Protecting your script / idea

Although we are not able to offer legal advice, we encourage and suggest you to seek legal counsel to ensure you are protected as much as possible.

Register your script, treatment, cassette tape, idea, onesheet, book, stageplay, pitch, etc, with the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) if you are pitching your script/idea in Canada, or register it with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) if you are pitching your script/idea in the United States. If you are pitching it in both countries, we recommend you register it with both the WGA and the WGC. Script registration with the WGC is $15 CND for WGC members and $30 CND for non-members. Script registration with the WGA is $10 US for WGA members and $20 US for non-members. If you have questions, please visit the WGC website and the WGA website.

If you do not have a script and only have an idea, we recommend writing down as many details as possible. Almost any item that can be used to document the creation of your work can be registered. Please contact the WGA, WGC, or seek legal advice from an entertainment lawyer if you have further questions.

Send material through a third party, such as an agent, manager, or entertainment attorney. This helps to ensure you have a witness who can back up any claim.

Keep a paper trail to track who you pitched, what you discussed, what was submitted, and record dates for all activities (ie meetings, phone calls, etc.)

Because this is an industry based on ideas, and there are literally thousands of ideas being pitched every day, it is possible that the same or similar projects may already be in development or production with a company, or that someone else is already pitching the same idea as you. Whether you pitch to someone in a coffee shop, at a studio meeting, or at a pitchfest event, there is always a risk that you are pitching to an unscrupulous person who could potentially 'steal' your project. But if you never pitch, your project can never happen. Theft of material is rare, but well publicized when it does occur.

All of the individuals you meet at the Great American PitchFest are professionals who are carefully screened, and it is highly unlikely that your script or idea would ever be ‘stolen’. The reputations and careers of these people would be at risk if they were to intentionally steal an idea. Your best protection is to seek legal counsel, and at a minimum, follow our suggestions as indicated above.