Blatant plagiarism Page 3

I worry about plagiarism from the opposite angle, I've been accused before of stealing someone's idea from his screenplay - which I had read, but as far as I can tell had zero similarities to mine.

Unless you count using the same alphabet.

When I politely explained to him that my idea came from a mixture of three very famous books he got very upset and accused me of protesting my innocence too much. This guy genuinely believed I stole a sci-fi idea from him, an unproduced writer, rather than accept it was a bog-standard theme used in most long-running sci-fi shows and books.

So my worry is that just by being a member of a site like this, with hundreds of sketches published for critique (most of which I don't have time to read - sorry), sooner or later someone will turn round and accuse me of stealing their idea on the grounds the characters have the same names or something equally spurious.

I know it's a stupid, irrational fear; but it's not a pleasant experience to have to go through.

Right, now I'm off to trawl silently through your sketches for ideas.

Phill, we actually keep a record of everything everyone reads, so don't worry about being accused of nicking from something you haven't seen!

F**king huge database, but heyho.

Of course there is always the risk - when something brilliant comes to you in a flash - that it's in your subconscious from something you saw or heard years ago.

Quote: David Chapman @ March 25, 2008, 11:05 AM

Of course there is always the risk - when something brilliant comes to you in a flash - that it's in your subconscious from something you saw or heard years ago.

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I once used the line 'can you not appreciate the humiliating ignominy of my position' in a script.

A few months later I saw 'The Lover' by Harold Pinter. That line's in there. Now, I'd read the play - read, not seen - but it was just the once, four years earlier. It's not an important line in the play. It's not especially memorable. Yet subconsciously my brain had stored that line away for no obvious reason for four years.

I still find that astonishing.

Yeah - I had the same thing with a line I wrote.

"You wanker" then I realised where I'd got it from.

Quote: Aaron @ March 24, 2008, 11:18 PM

Phill, we actually keep a record of everything everyone reads, so don't worry about being accused of nicking from something you haven't seen!

F**king huge database, but heyho.

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Hooray! One less website to worry about!

Quote: Aaron @ March 25 2008, 4:18 AM BST

Phill, we actually keep a record of everything everyone reads, so don't worry about being accused of nicking from something you haven't seen!

F**king huge database, but heyho.

View original

Is this true?

More or less. Why do you ask?

Because in my OCD way I always click on everything so that there aren't untidy 'unread' symbols but when I'm writing something in particular I always try to steer clear of reading any threads/posts that look like they might be similar so that I don't even accidentally nick ideas; but now if I have done something same-y it'll look like I did read it elsewhere first. And I know this scenario is unlikely, I'm just sad that I thought I was being all mature and professional but actually I was being a huge idiot

Well there should be a 'mark all as read' link on the front page, which'll clear the markers without recording you against the threads in that potentially suspicious way.

But then I won't know which I still want to read.
It's a minefield, Aaron, a minefield.
Hopefully if it ever comes up, there'll be a super computing thingy that can tell I only clicked on and off a page. Or, more hopefully, it'll never come up.

I worry about plagiarism from the opposite angle, I've been accused before of stealing someone's idea
When I politely explained to him that my idea came from a mixture of three very famous films he got very upset and accused me of protesting my innocence too much. This guy genuinely believed I stole a rom-com idea from him, an unproduced writer, rather than accept it was a bog-standard theme used in most long-running TV shows and books.

So my worry is that just by being a member of a site like this, with hundreds of sketches published for critique (most of which I don't have time to read - sorry), sooner or later someone will turn round and accuse me of stealing their idea on the grounds the characters have the same names or something equally serious.

I know it's a stupid, irrational fear; but it's not a pleasant experience to have to go through.

All in all I can't remember the question

I think that's the same angle! I also think there's a point that you have to shrug your shoulder, roll your eyes, and walk away - clearly in many such cases there wouldn't be a hope of anyone finding 'proof' against you, much less proof that would convince a court.

I think the idea that ANYONE is searching through Critique, looking for stuff to steal, is a little unlikely.

Quote: Kenneth @ October 25 2011, 10:29 AM BST

I think the idea that ANYONE is searching through Critique, looking for stuff to steal, is a little unlikely.

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True, but there are occasionally some, I feel, less than professional and friendly people who pop up in critique/showcase who don't ingratiate themselves as members of BCG who I can see enjoying or believing making an accusation. For those of us who are trying to be professional (and indeed supportive and helpful with each other's work and ideas) it would be an unnecessary headache at best and potentially damaging for our reputations or just our feelings towards working together or being part of a sharing ideas and feedback community.

Still, suppose it comes with the territory and hopefully won't ever happen.