Well I pitched to Rogers proper the other day. Walked in with my trademark smile and swathy debonaire.
You know, the Ridout Swagger.
Ya ya I know I'm full of myself.
Regardless, It went well. Got some good feedback and will be receiving releases ASAP. That's a good thing.
I said caution in the Title of this entry because of a couple minor issues.
First. They will furnish me with a release.
Be WEARY OF THE RELEASE!!!!!
Most releases are used to protect both parties in case of dispute and also establish a separation of broadcaster/production company and those pitching the idea.
It also tells the broadcaster that you hold exclusive right to distribute, manage and control the product and that you are the 1)sole creator 2)that the material is original and 3)you aren't ripping anyone off.
BUT
many releases include this clause. "We hold no liability if future productions are similar to the ones being pitched" or " if anything produced in the future that bares resemblance bla bla bla you agree to not hold such and such responsible for bla bla"
I won't bore you with the legalize but what it says is this.
We will more than likely say no to all your work, effort creativity and time, but in a year or so, expect pretty much the exact same show to be on air and you can suck it. Smell you later.
I'm paraphrasing but that's the "trend" in the entertainment industry.
You 'd think you'd only see corrupt nonsense like this in backwater 3rd world countries, but, alas, in the Great White North we too are oft victims of fraud.
BUT
is it fraud?
you come up with a great idea. A lawyer that's a clown on weekends. You name him Joe Simoli and he fights for the little guy while entertaining the little kids. You pitch it, the broadcaster makes you go through the steps making a show bible, scripts, documentation etc etc then they say no, but you signed a creative release so they wash their hands at the whole affair.
A year later, you see a show about a full time clown who fights crime on weekends appears.
"THEY COPIED ME!!!!!!
SORTA
.
..well.. it's reverse BUT STILL"
Did they? Or did they just do what you did and assemble ideas already in existence, packaged it differently and then produced it?
At the end of the day, when presented with the release, you have to take that chance. No matter how much protection, lawyers, legal documents you have to your name, you do not, NOT own an idea. You own the words you wrote, the order in which they exist and the context in how it is presented. You do not own the words themselves or the overall construct. If that was the case, nothing would have ever been invented, produced or created again. There is no such thing as a truly original idea. Everything stems from something. It's how you innovate and control that part of an idea that makes it valuable.
This is where our whole creative industry, from music to design fails to recognize. They try and commoditize ideas, and in so doing only put up roadblocks to real creative development. Sometimes things get copied.
Sometimes its malicious, and sometimes, more often then not, it's coincidence.
Think of how many inventions and scientific discoveries happened within hours of each other? Telephone, Gravity, Evolution?
So, take the chance, and sign that release. You may get screwed or you may come out on top. Who knows. Don't be scared of taking chances. Fortune favours the bold. Just get a good lawyer if they do steal the idea. I'm not saying give up, always fight fight fight.
 |
| How you doin? |
You know, the Ridout Swagger.
Ya ya I know I'm full of myself.
 |
| Aren't I cute? |
Regardless, It went well. Got some good feedback and will be receiving releases ASAP. That's a good thing.
I said caution in the Title of this entry because of a couple minor issues.
First. They will furnish me with a release.
Be WEARY OF THE RELEASE!!!!!
Most releases are used to protect both parties in case of dispute and also establish a separation of broadcaster/production company and those pitching the idea.
It also tells the broadcaster that you hold exclusive right to distribute, manage and control the product and that you are the 1)sole creator 2)that the material is original and 3)you aren't ripping anyone off.
BUT
many releases include this clause. "We hold no liability if future productions are similar to the ones being pitched" or " if anything produced in the future that bares resemblance bla bla bla you agree to not hold such and such responsible for bla bla"
I won't bore you with the legalize but what it says is this.
We will more than likely say no to all your work, effort creativity and time, but in a year or so, expect pretty much the exact same show to be on air and you can suck it. Smell you later.
I'm paraphrasing but that's the "trend" in the entertainment industry.
You 'd think you'd only see corrupt nonsense like this in backwater 3rd world countries, but, alas, in the Great White North we too are oft victims of fraud.
BUT
is it fraud?
you come up with a great idea. A lawyer that's a clown on weekends. You name him Joe Simoli and he fights for the little guy while entertaining the little kids. You pitch it, the broadcaster makes you go through the steps making a show bible, scripts, documentation etc etc then they say no, but you signed a creative release so they wash their hands at the whole affair.
A year later, you see a show about a full time clown who fights crime on weekends appears.
"THEY COPIED ME!!!!!!
SORTA
.
..well.. it's reverse BUT STILL"
Did they? Or did they just do what you did and assemble ideas already in existence, packaged it differently and then produced it?
At the end of the day, when presented with the release, you have to take that chance. No matter how much protection, lawyers, legal documents you have to your name, you do not, NOT own an idea. You own the words you wrote, the order in which they exist and the context in how it is presented. You do not own the words themselves or the overall construct. If that was the case, nothing would have ever been invented, produced or created again. There is no such thing as a truly original idea. Everything stems from something. It's how you innovate and control that part of an idea that makes it valuable.
This is where our whole creative industry, from music to design fails to recognize. They try and commoditize ideas, and in so doing only put up roadblocks to real creative development. Sometimes things get copied.
Sometimes its malicious, and sometimes, more often then not, it's coincidence.
Think of how many inventions and scientific discoveries happened within hours of each other? Telephone, Gravity, Evolution?
So, take the chance, and sign that release. You may get screwed or you may come out on top. Who knows. Don't be scared of taking chances. Fortune favours the bold. Just get a good lawyer if they do steal the idea. I'm not saying give up, always fight fight fight.
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