I've been working for a few months on an original story, based on autobiographical experiences and characters inspired by people I know.
I was doing image research, to imagine a pitch deck. An image was particularly close to some things told in my story and so I went to look for information.
I discovered a film that came out last year, which I had never heard of, which touches on many themes close to my story and which, if you sum it up in a synopsis, sounds very similar to my story.
Obviously the style is completely different: I have a precise narrative structure in mind, the characters are born from personal experiences, mine is a TV series and not a feature film.
But now I want to pitch my idea to a production company. What should I do? Be transparent? Explain to them that my idea was born independently and by pure chance it resembles this film? Couldn't they think that I copied it?
What would you suggest I do?
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I've been there, Marco De Vidi. It sounds like your TV series is different enough for you to pitch it. I don't think producers, etc. will think you copied the film.
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One of my favorite pieces of advice I've read was that "Every story has already been written, but not by you." If your style is different enough, and it isn't a carbon copy, I'd say go for it!
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I am not surprised that somebody independently had the same idea. Roughly a million movies, videos an TV-movies have been created. Plus shorts and other formats. But selling a story to a production company shortly after it has been used can be problematical. So perhaps you should turn your idea into a play and try to sell it with the argument "others like it".
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Just look at how many movies in the last several years have come out with the exact same plot of a man going on a revenge killing spree to avenge his wife/pet/child . I don’t think it matters if something has already been told. Like someone else said, it hasn’t been told by you!
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Hi Marco De Vidi
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You go pitch. You do not mention there was something similar that was released a year before. The reason: someone will look at data about how well it did, did not do. This may, may not help or kill your project. Not everyone sees everything that is shown in theaters or streaming platforms so hedge your bet that they didn't see anything.
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All stories have been told when you break them down to their "Boy meets girl" ingredients. The key is to give them an original voice and that comes only from you.
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Your story is yours. Find an angle that isn't covered by the other IP's synopsis and lean into it...
To encourage you, here are some examples of exactly what you're going through, but where all the stories were produced anyway, mainly because of the uniqueness of the style, tone, characters, setting, etc... even though the premise and story were nearly identical:
The 13th Floor / The Matrix / Existenz
Deep Impact / Armageddon
The Abyss / Deep Star Six / Leviathan
Antz / A Bug's Life
Need for Speed / Gone in 60 Seconds / Fast & Furious
Observe & Report / Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Take Me Home Tonight / Project X
Mission to Mars / Red Planet
Volcano / Dante's Peak
The Illusionist / The Prestige
For each of the groups above, I could write a single synopsis that fits each member of each group. Additionally, A LOT of the grouped movies above came out within 1 year of each other, and in many cases WERE IN THEATERS AT THE SAME TIME, competing for Box Office Dollars, meaning most of them were greenlit simultaneously.
If you have something unique in your approach, your voice, or your message, you will always be able to tell your story, even if someone else is telling the exact same story at the exact same time...
Just analyze your story to find what differs, and make THAT your own and lean into it. Good Luck, and don't get discouraged. Self-doubt is the greatest motivation killer!
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You'll find it with anything. Even if there's a story out there almost exactly the same of yours, you need to have confidence that your artistic voice will make your version unique.
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I myself am in the same boat my friend. I have an animated series that is reminiscent of Disney's Robin Hood and Zootopia, but was born completely independently in 2001 and I have steadily worked on it ever since, while some of the themes might be the same, please remember that no creator will bring a story to life in the same way, even if they have similar themes. That is why I still work on my series, and that is why no one can stop me. Best of luck, my friend!
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This is one of the most common and anxiety-inducing situations writers face, but the good news is that it's not the creativity-killer it might seem! Similar stories emerging around the same time happens constantly in the industry - there's even a term for it: "parallel development."
Why This Happens:
Stories often emerge from shared cultural moments, universal experiences, or zeitgeist themes. The fact that you developed yours independently from autobiographical experiences actually strengthens your position, not weakens it.
Industry Reality Check:
Executives understand that similar concepts arise organically. What matters isn't absolute originality of premise, but rather:
- Your unique execution and perspective
- Distinctive character development
- Personal authenticity and voice
- Fresh angles on familiar themes
Strategic Approach:
Be Transparent, But Confident:
Acknowledge the existing film briefly, then pivot immediately to what makes your version distinctive. "While [Film X] explored similar themes, my series brings a deeply personal perspective based on my own experiences with [specific elements]."
Emphasize Your Differentiators:
- TV series vs. feature format offers completely different storytelling opportunities
- Autobiographical foundation provides authentic emotional specificity
- Your narrative structure creates unique viewer experience
- Character relationships born from real people bring distinctive dynamics
Lead with what's uniquely yours. If executives bring up the similar film, you're prepared to discuss how your approach differs while showing you're aware of the marketplace. Execution and perspective matter more than premise originality.
Your personal connection to the material is actually your greatest strength here.
Throw it on an Ai Generator, change it, and make it even more yours. That is what I would do.