I was ripped off in a big way

Ten years ago I went down to Los Angeles to do a spot on TV but the real reason the guy flying me down there was to meet the president of a BIG entertainment company who wanted to meet me based on a previous performance of mine he saw on tape and to pitch a couple of ideas for TV shows. Nothing came of the meeting. We kept in touch and I sent him some unsolicited ideas over the years. Three and a half years ago, through a big lawyer I know (I'm not a big shot, I just know a few), I sent him a treatment for a TV show and he told me he'd like to see an actual script. Being a joke writer and not an actual script writer it was hard but I got the job done and sent it off. A month later I get the script back with a handwritten note from this guy saying something like "it's not what we're looking for." Fine. No big deal. Just paper and ideas. Weeks ago I turn on the TV to keep an eye on this new show I suspect may be at least partly inspired by the idea I sent this dude and wouldn't you know- idea after idea, although no actual dialogue, had been lifted from my offering. My lawyer believes it was taken from me and put me in touch with a guy in New York to do it on contingency but I don't feel I've enough to present the man, except for a registered script of the show sent to myself and the e-mails my lawyer friend sent to me informing me that he'd send it to the guy. That and the fact that I had met with him twice in his office. He even told me that he was surprised his kids didn't wear out a video of one of my joke telling TV spots. Oh, well...

 

Sorry to hear that, Sean. That's a writer's worst nightmare. Hope you can get proper credit and compensation somehow.

 

Can you tie his handwritten note to the script you sent?

 

If the lawyer is willing to do it on contingency, why don't you let him decide whether there's a case or not?

 

Sean, I'm sorry to hear about this. Please tell us that you have good documentation of everything that led up to this. I do know that a lot of companies do not accept any treatments unless some paperwork is signed to protect their interests and the writer's. Also, e-mail can save the day in some cases. Best of luck with this....

 

Sorry to hear this.

I hope everything works out for you in the end!

Sean

 

Exactly....let someone else make the call. You may have something here, maybe not, but....most of us are not lawyers. I have one myself, and trust his opinion, not mine.

 

Wow, that's a shame. It reminds me a bit of that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer's idea for a cologne/perfume that smelled like the beach got ripped off, even though he was previously told by the people he pitched the idea to that they weren't interested. Sorry to hear this...

 

Terrible. It sounds like you have a case though.

 

...let the lawyer handle it, if he feels there's a case and wants to spend the time, GO FOR IT! It's costly, especially in your case...ENTERTAINMENT law is complicated, and he's willing to do a contingency?...your a lucky Guy.

 

Beach and Calvin Klein.

Sorry to hear your story..

 

Jon, yes I can tie his handwritten note to the script as he mentions my show title in the note. Michael, the guy he put me in touch with is not someone I feel I can deal with. My friend who got me connected to him called from his private plane to see how we had hit it off and I told him. He didn't sound surprised and will put me in cotact with someone else. Todd, where documentation sits, what I've got is the returned script and rejection note, an e-mail print out from my lawyer friend who originally pitched it to the guy and the self addressed registered envelope with the script AND a cover note mentioning that a copy of the script will be simultaneously sent to the production house that I indeed sent it to. Thanks everyone for your concern. I will keep you posted if anything happens but I doubt it.