Script Trading = Illegal?

[j over]

So, apparently script trading or "distributing copies" of them for upcoming future films (maybe it applies even to past releases too, I'm not clear) "infringes copyright and/or trade secrets and constitutes unlawful activity under both federal and state law".


...If that's the case, why the hell are so many people either trading or sharing scripts?

[Moviequill]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

So, apparently script trading or "distributing copies" of them for upcoming future films (maybe it applies even to past releases too, I'm not clear) "infringes copyright and/or trade secrets and constitutes unlawful activity under both federal and state law".


...If that's the case, why the hell are so many people either trading or sharing scripts?

apparently? what is the source of this statement?

[Terrance Mulloy]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

what is the source of this statement?

That's what I was thinking.

We all know its illegal, that's why God invented PM's

[j over]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

apparently? what is the source of this statement?

The source is an e-mail I received from a law firm that represents a fairly well known production company.

[Development Hell]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

tell them to sue your screen name.

[j over]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

tell them to sue your screen name.

I assume that was sarcasm.

[Development Hell]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

Not really. What are they going to do?

God knows how many times in Hollywood someone gives someone else a script to read who gives it to someone else. Which is essentially all we're doing here. We didn't steal these.

[Moviequill]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

LOL! J Over, man, are you in trouble.

Hey, it's not like he's pawning off Coppola's Tetro or was seen acting suspicious on the set of Indy 4 heh...

[j over]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

LOL! J Over, man, are you in trouble.

Thankfully no as this didn't actually end in an actual lawsuit. Still, I didn't really realize this was a full-on violation of the law...color me saddened.

[Moviequill]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

Thankfully no as this didn't actually end in an actual lawsuit. Still, I didn't really realize this was a full-on violation of the law...color me saddened.

color you black and white with stripes heh... ok, sorry, man... enough pokin' and teasin', you have opened up a lot of eyelids for sure

[Moviequill]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

envanbeedervich

wasn't Julia Roberts in that movie? (smirk)

[Kevan]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

...If that's the case, why the hell are so many people either trading or sharing scripts?

I read 'em...

[scavenge]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

The act of passing scripts around may be a bit dodgy, but it's very hard to get caught in the "passing".

As for the scripts you have sitting on your hard drive / bookshelf then "educational use" is a perfectly valid "fair use" argument:

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

Start selling script copies for profit and you're on shakier ground.

[Souljacker UK]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

It's a gray area, certainly. But so is buying a script from scriptcity et al. If anything, those guys should be sued off the face of the planet before any of us! If you want a point a finger at someone, point it at those guys first.

Look, in my humble opinion, script trading needs go back to it's niche roots. Enough with people carpet bombing the web for trades. It doesn't look good.

I mean, no offence to j over, he's a good egg in my book, but advertising a trade on the imd seems like the dumbest thing ever...

Keep it on the d-low!

[pwrmyth]

Re: Script Trading = Illegal?

The irony here is this: how many people actually read screenplays?

I would bet that the real fear from production companies is plugging leaks. Critics and blogs are the only ones who could do any credible damage.

Unlike CDs or DVDs, scripts don't represent what the vast majority of people actually want. To the general public, it's only the movie that counts.

Lawsuits are expensive and counterproductive unless a big pot of sales are on the line somewhere. I just don't see it for screenplays. Not that many are ever printed and sold to effect either publishers or the writers -- us -- ourselves.