If we see or hear anything broadcast/performed that was posted here do we have a leg to stand on? Maybe I should ask Heather.
Blatant plagiarism
Connor Macleod's dead wife? thats a bit dark Dave. But she died in ye olde scotland she prob wouldnt be that helpful with modern plagiarism laws.
You take your chances. Frankly if it happened to me, I'd be writing to say,
"You obviously liked what I wrote, can I sell you some more?"
Quote: sootyj @ March 21, 2008, 4:58 PMYou take your chances. Frankly if it happened to me, I'd be writing to say,
"You obviously liked what I wrote, can I sell you some more?"
Once you've proved you wrote it originally - and how do you get to challenge them?
Is this a hypothetical or has it actually happened?
Quote: Pilot @ March 21, 2008, 7:49 PMIs this a hypothetical or has it actually happened?
Good question! 
Someone told me it has happened to something they posted here.
The short answer is to keep your fingers crossed and hope that an established writer does come on here and steal something of yours... if they do you'll not only then be quids in with the production company, but will also be able to add a broadcast credit to your CV!
In all seriousness, the chances on something being plagerised is very low as, should a writer be caught stealing something, that is likely to be the end of their career. Too risky for them!
If something of yours is broadcast without permission - provided you can prove you had the idea first (i.e. the time stamp on your post will help) the production company involved would no doubt pay your costs (and fire the writer).
Quote: David Chapman @ March 21, 2008, 8:47 PMSomeone told me it has happened to something they posted here.
I am currently looking into this claim. I don't yet have all the facts so can't comment on it fully. That said, from what I've been told so far, it is highly likely the radio show was first broadcast before the similar sketch was posted on this site.
I would think you'd find it more difficult to prove in the case of a topical sketch than with non-topical. After all, there are only so many jokes that can be made about a newsworthy event. And often there is one obvious way to make a topical event into a sketch. With an original non-topical sketch that was posted on here (and I don't read the 'Critique' section so I don't know how often that is), I think anyone plagiarising it would find it more difficult to defend.
I guess if it's an issue you that concerns you (as it does me) then simple answer is not to post your work.
Quote: Mark @ March 21, 2008, 9:33 PMIn all seriousness, the chances on something being plagerised is very low as, should a writer be caught stealing something, that is likely to be the end of their career. Too risky for them!
If something of yours is broadcast without permission - provided you can prove you had the idea first (i.e. the time stamp on your post will help) the production company involved would no doubt pay your costs (and fire the writer).
That's a good point about it being the end of the writers career if they got caught.
It's difficult to think why an established writer would steal an idea from an amateur. Equally, I don't see why an amateur would steal from another amateur. That sort of behaviour would indicate a lack of talent.
A lack of talent would mean they were unable to write other pieces of high quality material, so they wouldn't get very far.
Has there ever been any cases of this happening? And I mean blatant plagarism, not just two sketches with a similar idea.
I wrote the Parrot Sketch, and all of Bernard Manning's none racist jokes.
I'm not going to say it definitely 100% doesn't happen, but I don't think it's something to worry about.
When these sort of things pop up, it's inevitably a new writer saying 'my sketch/sitcom has been stolen'. But the more you look, it's usually just the basic premise for a sitcom - i.e: a job - or a single joke for a sketch - and again, usually quite a simple and obvious turn of an idea.
It's incredibly easy for different people to come up with the same basic idea. I've seen people saying that Extras was stolen from them because they had an idea about a walk on based sitcom - as if it's impossible, in a genre where people are always looking for jobs and areas previously unexplored, that someone else could have had the similar thought, as if the important part isn't what's done with that idea. The simple fact is that someone beat you to the idea, not that they stole it.
I've heard stories of standups having gags nicked, but that's it. Not sketches, not sitcoms. I'm pretty sure it doesn't happen.
Very wise and sensible posts guys - thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Please don't ban me but I couldn't resist.....
To the tune of "Is this the way to Amarillo"
When the day is dusking
On a Bradford Sunday evening
How I long to be there
With my sketch that’s waiting for me there
Every lonely forum
Where I hang my sketch
Ain’t half as lucrative
as where my sketch is at
Is this the way to the radio show
Every night I’ve been hugging my pillow,
dreaming dreams of fame and fortune
And sweet mon-ey that waits for me.
Show me the way to the radio show
I’ve been weeping like a willow
Crying over a radio show
And sweet royal-ties that wait for me
Sha-la la la la –la la la
Sha-la la la la- la la la
Sha-la la la la-la la la
And money that waits for me.
There’s alarm bells ringing
Hear the song of sadness singing
For the cv credits
And the guy who’s coming to get them
Just beyond the mi-ll there’s an open plain
And it keeps me going thru’ the angst and pain
Is this the way to the radio show
Every night I’ve been hugging my pillow,
dreaming dreams of fame and fortune
And sweet money that waits for me.
Show me the way to the radio show
I’ve been weeping like a willow
Crying over a radio show
And sweet royal-ties that wait for me
Sha-la la la la –la la la
Sha-la la la la- la la la
Sha-la la la la-la la la
And money that waits for me.