10,000 people get the same idea.
1000 people act on the idea.
100 develop it somewhat.
10 get toward the finish line
1 person finishes first
Ideas probably float around the cosmos and get caught in the web of
people's minds. IOW, we may not have any original ideas because they
already exist.
Thus a lot of production companies have strict rules these days about
submissions because someone figures their ideas really are unique. A
company I worked for got submissions for ideas of things we already had
in development but of course secretly. It happens all the time. The
public can be very lame.
On 04/15/2015 04:51 PM, Michael Jackson [email protected]
[FairfieldLife] wrote:
A case in point:
‘Avatar’ Idea Theft Suit Rejected by Appellate Court
April 15, 2015 | 03:23PM PT
Ted Johnson <http://variety.com/author/ted-johnson/>
Senior Editor @tedstew <http://twitter.com/@tedstew>
A federal appeals court rejected an artist’s claim that the plot of
“Avatar <http://variety.com/t/avatar/>” was stolen from an idea he
pitched to writer-director James Cameron
<http://variety.com/t/james-cameron/>.
The appellate court panel sided 2-1 with Cameron and Lightstorm
Entertainment in their contention that “Avatar” was an independent
creation, with the director drawing upon produced and unproduced
projects from the 1970s and ’80s that pre-dated the time he met
artist Gerald Morawski in 1991.
The decision upholds a 2013 ruling from U.S. District Judge Margaret
Morrow, who found that although Morawski’s project pitch — called
“Guardians of Eden” — bore similarities to “Avatar,” she was
convinced by Cameron’s 45-page declaration that showed how “Avatar”
was his own idea.
The appeals court noted that Cameron “presented detailed and copious
evidence of independent creation. Under California law, if a defendant
presents ‘clear’ and ‘positive’ evidence of independent creation, any
inference of use of another’s work arising from access and substantial
similarity is dispelled, and a plaintiff may no longer solely rely on
that inference to establish improper use.”
Judge Morgan Christen dissented, concluding that the case still had
contested issues of fact that warranted going forward with the case.
Jon Landau, Cameron’s producing partner, said in a statement, “While
it is unfortunate that a myriad of fortune-hunting plaintiffs seek to
take credit for the success of our film, we are grateful that the
courts have consistently seen through these grossly meritless claims.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* "Michael Jackson [email protected] [FairfieldLife]"
<[email protected]>
*To:* "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
*Sent:* Wednesday, April 15, 2015 3:53 PM
*Subject:* Re: [FairfieldLife] Whedon
Lawsuits of this type are legion in Hollywood - difficult to prove,
but when they can prove the allegations, the defendants pay through
the nose. Don't be too sure that Whedon didn't see the book. Even the
big shots in Hollywood are not above deliberate plagiarism. Happens
all the time. Time and this lawsuit will tell.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* "Bhairitu [email protected] [FairfieldLife]"
<[email protected]>
*To:* [email protected]
*Sent:* Wednesday, April 15, 2015 2:56 PM
*Subject:* Re: [FairfieldLife] Whedon
I highly doubt that Whedon ever saw this guys book. He wouldn't need
to steal anything. There are lots of folks out there who had similar
ideas and believe they can sue for it. It gets really bad in music
and I can bet you if you could search through old folk tunes in the
public domain you would find a similar melody to a tune being sued over.
Our copyright laws are ridiculous. Disney wanted to soak the public
for centuries so their sharks got the DMCA passed with the help of the
late scumbag Sonny Bono.
On 04/15/2015 10:55 AM, Michael Jackson [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> [FairfieldLife] wrote:
Joss Whedon in the cross hairs!
<https://www.yahoo.com/movies/joss-whedon-lionsgate-targeted-in-10-million-116430078107.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma>
<https://www.yahoo.com/movies/joss-whedon-lionsgate-targeted-in-10-million-116430078107.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma>
Joss Whedon, Lionsgate Targeted in $10 Million 'Cabin in the Woods'
Lawsuit
<https://www.yahoo.com/movies/joss-whedon-lionsgate-targeted-in-10-million-116430078107.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma>
image
<https://www.yahoo.com/movies/joss-whedon-lionsgate-targeted-in-10-million-116430078107.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma>
Joss Whedon, Lionsgate Targeted in $10 Million 'Cabin in...
<https://www.yahoo.com/movies/joss-whedon-lionsgate-targeted-in-10-million-116430078107.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma>
The 'Avengers' director is the target of a major lawsuit over his
horror hit.
View on www.yahoo.com
<https://www.yahoo.com/movies/joss-whedon-lionsgate-targeted-in-10-million-116430078107.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma>
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