Filmmaking / Directing : A word of caution about sharing your movie idea!!! by J. Brian

Hey all.... just chatting with a new friend across the "pond" and wanted to share some advice with you that I shared with him. If you have an idea for a movie, NEVER share that idea with ANYONE until you have signed a NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENT (NDA) with them concerning the idea. You may mean well and almost every filmmaker out there wants to get their idea into the hands of someone who they think could possibly help them become the next Spielberg or Scott (R.I.P.)... but it is a bad idea. My own producers don't see anything from me until I know my idea is protected first. You can't copyright an idea, but you can sure as hell be sure no one steals it until the script is finished by not talking about. If you're not a writer but want your script written, find and get to know a screenwriter. Let them know you have an idea and ask them for a few samples of their work to be sure their writing style fits your concept (romance writers write crappy horror, “Twilight” for example.. LOL). Study up on NDAs and find one to tailor it for your concept. Send it to the writer, have them print it, sign it and send it back to you. Now, an NDA may or may not hold up in court, but at least you've taken the 1st step to protecting yourself and your idea and it will count for something if the idea is stolen. I am speaking from experience as someone who, back in 2002, when I was planning to make my first movie, got taken by a man I considered to be my “Yoda”.... he had been in the TV industry for 40 years. The one thing he failed to mention was the NDA. Needless to say, he stole the idea after having me rewrite more than ten times to fit his vision of my idea and then banned me from his set when I grew angry about it. I took my original script, found five actors and, with absolutely no formal experience at all, made my first movie on my own with no crew. I released mine in a local theater for 8 sold-out showings and have won several awards for it and he never finished his (which I wrote). His cast and crew quit because he continued to change the script and plot. Years later, I ran into him and forgave him for it. He told me he would like to try again someday and just laughed in his face and walked away. And that's just one story. However, on the flip side of this subject, there are millions of people in the world so the chances of another person having a similar concept to yours is very likely and happens quite often. Once, again, as per my experience with several TV shows and movies that have come out in the last 10 years or so, I had same idea written as a synopsis a year or two before theirs came out. This may make me even more eager to get my new ideas out there, but I have to exercise some restraint. So do you. Your day will come if you work hard enough and pursue your passion. So PLEASE do not share your ideas with ANYONE... especially on a website! Research and get familiar with NDAs, in this business you will be signing lots of them. Exercise some wisdom and patience, guys and gals. Good luck!