i think it's just one of those things AJ. I don't think you've been shafted. It's a pretty obvious gag.
nice sketch though.
Carling Stole My Sketch!!!!!!!!! Page 2
i think it's only the idea that is the same rather than the sketch.
i've had many situations where i've written something and then see something similar pop up.
i wrote a sitcom about an office once and a few months later...
A friend of mine showed me a sketch with a similar idea to yours only this time, instead of trying to get into heaven, they were trying to get into a phone box. It's obviously a situation that sticks in a lot of peoples minds!
That's bleeding ironic because I wrote a Carling ad only to find some sod on here had filtched it a few months later. Naturally Carling cancelled mine and filmed the one on here. Writers cost money but plagiarism is free.
At the end of 1998 and for most of 1999 I was writing a feature length script for a romantic comedy about an ordianry girl who met and started dating a famous Hollywood star. As I was finishing it, Notting Hill came out. And that was that.
Several years later, I ran into Richard Curtis and I happened to mention this, he said that after the film came out, someone tried (but failed) to sue him for nicking their idea for the movie.
Ouch!
Quote: steve by any other name @ December 2, 2007, 6:16 PMSeveral years later, I ran into Richard Curtis
Did you spill coffee on him?
If only you'd said orange juice.
Quote: zooo @ December 3, 2007, 12:27 AMIf only you'd said orange juice.
Damn you've spotted i'm not a fan of Romantic Comedies 
Hi AJP
I can see how you may feel that your work has been stolen but out of interest to all us writers, and as you are a legal beagle:
1. Which copyright laws have Carling broken (if any)?
2. How have they broken those laws?
3. Could you sue Carling and win?
My opinion would be that if a court of law would not uphold your case then in fact no crime has been committed and your work has not actually been stolen.
Frankie xxx 
Quote: Frankie Rage @ December 3, 2007, 4:42 AMHi AJP
I can see how you may feel that your work has been stolen but out of interest to all us writers, and as you are a legal beagle:
1. Which copyright laws have Carling broken (if any)?
2. How have they broken those laws?
3. Could you sue Carling and win?My opinion would be that if a court of law would not uphold your case then in fact no crime has been committed and your work has not actually been stolen.
Frankie xxx
No Comment 
!!!
<applause!>
Frankie I could tell you but i'm not going to. You seem to know everything you tell me.
Quote: ajp29 @ December 3, 2007, 6:13 AMFrankie I could tell you but i'm not going to. You seem to know everything you tell me.
Well, Carling may have pinched your idea (nobody could prove they have or haven't in my opinion) but to my knowledge you can't copyright an idea.
"Carling Stole My Sketch!"
That's quite a strong statement you've made there, I just wondered from a legal point of view whether or not you could actually back that statement up in a court of law, you having studied law.
Having read your sketch and looked at the Carling Ad my feeling was that it used the same idea but that there was nothing directly 'stolen' other than (possibly) the idea.
Fx