Ethics

[greg]

Most of the comments in this thread concern a situation where someone tell a writer they have an idea for a movie. However, what if someone tells you their life story, or let's say, one summer or one year out of their life, and you want to make it into a movie. Don't you have to aquire the rights from them in order to adapt their "story" into a script?

greg

[GirlinGray]

You have to aquire rights from them if you want to tell their story. Their specific story, fact for fact, using their name and life events. If you just want to write a story inspired by events someone told you about, using your own characters you create in a plot you made up, well you don't have to pay anyone for that. That is something you made up.

[Zup Dog]

Disclaimers

What about the use of disclaimers i.e. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental...

Didn't Spielberg steal E.T.?

[DesireeB]

Re: Disclaimers

1. Speilberg didn't steal E.T. Melissa Mathison sued Universal over merchandising royalties. I think it had to do with how detailed her description of E.T. was in the original screenplay. I do not know how the case ended up. I think there was a settlement.
2. TV shows like Law & Order use real life incidents all the time. They change the names and locations. An entertainment lawyer would be a better source to tell you what the fine line is in this type of situation.