A revelation about a screenplay I once wrote Page 2

4. I understand that you may have similar material and I am not entitled to compensation or credit in connection with any such similar material. I also understand that you are exposed to many stories, ideas, concepts and other literary materials through this service and via other means. I also understand that many stories, ideas, and concepts are similar or identical, and that different stories, ideas, and concepts frequently relate to one or more common underlying themes and may closely resemble other works.

5.I understand and agree that I will not be entitled to any compensation or other consideration because of the use of such similar or identical material, stories, ideas, dialogue, characterizations, themes, plots and/or concepts that may have come to or have been created by you. I hereby release you from any and all claims, liabilities and demands that may be made by me asserting that you have used or appropriated The Material, or any portion thereof.

Spookily, What Women Want is on ITV2 at 11:15pm this evening.

Ooooooooooooooh!

I actually do like the film. I've watched it quite a few times.
Genuinely can't properly remember the end though. But I always forget ends of films.

I had in the past looked at the imdb.com site and wondered which or if any of the two women listed were the ones that 'stole' my script.
But when I saw the post of the ezscreenwriting.com and read everything about Diane Drake it felt a little like deja vous. (as did then seeing that the film was on TV last night)

Of course, I still don't know if it was her and it would be too easy to presume that her user agreement was in part brought about because of her past. I would guess that the agreement would be a sort of standard that other script readers use too (especially americans with their litigeous culture)
And when I also read that her other screenplay script sold for a million dollars with no mention of how much 'what women want' sold for, it brought back some old feelings.

I am not about to go to a solicitors or lawer with this. For one, I have absolutely no proof. The original script (electronic version) long since died on an old computer hard drive. I may have a printed version in the loft but I am a self employed electrician and every year all my paperwork gets stuffed in folders/boxs/carrier bags and put in the loft. After 20 years of never clearing out my old accounts and paraphernalia, there is a lot of paper up there.

It has actually crossed my mind though as I write this that I did always store a copy of my documents on floppy disks so maybe I will still have an electronic copy of the script. (I don't have a floppy disk reader anymore though)

What I did think might be interesting to do is email Diane Drake from her website and see what she has to say.

So any suggestions as to what to write in that email would help (remember, I am not actively persuing money here) She might have dreaded this moment for years lol

Blimey, and indeed, yikes.

I would probably want to check those floppy discs and maybe even the attic before I emailed anyone. So you know exactly where you stand.

Quote: Nat Wicks @ September 9 2010, 10:30 PM BST

4. I understand that you may have similar material and I am not entitled to compensation or credit in connection with any such similar material. I also understand that you are exposed to many stories, ideas, concepts and other literary materials through this service and via other means. I also understand that many stories, ideas, and concepts are similar or identical, and that different stories, ideas, and concepts frequently relate to one or more common underlying themes and may closely resemble other works.

5.I understand and agree that I will not be entitled to any compensation or other consideration because of the use of such similar or identical material, stories, ideas, dialogue, characterizations, themes, plots and/or concepts that may have come to or have been created by you. I hereby release you from any and all claims, liabilities and demands that may be made by me asserting that you have used or appropriated The Material, or any portion thereof.

View original

And when I see this in the entry details, I DO NOT ENTER. They have given themselves carte blanche to take whatever ideas and storylines and as many great lines of dialogue as they want without comeback. Or at least that's what you have to be suspicious of.

They are not entitled to flout copyright law like this, and it, technically, still protects you, possibly even after signing their sham agreement, I'm not sure. The problem is in paying for a case against them and then proving it. That's why there's a lot of very dodgy agencies out there who're only too keen to benefit from a weak law and freely steal and use other writers' work as their own. IT IS A PROBLEM. And I'm still not sure how to deal with it, other than not send your best work to anyone you don't trust or any site that wants you to sign a dodgy agreement. And at the very least register post your ms to yourself first.

Find your copy and sell your story to a newspaper.

Or email her and see if she sues you.

Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ September 10 2010, 9:24 AM BST

I had in the past looked at the imdb.com site and wondered which or if any of the two women listed were the ones that 'stole' my script.
But when I saw the post of the ezscreenwriting.com and read everything about Diane Drake it felt a little like deja vous. (as did then seeing that the film was on TV last night)

Of course, I still don't know if it was her and it would be too easy to presume that her user agreement was in part brought about because of her past. I would guess that the agreement would be a sort of standard that other script readers use too (especially americans with their litigeous culture)
And when I also read that her other screenplay script sold for a million dollars with no mention of how much 'what women want' sold for, it brought back some old feelings.

I am not about to go to a solicitors or lawer with this. For one, I have absolutely no proof. The original script (electronic version) long since died on an old computer hard drive. I may have a printed version in the loft but I am a self employed electrician and every year all my paperwork gets stuffed in folders/boxs/carrier bags and put in the loft. After 20 years of never clearing out my old accounts and paraphernalia, there is a lot of paper up there.

It has actually crossed my mind though as I write this that I did always store a copy of my documents on floppy disks so maybe I will still have an electronic copy of the script. (I don't have a floppy disk reader anymore though)

What I did think might be interesting to do is email Diane Drake from her website and see what she has to say.

So any suggestions as to what to write in that email would help (remember, I am not actively persuing money here) She might have dreaded this moment for years lol

View original

Look on the web for IT companies that can convert old floppy disks to a new format, it can be done.

Then, with your original screenplay back on your computer, I would send her it and ask her for her appraisal. Say it is the original draft of what someone in America stole in 19.. from so and so site and then apparently sold as her own to Paramount who then had a hit with the film. Then tell her it is in the hands of your solicitors, who are looking for the copyright thief. See what she says, if anything.

Quote: Afinkawan @ September 10 2010, 10:04 AM BST

Find your copy and sell your story to a newspaper.

Or email her and see if she sues you.

View original

It's not exactly a newsworthy story, even considering the Mel Gibson angle.

I'd be careful about emailing her with any accusations without proof. Like you say, it's a litigious culture and she's not short a few bob.

I am not about to go to a solicitors with this.

Well, more fool you then. It's the ONLY way to find out whether you have a case or not.

Quote: don rushmore @ September 10 2010, 10:41 AM BST

Well, more fool you then. It's the ONLY way to find out whether you have a case or not.

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That's not true, he could take a law degree.

Where IS Jim Field when we need him?

I do think you've left it a bit too long for any lawyer to touch it now, but if you'd had the script ten years ago when your daughter came back agog from the cinema then that is when you should have seen one. As far as I know, the idea and story, they can't do anything about (astonishingly) but if your daughter was certain she heard the same lines of dialogue being uttered then that is plagiarism pure and simple, and I think scene constructs are covered too.

If so, you were due your cut of the film's profits, because it was clearly from your work, if proven so. And rather more importantly probably, your official creditation, which this other person is doing very nicely off now. How blatent thieves like that can even tink of themselves as writers makes me sick, BUT there ARE people like that out there!

Quote: don rushmore @ September 10 2010, 10:41 AM BST

Well, more fool you then. It's the ONLY way to find out whether you have a case or not.

View original

If I had wanted to take the legal route, I would have tried this years ago while I still had all the proof to hand.
But at that time I just presumed that copyright theft was rife and if I was a fool, I was foolish for sending it to her in the first place. Remember, it was an unfinished script - this also made me feel that I had no legs to stand on.

I only joined yesterday and on a whim decided to tell my story to like minded people. I have no idea of my next move (if any) I am just enjoying reading and talking to people who can understand without laughing at me or disbelieving.

So all this is a bit new to me. When I talk to friends or relatives about 'writing subjects' it is always met with very mild enthusiasm at best so in the main, I never talk about it.