Yes, as you say, IF it's a good high concept pitch. The article outlined a number of legal conditions, yet with either a prodco or studio, I would surmise that at bottom, an oral agreement does not hold up/is regarded as 'toothless' and but a 'shell'.
So, in the end, where does that leave you?
One of the things that people forget about when considering the legalities of protecting intellectual copyright, is that the last thing anyone wants is for the issue to be settled in court.
So, the purpose of obtaining an oral agreement is to demonstrate to the production company you know how the game is played... and if they do decide to rip you off, you're more likely to take them to court, than someone who doesn't go through the ritual dance of asking for a non-disclosure agreement.
When we've pitched projects at Cannes, it's always been under the banner of a verbal "confidentiality" agreement. And, because we never pitch solo... and also follow up any meeting with an email confirming what was discussed and under what conditions... then this offers pretty reasonable protection.
The truth is, even script registration won't protect you from someone determined to steal your idea and have it written by someone else.
Now, where most people are vulnerable to theft, is by not having a sufficiently original idea... or a good enough script.
A unique idea and a great script are actually the best protection, because if the script is superb it's cheaper, faster and better for the production company to buy the thing, rather than to steal. And if the idea is unique, it's harder for them to claim they came up with the same thing.
If you've a pretty good idea (but not absolutely original... in other words, seven other guys could be pitching the same elsewhere in town)... and your script fails to sparkle, well, then you're asking to get ripped off. If the producer is going to have to have it rewritten anyway, and all you've given then is an interesting angle...
And the other thing is, no one looks more like a rube, than a writer who asks for a confidentiality agreement and then pitches a derivative idea.
