Is it safe to show a short film around if...?

H

harmonica44

My contacts wanna make a short and I need something to show them. Since I am lacking on short film ideas my best one was still my first. However I liked the idea so much I decided to turn it into a feature I am writing. But if I show the short around, the idea will be given away, and therefore perhaps, not so original once I get around to making the actual feature. Not only that but the big twist will be given away too.

Since you can't copyright an idea, that means anyone could copy my short, but do it differently if they want to make it into a feature. I know ideas are a dime a dozen and mine is probably not that original, but I myself have never seen it done before, nor have any of my friends, so it's got some uncommon potential. But if I start shopping around the original short film script, by giving a copy to them, then they give it to someone in the business, then they do, etc, could that be risky, since I want the ideas to remain as original as can be till I make the feature?
 
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I just don't know if this is fact. I'm sure a lot of people feel this way but I'm sure some will take a chance. They publish the agencies and managers accepting new scripts. Why would they disclose information like that if they weren't willing to take a chance on a first timer? Seems kinda pointless. "Sure we're accepting scripts." "Oh wait you have no track record sorry." Just doesn't add up for me. What genre of story were you trying to sell? I know sci fi and drama aren't big sellers for first time writers.

Also, I find it hard to believe that all these people with money all have warehouses of unused scripts at their disposal. And as far as getting award winning writers, who's to say they have the time? Why don't more studios do this if its so easy to sign on an award winning writer?

Maybe I'm just being hopeful but I can't see the entire community involved in the money end of Hollywood not at least taking a look or reading something from a first time submitter. And if its a good fresh idea, I cant see them passing up what could be the next big hit. I like to think of it like this, you send out a script to a couple places. One person gets back to you saying send the script, they read, they decide "hey this is right up Spielberg's alley", or "you know who likes making these quirky flicks, Tarantino." They shoot it over to their people and they take a look. Then one of them likes the idea. They say get some more people involved. they search for some bits of a cast and are able to get Sam Jackson. Tarantino likes it. Now from a writer with no track record, they took a chance, and got two people that do have a track record of making money.
 
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CHamburger said:
I just don't know if this is fact. I'm sure a lot of people feel this way but I'm sure some will take a chance. They publish the agencies and managers accepting new scripts. Why would they disclose information like that if they weren't willing to take a chance on a first timer? Seems kinda pointless. "Sure we're accepting scripts." "Oh wait you have no track record sorry." Just doesn't add up for me. What genre of story were you trying to sell? I know sci fi and drama aren't big
sellers for first time writers.

Also, I find it hard to believe that all these people with money all have warehouses of unused scripts at their disposal. And as far as getting award winning writers, who's to say they have the time? Why don't more studios do this if its so easy to sign on an award winning writer?

Maybe I'm just being hopeful but I can't see the entire community involved in the money end of Hollywood not at least taking a look or reading something from a first time submitter. And if its a good fresh idea, I cant see them passing up what could be the next big hit. I like to think of it like this, you send out a script to a couple places. One person gets back to you saying send the script, they read, they decide "hey this is right up Spielberg's alley", or "you know who likes making these quirky flicks, Tarantino." They shoot it over to their people and they take a look. Then one of them likes the idea. They say get some more people involved. they search for some bits of a cast and are able to get Sam Jackson. Tarantino likes it. Now from a writer with no track record, they took a chance, and got two people that do have a track record of making money.
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It is the reality of the business.

A co-workers brother used to be a Hollywood actor with small supporting roles. Now, he can't find work. So, he wrote several screenplays and he cannot find any interest by agents or the studios. He has no track reecord as a writer. So, no one will take a chance on him.

The song by The Kinks, Celluloid Heroes has a lot of truth to it on how hard the industry is.
 
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Even when I went to THE GREAT AMERICAN PITCHFEST and got the contact information for someone at Lionsgate and emailed them a queery letter, I received a nasty phone call from Lionsgate and the man told me to do him a favour and lose their contact information. They don't want submissions.

That is the reality of the business.
 
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Interesting to know. Did you do him that favor? If I were you I'd give out his contact information to anyone trying to get in.

How are we suppose to get track records, if they won't accept anyone without a track record? Don't they know they are being paradoxical about it? I guess self funding is the way to go. Or in your case selling scripts to directors wanting to start out on their own by advertising to purchase a script is the way to go.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
And what trailers can you name that sold a script over a short?

Look up the 10 minute short on youtube that sold SAW to investors. It was not a trailer than interested them.

There is a difference between potential and proven track record for making money. Studios look at potential as fantasy and a proven track record of making money as reality.
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Well I already agreed to make the short with some people. The big twist will be given away, since that's what will sell the story, but I guess that's okay.
 
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How?

As I said, you invest in yourself and self-finance it yourself and see how the potential to make money plays out. If it makes all the money you hope, you have sales figures to show the studios.

A studio will invest in Marvel Comics, and DC Comics top sellers with annual sales figures of $50 Million to $100 Million per year in comic book sales over something with "Potential." You can try to get a comic book made of your movie or graphic novel and keep records of the sales.

Once you are making even $5 Million in sales on your own, who needs a studio? You can finance the movie yourself. No filmmaker here has made those type of sales figures to do stuff like that. If they did, that would attract the attention of the studios--when you don't need them.
 
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Roman G said:
Make a trailer out of ur existing short, say its a trailer for an upcoming feature. Problem solved. They see ur work, and u still keep your main ideas until the feature is released. done deal!
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Well I showed the short script version of my feature around to some people as a short to do. Hope it's okay giving the twist away, and that no one will copy the idea with the twist. I guess it almost never happens like everyone has said but for some reason it still feels very possible to me.
 
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I'm telling you right now - full disclosure:

The very second I see the script or the short or anything with
the twist that so worries you I am going to take it to my contacts
at major studios, get money to write my OWN version (using your
twist, of course), make the film with major stars and get it into
theaters before you make your feature.
 
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directorik said:
I'm telling you right now - full disclosure:

The very second I see the script or the short or anything with
the twist that so worries you I am going to take it to my contacts
at major studios, get money to write my OWN version (using your
twist, of course), make the film with major stars and get it into
theaters before you make your feature.
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Not if I do it first ;) :lol:
 
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WalterB said:
Stop trolling, start shooting!

Oh wait, let me give you just a few extra reasons why you never could finish your genius feature:
- You are not sure what insurance you need
- You are waiting till they fix rolling shutter in CMOS
- You are afraid to let actors rehearse your script, because they could leak it
- You want a shot from outerspace, but unfortunately the Space Shuttle Program got cancelled last week (and you don't speak Russian)
- You can't decide: tungsten, kinoflow or LED (and no: LED is not a cheap Chines RED-ripoff)
- You want to blow up a car, but you only got 1 car: can it be done in 1 take? Or what paint can you use to disguise the fact it took 3 takes to get it right?
- You are unsure your actor is fit for the part: it's the first time he plays this particulair part
- You don't know what ISO means on your Rebel
- You couldn't find the perfect shortcut to fame and succes on Indietalk
- You can't decide which software to use
- You couldn't get enough followers on Twitter to hype your project
Click to expand...

Funny :lol:
 
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That reminds me about the Matrix. In order to make the matrix they went and made another movie to prove theirself to the studio. Once that movie was a success. Then they got their deal to make the Matrix and direct it as they wished. Before they could have sold the movie but not be directors. They had to prove their worth. They also used story boards to sell the idea of the movie. The story boards latter really were what they used to film the movie.
 
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In answer to the ridiculous original question.

You won't get your idea stolen. I get this from every third person, even in the corporate world where they should know better.

Some guy at (large company X) has an idea for arranging folding chairs in a circle. They pay me to make a publicity video for some such top secret configuration that the six figure einstiens worked up.

Then I post it to youtube so they can look at their product.

Pretty often I get this back.

"Holy mother of god Nate, you put that top secret stuff on a public channel. Now it's only minutes, neigh, seconds until our corporate competitors lock in on your signal, and steal our fantastic idea" "Take our publicity video down immediately before someone sees it, and compromises our whole operation"

Let's get real here. The ocean of nearly identical people is so large now, and so full of attention seekers, that you could set yourself on fire, jump through a plate glass window, and break out into a 200 person Bollywood dance number about your social security number and bank account access passwords, and no one would even notice.

You'd get 5 views. All from 10 year olds. People would stop watching the video half way through, and never get to the numbers. And all that is if anyone can even find you in the first place.

To answer this question with finality, No, you are not in danger of people stealing your ideas, unless you are an internationally famous author.

If someone was actually going to go out and steal a plot, do you honestly think they are looking at the bottom end of the spectrum?

No one is watching you, no one is spying on you. Yell your ideas from the mountaintop, and all you'll hear back is an echo.

The only exception is Shamylan, if you see M. Night snooping around your channel, prepare to see your story in a studio film next year.
 
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To OP:
Hey, check this out. Write the short, hide it under your pillow.. develop the feature out of it, but DO NOT show it to anybody. Instead, stitch papers together, and make a blanket. Now you can take a nap, after all of sleepless night writing your feature.


So how do u know u have such interesting twist, that u can't show it to anyone?
Its better not to be "and then he wakes up!" Or "omg, he was a ghost/zombie/vampire/twin/evrrl twon/mummy/unkle/salami sandwich"
 
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I just don't want the twist getting out right away, interesting or not. I haven't seen it done quite my way before, but that doesn't mean that it's not a great one of course.

I know what you mean, I hate those twists where it was all dream. Feels like a cheat, with the exemption of Total Recall and some others.
 
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