Look at this...

[D'Snowth]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0820142/

That was my idea!

Those *******s stole my idea!

Only difference is my story involved a trio of sea creatures (a river otter, a dolphin, and a crab) instead of one lone fish trying to save a town (reef, whatever) from bullying sharks... but still... MY IDEA! Gar!

 

[Maestro]

Well, in my opinion, animated ocean-themed movies are starting to become a bit overdone now anyway, with Finding Nemo, Shark Tale, and the Little Mermaid and Atlantis series by Disney.

But I digress. I actually was going to make an entirely different point. In this country, an idea technically can't belong to any one person, as you can't copright an idea. That's why spin-offs and parodies of movies, games, books, etc., can exist. You can copyright a character, a name, and "all related indicia", as it is often stated in disclaimers, but not an idea.

So tough cookies.

 

[D'Snowth]

But the thing of it is, if someone else fleshes out an idea before you do, then you pretty much can't do anything about it, because if you do, then pretty much you're the one who's made out to be the "un-original copycat"; and not only that, that said someone else could very take legal actions and claim that he/she was the one who came up with the idea first, and that you were the one who stole it.

At least now, however, I have a legitimate excuse to keep the premise of my new sitcom under wraps as I continue to flesh it out.

 

[CensoredAlso]

What you do in a case like this, is take your original idea, and tweek it enough so it's still your work, but stands apart from the already published movie. Movies and TV shows with similar plots are made all the time. And as long as it's not blatently obvious, audiences don't mind.

 

[D'Snowth]

What you do in a case like this, is take your original idea, and tweek it enough so it's still your work, but stands apart from the already published movie. Movies and TV shows with similar plots are made all the time. And as long as it's not blatently obvious, audiences don't mind.

I see what you mean (like the whole Bewitched vs. I Dream of Jeannie or M*A*S*H vs. Hogan's Heroes things)... but I have to admit, sometimes tweaking an idea like that is easier said than done.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I see what you mean (like the whole Bewitched vs. I Dream of Jeannie or M*A*S*H vs. Hogan's Heroes things)... but I have to admit, sometimes tweaking an idea like that is easier said than done.

Exactly, those are good examples. Heh, well yes, no one ever said writing was easy! (And if they did, heh, well...)

Reminds me of Fraggle Rock Season 2 DVD, when Jerry Juhl discussed the Traveling Matt segments and the pressure to make them funny and relevant to the story every week, lol.

 

[Barry Lee]

But the thing of it is, if someone else fleshes out an idea before you do, then you pretty much can't do anything about it, because if you do, then pretty much you're the one who's made out to be the "un-original copycat"; and not only that, that said someone else could very take legal actions and claim that he/she was the one who came up with the idea first, and that you were the one who stole it.

At least now, however, I have a legitimate excuse to keep the premise of my new sitcom under wraps as I continue to flesh it out.

Um, and did these people just dig in your brain? how the h*** would THEY know it was your idea to begin with, you cant say they stole you're idea, because frankly, they didnt know.

 

[BobThePizzaBoy]

Disney stole my idea with the upcoming movie Bolt, except it was about Pluto instead of the title character. Ah well I'm not mad, it'll be like seeing my idea being turned into a real movie and that'll be awesome.

 

[Drtooth]

Well, in my opinion, animated ocean-themed movies are starting to become a bit overdone now anyway, with Finding Nemo, Shark Tale, and the Little Mermaid and Atlantis series by Disney.

So, technically, they really just stole Pixar and Dreamwork's idea.
But Dreamworks stole it from Pixar first of all. Changing the plot, clearly, but there is no doubt they were trying to make a Fish film like Pixar did. They have done this in the past... ANTZ, Madagascar (which was better than the Wild, IMO).

I mean, clearly, you had the idea before even Shark Tale, right?

But then again, chew on this... there are 2 Ducks named Huey.. Duckie number 1
Duckie number 2

 

[D'Snowth]

I mean, clearly, you had the idea before even Shark Tale, right?

Oh yeah.