Protecting idea...

[zem]

As far as I know, ideas are free.

However I don't think you have to worry. There is a long step between an idea and a finished screenplay. Unless you told him exactly every thing that would happen in the entire movie, he wont be able to use it, other then to claim the idea as his own for a boss at a new job, or to a girl in a bar.:)

Even if you both started with the same idea, the end result would probably look really different. Unless you are twins of course! :)

[jeremybirn]

Whether you complete the screenplay or not, you can't really protect an idea. If you're looking to copyright something, you could write a 1 page outline of a story or description of the idea, and send it in to the library of congress as proof of your copyright. But that doesn't stop someone else from writing a script with your idea in it. The copyright covers a unique expression of an idea, not the general idea itself in all its forms.

-jeremy

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