Am I Going to Get Sued?

The way you explained it, I wouldn't worry about it ever seeing the light of day.

You're safe.

Is it only a few seconds? then you're okay.

If it's longer than a few seconds,....

Any chance you could use something that's in public domain, like a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta?

Aim for Shakespear...

If it's for a competition - read only - you're fine. Worrying over nothing.

If it's going to be performed, a different story, and theoretically someone could refuse permission for the works to be used.

You will never get sued unless you make it into a film and show it somewhere. If you sell it, you still won't get sued. It would be the producer's responsibility to obtain rights and clearances before production begins.

As for competitions, no problems there, however, some competitions require (read the fine print on those comps) that you...

a) Own the rights to what you submit and it can be assumed that you do not own the rights to a small part of your scripts elements-- therefor the whole script is subject and disqualified. Many comps don't allow adaptations for such reasons.

b) Even if you can enter the contest which allows your non owned stuff in there, you may run the risk of the initial reader (who thinks they know everything about screenwriting after taking McKee's seminar last month) will read your non-owned elements and say to themselves "this can't go anywhere without owning the rights, so why give this person any hope" and they toss it, therefor not going to the next level in the completion.

I tell people, whenever possible, to use non-copyrighted or public domain stuff unless it is imperative to tell your story. If your story is about the making of the Broadway show of Chicago, then you have no choice, but if it is a story of a set dresser and a costume designer falling in love during set construction of the Broadway premiere of Chicago, then it doesn't matter if it is Chicago or a musical version of Romeo and Juliet.

I would advise

you to

1) See if you can find little bits and snatches of other shows that ACTUALLY DO have an impact on your storyline. Doing so will give your script an added punch. A nice layer of subtext.
From your post it seems that enough of the songs and lines WILL be used to make it worth tying in with the conflict of your story.
What if your two main characters HATE each other, but have to perform Romeo and Juliet? Or the lovers from WestSide story?
What if your main character is a strict moralist yet is asked to play Carmen?

USE the musical to draw out the conflict of YOUR script.

2) Before you submitt this script make sure you have someone go over it with a fine toothed comb to catch typos and spelling errors. No, spell checker will NOT catch everything.

3) Good luck with the contest.
I hope you do well and get what you want from it.

Happy writing.

Hi - to OP - you said 'It's just there as background noise and scene introductions.' Fine. In your screenplay, just say 'A Broadway Show number plays in the background.' Every time. No need to go more specific UNLESS a line is crucial eg 'I want to be in America' (Shark Girls/West side Story) is juxtaposed with 'I don't want to be in America' for effect.

Don't fret - music etc won't make a bad script good or a good script bad. Unless of course it IS a musical.

The rule with these things are,

pick your battles and don't start a fight over something that doesn't matter to you.

Since the actual musical and lines DON'T impact your story then do as Hillgate says and put in a generic reference. No worries, problem solved.

I still don't think that you would get sued as there is no money yet to be had. No point in running up a bunch of legal fees only to have the writer go "I have no money. I've never sold the script. In fact, I'm late on my payments for the card I put the screenwriting software on."

Let's not forget the the OP wants to enter a particular competition in hopes of getting noticed and getting feedback on his/her "Mr. Holland's Opus" meets "Fame" script.

First off. Which Competition? I'll tell you everything you need to know for that particular comp.

Second. If you put in songs and stuff like that, the chances of getting past an initial reader goes does dramatically, just because competition (and industry) readers in general are pompous, know it all, asses.

I know, I was and still am one.

It doesn't matter. It's a spec script. If it gets produced then let the studio worry about the rights. If it is a problem, they'll have you rewrite it. Just worry about the writing and leave the legal stuff to the suits. Good luck with it.

I thought it was generally a no-no to put music choices in a script.

I remember a movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", where a character doles out date advice and says: 'play anything from side one of Zeppelin Four', then on the date 'Kashmir' is playing. I always figured the producers couldn't secure rights for Z4 and settled for Kashmir (My personal favorite, hated to hear it as played off as a joke.)

Since I've already finished the script and I am on the 3rd draft, I doubt I'll change the characters and the drama between them

Click to expand...

the script ain't finished till the fat lady sings. ahem... i mean until it goes into production. it's not even finished when "sold!". 3 drafts?! dawg - if you stick with this one and based on the subject matter i doubt you will, you'll probably have 13 drafts.

total recall is the script that holds the record number of "paid" rewrites at 42, with multiple writers.

just keeping you grounded in reality

rewrite on!

Don't even worry about it. I've done worse, and look at me, I'm not in prison. Wait, someone's at my door...