Reader Question: How easy is it to steal a story?
A question from Chris B:
Hi Scott,
First of all, I love your blog.
NOW TO THE POINT. (I know you read a lot.)
So I recently had the opportunity to talk to an assistant to one of the agents at CAA. I told him briefly about me as a writer and what I was currently writing, a high concept comedy.
The first question he asked was, “How do you plan on getting it out there”. I answered, that “I will try different ways, although there is probably no set way, but through contacts at production companies, readers and competitions etc.”
He looked at me for a second and then said. “Well, since you’re not established yet, aren’t you afraid that an established writer or producer will take your high concept idea, the general story, and write a better one?”
A little nervous I answered. “Yes. But I don’t really have a choice if I want it to get out there”
He then killed me a little with his reply which was, “That’s so true, when you’re not established, you need to take those risks of losing everything you’ve worked for”. …WHAT?!
NOW.
I was wondering, not just for me, but for ALL OF US UP AND COMING WRITERS…
COULD YOU DO A BLOG POST ON “HOW EASY IT IS TO STEAL STORIES?”
I know you can’t protect an idea. But this is something that I think a lot of up and coming writers would gladly read and learn about.
What is your take on this, Scott?
Any discussion on this subject has to begin with this point:
Story ideas are the lifeblood of Hollywood.
Every movie, every TV series has at its very foundation a story concept. It stands to reason that if everything flows from the story idea, then they are of HUGE value.
So I think you can understand why we, as writers, must safeguard our ideas.
Now, Chris, let’s parse your conversation with the assistant:
“Aren’t you afraid that an established writer or producer will take your high concept idea, the general story, and write a better one?”
In theory, this is a concern. Again ideas are the lifeblood of Hollywood. And if you present an idea to someone in Hollywood… anyone in Hollywood… there is no guarantee you are safe. They can literally steal your idea and you will have no legal recourse if they do something and cash in on it.
Therefore the single biggest key for a non-represented writer are these two steps: (1) Write a full-length screenplay. (2) Copyright that screenplay.
If you take those steps, the chances of someone stealing your idea are minimal.
“That’s so true, when you’re not established, you need to take those risks of losing everything you’ve worked for”.
This is pretty much bull shit. Yes, a non-repped writer does stand more of a chance of having a story cribbed from them than a repped writer, but I just don’t think it happens very often. And frankly if you use an outlet like the Black List script hosting site, you pretty much negate any chance someone will rip you off.
Why? Because you give your script a public presence. A specific date when it goes live. Visible to 1500 industry insiders as well as every other person who can access that site.
Sure, there may be some individual or outfit who would be willing to take the risk of ripping off your idea. But that would mean (1) stealing your story idea, (2) developing it, (3) having a writer write it, and (4) get it set up somewhere. That is an arduous path. Plus there is that word: RISK. By using your idea for their project, they set themselves up for a potential lawsuit.
Now they may take your idea and gender-bend it, genre-bend, geo-bend it into a similar but different story, but that goes on all the time and there is nothing anyone can do about that.
Frankly a bigger concern is you getting repped, going up for a sweepstakes pitching project, presenting your take, not getting hired, watching the movie when it comes out… and never knowing if this or that scene or beat on screen derived from you… or them.
So my bottom line advice: Don’t pitch your idea, write a screenplay. Copyright it. Then use an established conduit into Hollywood like the Black List script hosting site, the Nicholl Fellowships, the Austin Film Festival screenwriting competition.
Do story ideas get stolen in Hollywood? Yes. Does it happen often? No. Should you be worried it will happen to you? I wouldn’t say worried, but you would be wise to play it safe per the recommendations noted above.
GITS reader, what do you say?
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