The right to write

[Gwailofilms]

A friend of mine asked me a question and I couldn't answer. Maybe someone here can.

He and a now ex-friend started writing a feature between them and my mate wants to carry on writing it, cutting out all the crap the other fella wrote. The other guy doesn't appear to have any interest in carrying it on, BUT he's the sort of guy that if he gets wind of the project continuing without his involvment, he'll kick up a stink.

They created the characters and some of the story together and what my friend wants to know is: does the other guy have any legal comeback if my mate continues writing and the project gets somewhere?

I guess the question is: could he sue for monetary remuneration, claiming the story and characters as his own?

They only wrote the piece as friends, so , obviously, there's no contract between them.

Any ideas?

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The future is here:-
www.gwailofilms.co.uk

[ThomasB]

YO. I'd say that your friend should keep on writing on the script and focus all his energy on the project. If the other guy shows up and starts being an ass, call me and I'll beat the living shit out of him.

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ThomasB
http://www.biennavista.com

[deanl]

Hey there.

Thats what happend with Quentin Tarantino. He started writing a script with Roger Avery that they never finished. Quentin went on to write and direct Reservoir Dogs. When that was finished he wrote Pulp Fiction. But because it had some of the characters and dialog from a script he and Avery started years ago when they were still Video store clerks he had to give him a co writer credit when the awards started coming in. Aparantly True Romance had a lot of stuff from the same script but Avery exepted a pay off to have his name removed. I guess there was no pay off big enough to have his name taken of the Oscar the Pulp Fiction script went onto win.

Despin out.

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"Ive got bad feeling about this."

[ThomasB]

How big are the chances that Gwailofilms' friend's script is going to win an Oscar?

Erm... no need to answer that... what's it called again... erm... rethorical question.

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ThomasB
http://www.biennavista.com

[Gwailofilms]

lol

I doubt my mate'll win an Oscar, but now he knows what to do if he does!

I think we'd prefer not to pay this guy off. I intend to direct this flick when it gets written and I'd prefer not to have this turd hanging around on-set whining about how we've "stolen" his characters and story.

So, do we reckon I should tell my buddy to keep writing and to hell with the other guy, then?

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The future is here:-
www.gwailofilms.co.uk

[deanl]

Hey there.

Its good to see ThomasB has no ambition. An oscar is my eventual goal.

"How big are the chances that Gwailofilms' friend's script is going to win an Oscar?"

As big as anyone elses I guess.

Its a good job Tarantino never listened to people like you when he worked in a video store and decided to start writing.

Some people are just not content with making small budget movies. Or writing scripts they never expect to be made.

Everything I do is a step closer to what I eventualy want to achieve. Everything is a learning process that enables me to get better at my craft. If your happy to make small movies for ever then cool. But if your not happy to do that and you do want to progress. That "How big are the chances" attitude is not gonna help you one bit.

Just my opinion.

Despin out.

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"Ive got bad feeling about this."

[ThomasB]

Despin, I've got a bad day today and I'm sorry if this has any negative influence on what I write. Sorry for that!

> "How big are the chances that Gwailofilms'
> friend's script is going to win an Oscar?"
> As big as anyone elses I guess.

I didn't want to imply that I don't believe that anyone posting in these forums will ever win an Oscar. I wish all of you the best of talent and luck to achieve this goal! Honestly!

But hey: If this guys writes the script, makes the movie, wins an Oscar... Then I don't see it as big problem to mention the other guy as co-writer. He deserves some credit just because some of the characters, scenes, whatsoever were his ideas. He even might be the biggest prick walking on this planet... If his ideas are in the movie, he deserves the credit.

> But if your not happy to do that (small
> movies forever)

I'm very happy doing small movies. Just because IMHO this is the right way to learn the techniques and get the routine.

I do have ambitions. And if I'd even be nominated for an Oscar I'd be more than happy.

Let's shake hands and be friends. Fine with you, Despin?


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ThomasB
http://www.biennavista.com