs.

Yeah, @Jody. "Write faster"... Thats what every writer should do. Or have a million ideas up your sleeves.

An idea from wherever sparks the imagination and it's that imagination that carries it on to a story line ( but most often not.) You can not prevent me from having ideas anymore than I you. Don't beat yourself up over it and don't worry about sharing your scripts - you want someone to read 'em don't you? (How you gonna sell 'em?)

The million ideas does help.

Yeah, @Doug.We share our scripts because we want to be noticed/bought. But, I cant take chances. I know im not a genius writer. It just feels good that I did what I should do, protecting my work.

We all protect our work as much as we can, by registering/copyrighting and vetting the people we share it with. That's just common sense.

As Doug said here or in another thread, most scripts aren't worth stealing anyway. Producers aren't interested in getting into tangled legal webs when they can just buy a script they like.

At the end of the day, you take reasonable precautions and let the rest of it go. Nobody will read your work if you don't share it, and certainly no one will "discover" you if you don't put yourself out there.

@Jody. Absolutely! I'm not far from the point.