Newsgroups through Usenet are a trip.
Usenet newgroup fanatics would either require expertise, or an easy going nature to be able to comment freely.
I usually end up reading discussions where flaming occurs. As much as I would like to, participating in any topic in a newsgroup is definately unhelpful. That's because Google will search out almost any keyword to newsgoups and whether your believe it or not, peeps still get adequate answers to their questions from groups that function as know it alls, such as misc.writing.screenplays. Though I could be uploading a review to the latest CD I've come across, I feel it's necessary at this time to spend a few moments on this particular NG. Someone posted this message on MWS: I've been in the business for a few years, having worked on several features, and commercials ¶ Because I have only worked on a technical level I now ask for some advice. ¶ A friend wanted to do a low budget feature. He had no experience in producing feature length productions so I let him pick my brain. ¶ My bud had a hard time coming up with a theme, but settled on the slasher genre. He also had a hard time coming up with a plot line, so I gave him one. He wrote a script, registered it with the WGA; and then asked me to look at it and tell him what I thought. His script was in the wrong format, his dialogue self admittedly sucked, and it contained little character development. ¶ I fixed the format, rewrote the exposition and action so it read right and worked, fixed his dialogue, and added better character development. I emailed him the script and told him I would really like a writer's credit. He said he would look at it and depending on if he liked what I did and what he used we would talk about it. ¶ Long story short, I replaced/reworked 80% of his original dialogue and exposition/action, and what I last saw from his final script was that he used about 90%, word for word, of what I did to his original. ¶ My "friend" now refuses to give me any script writing credit what so ever. He wants to give me a story editor credit, which is BS if you know anything about what a story editor does. ¶ This post goes on and one with the minute details as if this type of thing never happens. Later, a few of the regulars in the NG for MWS comment the original message ID. Incidently, these types of OnTopic posts may seem legit, but somehow they tend to vanish completely off your newsreader unless you make some special effort to keep Header information such as the message ID or the Use ID who, in this case, is MCCELT. I don't know what purpose this kind of behavior could possibly serve (expiration dates to posted messages), but my curiosity got the best of me and I searched pre
vious posts from MCCELT. My conclusion was that he/she must be a hard case. ¶ It would be nice if the people within MWS answered questions with details only insiders could have, but rumors and gossip are hard to prove; so, that's the reason most juicy tidbits are left to Paparazzi and gossip columnists. Generalities and innuendos is the only thing misc.writing.screenplays is any good for anyway. If one actor walks out in the middle of a film, there's going to be talk amongst the crew, but when it reaches a newsgroup, unless you know what peeps are who, their rants and raves about their day is going to be meaningless. ¶ The sad but true news that tabloids only satisfy fans of celebrities in the public eye can get me reeling. What language do I need to learn to read up on news of my favorites? Nastassja Kinski, Catherine Keener and Robin Tunney. NK just completed filming a flick in France. ¶ MCCELT probably misquotes his friend when he wrote: "We never actually wrote it together. We never sat in the same room and wrote it together. And besides, I really can't tell what your changes are compared to my original and the script has gone through many different hands." ¶ Everyone else replying to this message had helpful advice for somebody who is just figuring his way around the filming industry, but I wouldn't doubt it if MCCELT's problem wasn't somehow attributed to his experiences in newsgroups and the peeps he meets there. ¶ I believe he is going to start production on his feature very shortly. And I don't know if he's removed my
contributions. Does anyone know what my legal rights
are if he uses my stuff in his movie? Since he is not giving me
credit I would really like to use what I wrote in another script.
¶ Towards the end of this lengthy post, I got bored of it. I
was expecting log lines about the screenplay, names of
friends and/or production companies involved. I mean,
what if I was reading news about Á ton
image which probably won't ever see the light
of day in the U.S.? You can bet I would want to know
about it. What better way to create a popular thread to a
message than to sabotage each other's interests in the
disputed script? ¶ Read this bazooka of a reply
to MCCELT's message: Everyone before me has offered you
good, sound advice. they have all covered what you need to do,
except for retaining an attorney. now it's up to you to
follow through and protect your work - no one else will. other
than that, all i can offer you is good luck and best wishes in
securing proper credit and compensation, or, dare I say it,
revenge in court, from a loathsome bottom feeder who is trying to
rip-off your words. -Joel ¶ And that is all Usenet is good
for my avid readers. Forgive this nonsense and look
forward to next year's newsletter. Who knows, I may learn
a thing or two Send your E-mail with the word
metal somewhere in the subject line, or in the body of
your text to brisae_1999@yahoo.com
