Are you a worried about having your screenplay idea stolen? So worried that you’re scared to send your query letter out to anyone in case they take your idea and turn it into a movie, without giving you any credit or giving you a dime.
If you are, don’t worry you’re not alone. And here’s the good news, this really isn’t something you need to worry about at all. Ever.
Why?
Your Idea & Your Work Is Automatically Protected
Anytime you send your movie idea to a script agent or producer you are protected. This might seem a little confusing at first but let me explain.
Anytime you send your query letter to anyone (whether it’s an agent, producer, friend or relative) you’re protected. Because by sending your query letter by post or email, there is a date stamp that proves you are the original creator of that work.
It doesn’t even matter if your idea is registered and copyrighted with the WGA. Even if someone stole your idea and turned it into a movie or TV show—you could take them to court and win based on the fact that there is a legal trail to prove that you are the original creator of the idea in question.
Any court in the land would rule in your favor because your email or postal records show that your idea didn’t exist before you created it.
Even a saved file on your computer is enough to stand up in a court of law and prove you are the legal copyright holder of your own work.
So if you’re trying to sell your script or get an agent or producer to read your work, sending your query letter out isn’t something you ever need to worry about.
It’s Still Worth Registering With The WGA
Now, I’m not suggesting that you don’t register your script with the WGA or copyright office. Registering your screenplay with the Writer’s Guild of America is a smart thing to do.
It’s just an additional layer of protection and an easy reference point should anything happen to your screenplay. But if you wrote your script on a computer and you’ve saved all the original files, that in itself is enough to stand up in a court of law and protect and copyright your work.
From an agent or producer’s perspective, they don’t want to steal your idea and they certainly don’t want to steal your screenplay. They want to work with you and help you sell your script. The alternative route for them is not only dangerous and expensive, but could seriously damage their reputation in a highly sensitive industry.
Hollywood is a small town and word has a way of getting around. Actors, producers and directors would be too scared to work with anyone holding a stolen idea. In this day and age, the real threat to copyright comes after your movie/TV show has been made. It comes in the form of illegal downloads and pirated movies/TV shows.
*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).