Producer Release Forms Blues

Winfred

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Hi!

A foreign film production company that found my logline etc. at a script info posting site for screenwriters sent their “Release Form”. Their email requesting my material be sent to them via email included a link to their company's very professional looking website with impressive studio grounds pics etc. and mailing addresses. They have one office in the US. The actual production studio is in their small country. At their site I find their company name is attached in some way to another very famous big company name that is in several other foreign countries. I live in the US. I imagine this foreign film company has at least as much as an office space here in the US, but there are no impressive US studio pics or website I could find, only a US street address.

I splurged, searched IMDbPro directory just to find out more about this particular producer as at their website all their “Contact” info is just an email message form that doesn't list staff people's names etc. to write back to. They noted if I had any questions to email. So I asked in two different emails for a name of someone rather than their nebulous “Creative Team” name, and their only response in that regard was the nick name of the person who was emailing me and the first name of their creative director.... They are open about expounding on their facilities world class settings etc. but that's almost it. All they have listed at IMDb is 2 foreign films they produced and one staff member's name - their CEO's name. At this producer's own site their film credit list is 16 films and some fairly major ones, a huge difference from IMDb list of them only having 2 Latin American foreign films to their credit.

Their Release letterhead at top of their page 1 has a third company name. Also, centered at bottom of the same pg 1 is yet another name with 2 other mailing addresses.... Their release is written all in their favor. I went to InkTip and copy/pasted their very simply worded fair to producer and fair to writer universal release. I feel like filling that out and sending it to them instead.

Would that be taboo and eliminate me?

Other questions:

Would you submit to them if you were me?

Would anyone PM me so I could send you the Release to see what you think? It's 2 3/4ths pgs long. I can't afford a lawyer.

I have no agent. Just one agent who read my stuff a year ago was nice enough to even the same day email back to me. In all caps he wrote: “NEVER SIGN ANYTHING UNLESS THERE IS A DEAL ON THE TABLE AND A CHECK STARING AT YOU.” I just asked him briefly as possible and didn't forward to him names or a copy of the Release....

I don't think a producer would ever put a check on the table without reading my script, right?

The agent still didn't take me as their new writer, but he was nice enough to say that much.

Should I ignore that advice and take the big gamble?

This could be my only “big break” and doubt any agent will ever take me under wing with only one reading after many dozens of cover letters via snail mail and many dozens more via emails.

Is my US copyright invalidated because their studio is in another country?

At least they have one office in the US. Would that make them accountable to US copyright laws? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Kindest Regards,
Winfred
 
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Maryn

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Winfred, have you considered posting this in Bewares and Background Checks (another AW board, for those unfamiliar)? There you can name names, because it's perfectly legitimate to inquire about the business practices of a company before you submit to them, whether it's a studio, production company, zine, or book publisher.

From what you've shared here, I would not submit. It appears to me they have deliberately evaded your request for actual names, which throws up a gigantic red flag on the whole operation. The fact that they are inflating their credits, and quite possibly claiming production credits for films they cannot prove they produced according to IMDb's standards, is another red flag.

I don't think this is your big chance. I think it's possible it could be that bullet you dodged. Whew, huh?

For legal advice, we really can't help you. The site owner can get into trouble if she allows legal (or medical) advice to be dispensed here.

Maryn, awaiting input from those with more experience
 

Winfred

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Winfred, have you considered posting this in Bewares and Background Checks (another AW board, for those unfamiliar)? There you can name names, because it's perfectly legitimate to inquire about the business practices of a company before you submit to them, whether it's a studio, production company, zine, or book publisher.

From what you've shared here, I would not submit. It appears to me they have deliberately evaded your request for actual names, which throws up a gigantic red flag on the whole operation. The fact that they are inflating their credits, and quite possibly claiming production credits for films they cannot prove they produced according to IMDb's standards, is another red flag.

I don't think this is your big chance. I think it's possible it could be that bullet you dodged. Whew, huh?

For legal advice, we really can't help you. The site owner can get into trouble if she allows legal (or medical) advice to be dispensed here.

Maryn, awaiting input from those with more experience

Hi Maryn!

Thanks very much for taking the time to read my post and to comment!! I don't know the difference enough to realize what is a red flag and what's not so thanks for your invaluable input. All they signed with was no name and "Creative Department". The website shows amazing studio spaces and state of the art and a huge special effects water pool and all but the fundamentals of human relations... well. As much of a name and I asked in a lucid manner was a first name that is a nick name and no full names or professional titles etc. Only after I did some surfing the net and really trying that I discovered within an email address I'd run some letters together that created a wrong name that I'd first used that they never corrected me on either. It is tempting after dozens and dozens of cover letters from every entity in the film world and with SASE's too and each letter photocopied at local library etc. I don't mean to sound like sorry for myself but you've been very helpful. I might just close my eyes and jump as really I'd given up months ago then this came out of the blue while working on it all as a novel. I didn't know about the Bewares area and what constituted a post there and ended up here. I'm going to browse that area and think of how I can address all of this concisely and how etc. This is an amazing website and people like you the nuts and bolts of what make it happen.
Kindest Regards,
Winfred
 

creativexec

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A release form simply releases the company of liability if they were ever to produce a project similar to yours. Because we see thousands of scripts - some are bound to be very similar. A release form educates the writer about coincidences within the industry and protects the company from potential lawsuits. In reality, if the company doesn't ask for the release form to be notarized, it's practically useless, as you could always claim you didn't sign it.

New writers fear their scripts will be stolen. Generally speaking, most scripts suck and couldn't be given away - even with fifty dollar bills tucked between each page.

Scripts aren't like diamonds. You can take the script and sell it on the blackmarket for quick cash. A script's only real value is as a movie. Stealing a script means the thief has to come up with a few million dollars to produce the film. As a felonious pursuit, there are quicker and smarter ways to steal money.

I'm not saying it hasn't happened. But with the hundreds of thousands of scripts circulating town at any one time - the odds are very low, and the security of a screenplay is practically guaranteed by the majority of professionals who handle scripts, the script's relative anonymity within the business, and its wretched writing.

Most of these shady places have no money or power to do anything with your script - good or bad. Unless they're charging you fees, I'm never quite sure of their motives. Sometimes I think they are neophytes with good intentions who hang a shingle and dream of making movies without a single clue as to how it's done. (Not all that different than the neophyte screenwriter who spends a year writing a script yet has no clue as to how the business operates.)

IMO, the fear shouldn't be that they'll steal your script. The fear should be that they'll involve you in a long process (having you believe they'll produce your script) that has you spinning your wheels for years.

Finally, if you feel this is your big chance, stop writing screenplays. 99.9% of any opportunity - even the great ones - will lead nowhere. Much of this business is exploration, tenacity and patience.
 
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