Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

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  • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

    Originally posted by sc111 View Post

    Is it too much to suggest that August could have, in this aftermath, emailed Carson and said - "Hey, man, let me explain to you how your actions hurt me. And maybe we can find a way to prevent this from happening again."

    Instead -- he had this discussion publically and the hanging party is forming.
    Because ScriptShadow was nice enough to contact all these writers privately and ask if they minded having their scripts publicly outed...

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    • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

      sc111, my point is that if Carson followed the same standard of behavior that you expect from August - contacting a person privately before making something public - then this thread wouldn't exist.

      All of us are asking Carson to do exactly what you wish August had done.

      SuperScribe, no sweat. Email sent.

      Comment


      • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

        Originally posted by nic.h View Post
        Excellent, T. I agree.
        That's because when I'm deprived of what I've now dubbed "demon tears," I'm a good bloke. I'm also infallible. Which make it impossible to disagree with me.

        Comment


        • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

          Originally posted by Sinnycal View Post
          I feel like you're being purposely obtuse at this point.

          John August commented on the very real overreaction by the studio to the completely phantom threat presented by Scriptshadow.

          And I still haven't seen anyone reasonably bridge the two.
          I think John has already bridged the two. He says that if studios continue to get freaked out about leaked drafts, then they will lock down whatever it is he (or other) writers might be working on. He can't send the script off to his peers for review. A practice as common in the pro community as it is in the aspiring.

          Also, he mentioned that opportunities for work grow exponentially when a script is allowed to flow throughout Hollywood. This is how you develop fans. And those fans often offer you work. If a sample of your work is not allowed to be freely exchanged, this gets shut down.

          I agree, the studio overreacted, but the threat is not phantom. That overreaction might manifest into studios locking down scripts they own. Scripts you wrote. Scripts that can be used as samples for future work.

          Comment


          • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

            Originally posted by nic.h View Post
            There's a huge difference between reviewing PUBLIC/PUBLISHED/PRODUCED work and reviewing stuff that is still unproduced. Even the copyright laws work differently where publication/production hasn't happened yet.

            It's just about respect - simple respect. Ask permission first. Why is that so hard?
            Which is more important, the legal or moral concerns?

            With sold specs that haven't been produced, the writer's opinion doesn't matter anymore. That's the REAL issue here. John August isn't allowed to show his own work to people he wants. And it isn't because Carson is reviewing scripts on a blog. It's because he had to sell the rights away to a studio.

            So who do you ask for permission? Do you ask the writer out of respect, or do you ask the studio out of legality?

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            • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

              Originally posted by artisone View Post
              I think John has already bridged the two. He says that if studios continue to get freaked out about leaked drafts, then they will lock down whatever it is he (or other) writers might be working on.
              Why are we placing the blame on the object of their irrational fear instead of placing it on their irrationality?

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              • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                Let's assume Carson buckles under pressure, concedes to what Mr. August & Co. want him to do.

                How would the logistics work?

                A script is leaked to Carson by an industry insider. He's told to call the writer; however the writer does not own the copyright therefore has no say in the distribution of that script. Carson must then contact the copyright owner...

                "Mr. Copyright Owner, your employee/associate/brother-in-law sent me XYZ script which I'd like to review for my blog. May I have your permission?"

                "No."

                Lather, rinse, repeat.

                Essentially, his blog is shut down--or at least the crux of content appeal to his readers. Which apparently is the desired effect.

                So Carson disappears into oblivion. Hooray!

                Shortly afterwards, Mr. not-quite-so-ethical blogger appears and picks up where Carson left off.

                Now what?

                The problem of leaked scripts will not disappear because a blogger was bullied by the establishment.

                Time to re-think the advantages and disadvantages of the new information age and how it might affect the industry.
                Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

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                • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                  Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                  sc111, my point is that if Carson followed the same standard of behavior that you expect from August - contacting a person privately before making something public - then this thread wouldn't exist.
                  I posted pages ago that I totally understood the anger at Carson. Especially Darryl and his client's anger. If I felt Carson was blameless I wouldn't have done so.

                  I've consistently said blame should be shared. And for that reason I refuse to join the "Hang Carson Reeves" party that has been ignited by August's recent blog post.

                  Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                  All of us are asking Carson to do exactly what you wish August had done.
                  Fair enough. I agree. Now - just out of curiousity, if you were in August's position, would you have first contacted Carson personally to explain how his actions hurt you at Fox? Rather than post it on a blog with an active RSS feed?
                  Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

                  Comment


                  • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                    While some of you have suggested that scriptshadow is almost exclusively reviewing sold spec scripts, I don’t believe that is the case. From what I’ve observed, he’s reviewing a number of “new” scripts including screenplays from the 2008 Black List and, recently, several 2009 Nicholl finalist scripts. He’s also reviewed at least one past Nicholl winning script.

                    Since I know something of the situation of the recent Nicholl finalists, I know he reviewed scripts from unrepresented writers, scripts that certainly had not sold and, in some cases, had not yet been submitted around town. In several of the cases, he reviewed earlier drafts of the scripts. In all cases, he originally linked to a PDF version of the scripts.

                    Whether scriptshadow liked the scripts (and he liked several and disliked several of the Nicholl scripts), he certainly wasn’t doing any favors for the unrepped writers. Don’t you think it would be better for them if their scripts weren’t reviewed on a blog? If links weren’t provided? Most agents and managers that I’ve encountered like to sign new clients with a “fresh” script that hasn’t already been seen by everyone in Hollywood.

                    And while I don’t know the details for the Black List writers, I suspect that not all the scripts he reviewed had sold.

                    Comment


                    • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                      Originally posted by Sinnycal View Post
                      And that's just not so with what we're discussing here. The studios aren't worried that another studio will catch wind of these top-secret scripts (which they have more than likely already read and covered) and beat them to production. A script isn't a trade secret. Everyone in town reads everything.
                      You really haven't been paying attention, have you?
                      "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

                      Comment


                      • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                        I think this sums it up:

                        My manager sends me hot scripts if I ask for them.... he even sends me DVD screeners, I have been able to watch rough cuts of films months before they hit the theaters....

                        Of course, this is done with the trust that I won't upload films or post the scripts on websites for the world to see. That, in my opinion, is where Carson crosses the line....

                        He gets material he isn't supposed to have (as does anybody with HW connections) but instead of keeping it to himself, he's sharing it with the world....

                        There's a difference, no matter how small it may be...

                        Comment


                        • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                          Originally posted by gregbeal View Post
                          While some of you have suggested that scriptshadow is almost exclusively reviewing sold spec scripts, I don't believe that is the case. From what I've observed, he's reviewing a number of "new- scripts including screenplays from the 2008 Black List and, recently, several 2009 Nicholl finalist scripts. He's also reviewed at least one past Nicholl winning script.

                          Since I know something of the situation of the recent Nicholl finalists, I know he reviewed scripts from unrepresented writers, scripts that certainly had not sold and, in some cases, had not yet been submitted around town. In several of the cases, he reviewed earlier drafts of the scripts. In all cases, he originally linked to a PDF version of the scripts.

                          Whether scriptshadow liked the scripts (and he liked several and disliked several of the Nicholl scripts), he certainly wasn't doing any favors for the unrepped writers. Don't you think it would be better for them if their scripts weren't reviewed on a blog? If links weren't provided? Most agents and managers that I've encountered like to sign new clients with a "fresh- script that hasn't already been seen by everyone in Hollywood.

                          And while I don't know the details for the Black List writers, I suspect that not all the scripts he reviewed had sold.
                          That's a valid point, I think. But the release of the Nicholl finalists and the Black List are like screenwriter holidays. Everyone is interested in reading those scripts. I don't think you're going to stop those particular scripts from getting out, regardless of the existence of a site like Scriptshadow.

                          Comment


                          • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                            Originally posted by DavidK View Post
                            You really haven't been paying attention, have you?
                            Enough to recognize the base absurdity in reasoning that scripts everyone in town has already read are some sort of trade secret.

                            Comment


                            • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                              Originally posted by sc111 View Post
                              I like you. You're fair and balanced.

                              Here's one suggestion -- perhaps John August could have emailed Carson and discussed the situation in private, including his ideas for protecting pro writers.

                              Perhaps he could have done that instead of setting Carson up for the backlash that has happened.

                              I like August's work. In fact, I think his BIG FISH script was 100x better than the film. I love writers -- pro, non pro -- we're part of the same tribe.

                              But in this case I think August made a bad move airing his beef with Carson publically before coming to a resolution privately.

                              Of course I may get pistol-whipped by some folks for this opnion too.
                              Likewise, but ... there's probably too much focus on Sriptshadow, Carson's a nice guy, it's just supposed to be a debate.

                              It does start to look like a witch hunt, as Kevan says, intentionally or not.

                              But I'm sure folks just want to debate it.
                              Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

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                              • Re: Scriptshadow's blog is discussed by John August

                                Originally posted by Kevan View Post
                                You pro writers should sort it out with him personally and not enter a public forum and trash him in here.
                                Surely I'm not the only person who sees the irony in that.

                                Cries of "hanging party' and "witch hunt" are a somewhat far-fetched - for the most part people have simply been trying to explain what they feel is wrong about the way SS operates, and in some cases suggesting simple remedies. Carson has been following this thread and has had ample opportunity to set forth his own views.
                                "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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