I created a concept for a sitcom. Spent 6 years developing the environment & characters. This year I have another writer who has helped edit my treatment & script. Along with being a sounding board to what I've developed. How much rights does he have to my material? Someone requested a copy of the script but the Release they want signed has a line in it that I'm not sure how to interpret it. The writer helped write the script, but I created the concept & characters along with I wrote the original script that he edited to standard. What should I do about the release?
Screenwriting : Serious question by Rhiannon "Nikki" McFarling
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Someone might have better advice, but I'd think you should have an agreement in place with the writer who helped you outlining what (if any) ownership they have. It's yours, but it's always good to have the conversation and make it clear.
6 years or 1 day... don't matter. 50% because you don't have an agreement. Messy.
I think Chris is correct. It's time for you to have a very open conversation with your partner about what you feel is a fair agreement over rights, percentages and ownership. If you can come to an agreement, write that up and both of you should sign it as a contract. If you can't come to terms, you will need to walk away from the material that your partner has contributed and find a new original take on your initial material. It sounds painful, but you don't want to get into a position where a potentially angry partner drags you into court.
Editing has nothing to do with writing the screenplay. They have no rights whatsoever for editing. You are the only screenwriter. I hope you filed with the WGA and the LOC. If do so immediately. I have a meeting with my director/producer so I don't have time to explain but there is a reason I suggested the WGA also in your case.
I have the treatment registered with WGA. I wrote the pilot script and then sent it to the writer to fix into official sitcom formatting. He then did some edits. But other than maybe adding two scenes that I described & spelling & grammar editing, he hasn't done anything else.
Editing is writing. The Harvard Twins sued Mark Zuckerberg for half of facebook because the Twins Inspired Zuckerberg to create facebook. Your writing partner could use the same argument. It was his editing and expert direction that helped get to where you are now.
Everyone believes that they are the smart one/talented one/good looking one in a relationship. Go see your collaborator and get it figured out. Pay them if they want money then they are a writer for hire with no copyright. Or just go out with a joint project 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.
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Dan - stop giving wrong advice. Editing is NOT writing. if it was, then i would be the cowriter of 1600 scripts. If you registered the script Before you sent it to him and you hired someone to Reformat and edit your script, and you paid them, then that is all. they have zero claim to your script. even if they wrote one scene as part of the polish. As long as you Paid them for the editing work they did, then youre in the clear. BUT if they did it for free bc you said you want a Co-Writer to help you on it, then they now own 50% and it could get messy. ALWAYS get a contract unless youre using someone who is an established consultant/editor who does this for a living.
Update: we signed an agreement today and went and got it notarized
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Hello Rhiannon: You should read the article I'm posting here. Always register your script with the US Office of Copyrights, Library of Congress, as Dan pointed out with his acronym. Copyright is the strongest legal protection. https://www.writersstore.com/wgaw-registration-vs-copyright-registration/