Q. A producer wants to read my script. But he says he's got a similar project, and he wants me to sign a release form.
Normally I wouldn't worry about signing a release form. It's just something you have to do.
And normally I wouldn't stress if a producer said they had a similar project. Lots of people have similar projects. Most don't get made.
But I would not be particularly anxious to send my script to a producer who said he had a similar project, and wanted me to sign a release form. There's just too much temptation for him to steal whatever he likes from my script and apply it to his project. Indeed it would be hard not to. And the release form would in that case protect him against any claim you might have.
And if he's already got one project, he probably is not going to toss out the one he's worked on, and buy yours. So there isn't a lot of upside.
So I would "count to ten on that."
Labels: rights