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Critique, coverage, or credit?

B

bird

Okay, so like all aspiring screenwriters I have done what's expected and asked peeps to read/critique my work. With this particular piece (already registered), I asked a friend/professor to give me his opinion and whatever suggestions he felt compelled to forward. He came up with a few spelling and syntax corrections as well as a couple of shot ideas (one is pretty funny and fitting). He also suggested a major philosophical/stylistic change which I completely rejected, as to do so would change the entire aesthetic.

Anywho, here is the crux of my problem; he *delicately* suggested he was entitled to a screenwriting credit. Needless to say I was dumbstruck, tried to be polite and told him, 'well, perhaps an 'additional scenes by...", which really isn't true as he's not provided any scenes, at best I would use a couple of his shot ideas.

Having overnight to mull it over, I've decided he wasn't entitled to any credit and that what he did provide was exactly what I asked for, a critique...or, at the most, coverage, and I've never heard of a coverage service asking for writing credit. I will offer my list of loglines and suggest if he wants to collaborate that we start from scratch.

What say yous guys? Am I right, or am I right?
 
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If what you say here is accurate:
bird said:
He came up with a few spelling and syntax corrections as well as a couple of shot ideas (one is pretty funny and fitting). He also suggested a major philosophical/stylistic change which I completely rejected, as to do so would change the entire aesthetic.
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He deserves a thanks as proofreader and a "good idea" from
the DP for the shot idea. But not credit as a screenwriter.

The writer doesn't not come up with shot ideas and the
proofreader does not get a screenplay credit for catching
spelling errors. An no one offering critique or coverage is
ever given any credit for writing the screenplay even if
suggestions ate taken and incorporated into the script.

From what you say here, this guy is a fool.
 
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directorik said:
If what you say here is accurate:

He deserves a thanks as proofreader and a "good idea" from
the DP for the shot idea. But not credit as a screenwriter.

The writer doesn't not come up with shot ideas and the
proofreader does not get a screenplay credit for catching
spelling errors. An no one offering critique or coverage is
ever given any credit for writing the screenplay even if
suggestions ate taken and incorporated into the script.
Click to expand...


Yep, it is. In fact, I told him the piece was already registered and entered into a workshop competition.
Thanks Rik!

From what you say here, this guy is a fool.
Click to expand...


Maybe I should reconsider any collaboration. lol
 
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Well... it's up to the director to come up with "shot ideas", not the screenwriter. To give him credit would be like giving credit to someone who looked over a University dissertation for spelling errors. The content is still yours, he just fixed grammar issues.

Just politely tell him you liked his ideas, but he's not entitled to credit unless he changes a significant portion of it. There's loads of screenplays that have been touched up by people that go uncredited.
 
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Sucramdoow said:
Well... it's up to the director to come up with "shot ideas", not the screenwriter. To give him credit would be like giving credit to someone who looked over a University dissertation for spelling errors. The content is still yours, he just fixed grammar issues.

Just politely tell him you liked his ideas, but he's not entitled to credit unless he changes a significant portion of it. There's loads of screenplays that have been touched up by people that go uncredited.
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Thank you, Sucramdoow. I agree it's the director's vision which takes precedence once the script is in her/his hands. I meant the shot suggestion was an addition to a prop already in play in the script...but, it did add an expository element to one of the main characters.

I am in agreement, as well, that a script goes through many changes during the whole process. I was second-guessing myself as to what would be *fair*.
 
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bird said:
Thank you, Sucramdoow. I agree it's the director's vision which takes precedence once the script is in her/his hands. I meant the shot suggestion was an addition to a prop already in play in the script...but, it did add an expository element to one of the main characters.

I am in agreement, as well, that a script goes through many changes during the whole process. I was second-guessing myself as to what would be *fair*.
Click to expand...

Like Rik said, you could give him a 'Thank you' credit. But not a screenwriting credit.
 
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You're right.

When i give someone advice, i do not expect anything in return. Sometimes people are generous and give me a thanks credit.

At most, i would give him a thanks credit. But since he seems to be the kind of person who likes to claw for more than his share, id be wary of giving him any credit at all in the film. Who knows, he may use the thanks credit in the future to make a case for being owed more.
 
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Yeah, I've always just assumed that when I give advice (and when I get it), it's just one friend helping another. In my opinion, and official "Special Thanks to", in the credits, is appropriate.
 
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He doesn't deserve any credit, and just a point to note, an idea cannot be copyrighted. Only the expression of it can. So, if you write something based on that idea, that written expression can be copyrighted but it owes nothing to and inherits nothing legal (or subject to copyright) from that idea.

If he can ask for a credit, he is potentially trouble. Don't give him any official mention and make sure your script is registered with the WGA. They are the final arbiters of screenwriting credits for their members, and he doesn't meet their requirement for credit because he wrote nothing.
 
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Although everything everyone has said is correct, I just want to comment on the shocking audacity of this guy. He is clearly not a professional and has no idea what he is talking about.

This was clear even in your first paragraph. Usually when you ask for comments and all you get back is some glorified proofreading, it is a clear sign that the reader does not have enough experience with cinematic stories to know what to look for and comment on, therefore everything else should be taken with a few grains of salt. Then, he made a suggestion for a sweeping change based, presumably, on what HE would do if he was writing the script, not based on what you ARE TRYING to accomplish.

Then, the claim on deserving a writing credit. One thing you need to know, the WRITING credit goes to the person who chose the actual words and physically put them on the page! That's what writing is. And to share writing credit, someone must contribute a significant amount of material to the finished draft. I don't know off the top of my head what the official percentage as as dictated by the WGA, but it has to be at least 20-25%.

If writers were expected to share their credit with everyone who gave them a little advice, no self-respecting writer would show his work to anyone, ever.
 
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