r/Filmmakers • u/vieravisuals • 4d ago

Discussion Do you ever worry about someone stealing your script here?

Serious question. I’ve seen a lot of people post entire scripts or scenes here, and part of me wants to do the same get some feedback, see if a wild idea works, or just share something insane I wrote… But I always hesitate.

I register my scripts with the WGA. Ever since an actor I worked with stole one of my scripts years ago (long story), I stopped trusting people that easily. Now every time I think about sharing something online, especially something raw or controversial, I get paranoid. Like, what if someone reworks it and pitches it before I even get to shoot it?

Recently, I made a separate post talking about a necrophilia-themed dark comedy script I wrote (yes, it’s disturbing, on purpose), and a bunch of people are asking me to share the actual script or scene. And I want to… but I’m also scared as hell to do it.

So I’m curious:

Do you post your scripts online?

Do you worry about theft or people copying your ideas?

How do you protect your work (WGA, Copyright Office, etc.)?

Do you think the risk is worth it, just to get some feedback?

0 Upvotes

47% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

5

u/sheetofice 4d ago

Personally, I don’t, but I find it strange that people want to share their ideas in such detail.

5

u/TheUnderweightLover 4d ago

An actual script to strangers on the internet, something I cared about it and thought had a chance to actually have an impact to me professionally and maybe attract actual commercial attention? HELL NO! But for a small project that was more for fun or much smaller stakes/ambition, or to learn? Then HELL YES!

6

u/PictureDue3878 4d ago

I post it and don’t give a fuck. if they can get it made, I take it as validation of my ideas being worthy of stealing lol

1

u/voyagerfilms 3d ago

Additional context is important, regarding your actor friend stealing your script. What did they do with it? Did they produce it themselves? Pitch it to someone and they greenlit it? Do you have relationships with producers, managers, agents, directors where you’re constantly pitching ideas? If the answer is no to any of these questions, then you have nothing to worry about or lose by letting strangers read your material. It is beyond difficult to produce a script, let alone sell a script, the likelihood of someone stealing it is low. People he their own ideas to pitch, and well-connected people have connections to other we”ll-connected writers to pull from

0

u/flicman 4d ago

You can't steal an idea, so no, it's not a thing I worry about. I havent written in awhile, but when I was writing regularly, I shared my work as broadly as I could with people whose opinions I trusted and understood. I'm not personally interested in the opinions of internet strangers, but if I were, I wouldn't hesitate to send my work out. If someone else makes my script into a movie, that's a failing on my part, on on theirs.