Reader Question: What’s your opinion about signing release forms for material submissions?

A reader question via email from Mark:

Hi Scott,

Fantastic website!

I can write pretty good loglines. As a result, a number of producers request material. At lease half or more require signing release and agreement forms. While I’ve signed them in the past, I now try to avoid doing so, which has eliminated many opportunities to get my material read. In such a competitive business, that makes it much tougher.

What’s your advice regarding signing these forms, and did you routinely sign them before having a rep?

First off, good for you, Mark, that you have a knack for writing loglines. That’s note every writer’s forte.

Re release forms, let me state for the record: I am not a lawyer (but later I’ll provide a link to someone who is and his thoughts on the subject).

Here’s my understanding: Most producers and managers, after receiving a solicitation from a writer, almost always via email, will require the writer to sign some sort of form in which the writer waives all rights to sue them in case the writer contends the producer or manager ripped off the writer’s script.

The language can vary from form to form, but that is pretty much the gist of it.

Example of a release form

When I broke into the business back in the Dark Ages — although I don’t know this from personal experience because I was never in a position where I needed to solicit anyone for potential representation — it was easier to get unsolicited material to agents and producers (there was no such thing as a manager in the late 80s). So what happened?

Two words: Nuisance suits. They still happen to this day wherein a writer with barely any merit to their claim will sue a manager, agent, studio, or producer asserting somebody had access to and stole their story.

Let me say this represents the perspective of those working inside Hollywood. This view is not shared by many writers who are outside the system witness articles such as this and this.

That’s a discussion for another time. In response to the original question, if you are unwilling to sign a release form, the chances a manager or producer will request your script are basically zilch.

However let me say this: If the entity you’re dealing with is a legitimate Hollywood player, the chances of you getting ripped off are negligible, so bear that in mind when considering if you should sign a release form or not.

The reality is it’s a buyer’s market and if you don’t sign, they’re off to the next writer who will toe the line and agree to sign a release form.

For a comprehensive legal take on the matter, go here.

How about you, GITS readers? What’s your take on submission release forms? Do you sign them? And if not, how do you get your material to potential reps and buyers?

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