Well as I wrote both episodes I didn't really mind.
Pinched ideas? Page 8
Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!
Quote: Kev F @ July 7 2011, 10:56 AM BSTChortle regularly features plagiarism stories, usually referring to gags or stand up routines. Some recent examples:
My Name Is Earl, writer claims sitcom was stolen from his idea
Kev F
My Name is Earl is fairly obviously plagiarised from the pre-credit sequence of Raising Arizona - one of the most sustained and expert examples of comedic invention, inventive film-making and brilliant editing ever produced.
I just watched the aussie got talent stand up routine - that he didn't nick - and not great but not too bad. deserved a better reaction than what it got
Quote: blahblah @ July 8 2011, 1:46 AM BSTI just watched the aussie got talent stand up routine - that he didn't nick - and not great but not too bad. deserved a better reaction than what it got
Talk about a dumbed down society! I can't believe that fat bloke on the judging panel was encouraging him, telling him that the actual content of a stand up routine isn't important! It's people like him who are behind all these f**king boybands, singing nothing but cover-versions.
I liked how the bloke saying that the routine isn't important has clearly nicked simon cowells act.
Quote: RedZed333 @ June 29 2011, 5:06 PM BSTUnfortunately you can't copyright an idea but if chunks of your dialogue start to appear then you should take legal advice...
Sending yourself a sealed copy of a script is a waste of time too, you could have sealed the envelope at any time...
Agree with both statements. Also look for names of and even types of characters. If these are at least similar then it will strengthen your case.
While there is no sure fire legal way to prove you are the originator of that copied or partly copied work, I think by far the best way is to keep all the letters of rejection, especially if they detail the contents of your sitcom. The ones that give a brief outline of why it was rejected can be the most valuable, but you still need an expert lawyer to prove a case of theft.
I believe it happens though, am convinced of it, it's one reason I've stopped sending scripts off. I don't trust any of them.
Surely if it gets all legal a computer boffin can see when you've saved and/or emailed stuff?
Probably, but that alone doesn't prove it's been lifted. It doesn't even matter if the writer of the later written piece has had the idea after reading that earlier written script.
The law has to prove that the writer of the later written piece deliberately stole the material structure of the work. It's very difficult to prove, unless it's obvious word for word like plagiarism. Proving they received the work is the easy part and carries little weight. Unless their own work is a fairly blatant reworking of the original script.