I am a script writer, i have written many scripts and screenplay them but experience thought me not to release anymore copy until I finally find a Director who will protect my interest.

About four people have seen my work and each of them will exclaim at the first instant my dear you're talented, one even said you are not only a writer but a director, you know what? after they promise to go home with it in order to show it to their director they will not contact me again and if i call, the response will be I DON'T HAVE TIME OR DO YOU WANT ME TO RETURN YOUR COPY?

Imagine one came to me and said YOU WERE WRITING ONE PLAY WHEN YOU GAVE ME A COPY OF THE OTHER ONE CAN I HAVE A COPY OF IT?

I don't know if for real all of them at different point don't have time or they are working with my work behind me.

I have a lot of written and screenplay work with me now but i can't keep releasing them until I meet the right person.

I'm yet to direct my first movie, but I'm in need of good writers. I'm yet to come accross a great script, except maybe one horror script. I've come accross 2 or 3 good novelists, but they don't really know about screenwriting.

@Beline
Don't give up yet, it is one of those things you have to experience on your way up.
Like Jay-Z said, "when you first come in the game, they try to play you". However, I would suggest you stop releasing your manuscripts until you are certain of the personality you are dealing with.

kelvin:

@Beline
Don't give up yet, it is one of those things you have to experience on your way up.
Like Jay-Z said, "when you first come in the game, they try to play you". However, I would suggest you stop releasing your manuscripts until you are certain of the personality you are dealing with.

@Kelvin, thanks for your advice

Seun:

I'm yet to direct my first movie, but I'm in need of good writers. I'm yet to come accross a great script, except maybe one horror script. I've come accross 2 or 3 good novelists, but they don't really know about screenwriting.

Seun how do u need them, their scripts first or to c face to face and discuss?

Funny person

You haven't played home league yet, you want go English
Premiership straight.

My advice is for you to start with the Horror movie first
You'll be breaking some records for naija

Funny person
You haven't played home league yet, you want go English
Premiership straight.

Who the hell are you and what o you know? Stop being so arrogant.

My advice is for you to start with the Horror movie first
You'll be breaking some records for naija

I don't watch horror movies. Why should I invest my energy in what I don't even watch? Please let's think right.

Seun how do u need them, their scripts first or to c face to face and discuss?

Left to me, you send me the script by email, and then we meet if I like it. But all these writers think one is going to steal their script so that is yet to happen. What I really need to meet right now is your script.

My advice to you is to get PART of your script (ending at a cliff-hanging part) typed and bound and try and get it across to known producers and maketers in the business not directors. producers and esp. marketers are the ones that really buy scripts. Directors just direct what they are given. Thats the home video route. For the television route, try and get across to the producers of popular tv shows like Super story, Domino, etc. and try to write for them. The money might not be much but dont be discouraged. The important thing is getting your name out there. e.g I have never seen Bolaji Dawodu before but I see his name as director of Checkmate, Fortunes and a number of other good productions. I associate his name with good jobs and if I am an investor and he wants me to sponsor his production I would be willing to do that as opposed to an unknown person even if that person is as good as Steven Spielberg. Dont give up on your dream, and dont be discouraged by nay-sayers. I wish you the best!

Well, I'm yet to write a completed script.presently working on three, one is called PARANOIA, the other is untitled, but its a true life story centered on the January 25 bomb blast in Lagos and the other is a 12 minute short titled CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CONSCIENCE.

Seun, you didnt say anything about the MovieMaker Magazine link I sent you, have you received your copy yet?

Nope, haven't recieved any copy of the magazine.

other is a 12 minute short titled CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CONSCIENCE.

Is this script for sale? I'd like to go through it. I'd like to produce a short film.

hi beline,
i'm kinda interested in seening what u got. maybe we can do som'tin too together. though i write too, im a director and i edit my movies too.
u may wanna see two of my short films here:

download 'em right here:

http://www.budgetfilmmaker.com/video/the_trip_movie.wmv
http://www.budgetfilmmaker.com/video/SIMPLE_PLAN.wmv


Gbenga

Beline,
I noticed nobody told you the first thing you have to do is get your work copyrighted. Yes. I am a writer and believe me, I have been here long and know what happens to unsuspecting people.
While it wouldn't hurt to work with those here who have offered, please, go and get the copyright first.
If nothing works still, I will help direct you to some people already in the business whom I have come to know as genuine people all my years as a journalist.
Good luck.

Beline:

I am a script writer, i have written many scripts and screenplay them but experience thought me not to release anymore copy until I finally find a Director who will protect my interest.

About four people have seen my work and each of them will exclaim at the first instant my dear you're talented, one even said you are not only a writer but a director, you know what? after they promise to go home with it in order to show it to their director they will not contact me again and if i call, the response will be I DON'T HAVE TIME OR DO YOU WANT ME TO RETURN YOUR COPY?

Imagine one came to me and said YOU WERE WRITING ONE PLAY WHEN YOU GAVE ME A COPY OF THE OTHER ONE CAN I HAVE A COPY OF IT?

I don't know if for real all of them at different point don't have time or they are working with my work behind me.

I have a lot of written and screenplay work with me now but i can't keep releasing them until I meet the right person.

I am a screenwriter as well, though not ptofessionally but aspiring. Beline, are you based in Naija or Abroad?

Hmmm. Will the people who collect your money for "copyrighting" pay your legal fees if you actually need to sue a producer for stealing your copyrighted work? I'm sorry, but I just see it as another clever money-making scheme. The laws of Nigeria already grants an automatic copyright to any original work produce by a Nigerian.

suen,nice getting to read ur post,i wld like to work with u on any of ur movies.by the way wat does orlin(can`t remember the spelling) do.he was sayn something abt investing in ur work.have this grt script though,its abt a woman who has lost her memory,has a lovin husband but her 6th sense says somtin is wrong,n fer daughter is missing.can`t giv u all the details,hope u undastand.working on a second script now,but thats definitely gonna take me time to finish.am an aspiring director like u,with plans to go to new york film academy,still tryn to convince folks over the matter.anyway hola bk.e.mail add is t200m2002@yahoo.com

rufflychux:

I am a screenwriter as well, though not ptofessionally but aspiring. Beline, are you based in Naija or Abroad?

I based in naija

Beline:

I based in naija

Cool. Which Software do you use for Formating and stuffs? I dont know if you have tried it yet, but, I think Celtx is pretty good. You can dowload it at www.celtx.com and whats more it is free.

NICE job beline. you brought an issue that has been bothering ALOT people, especially me.just like almost evrybody, am also a script and screen writer.i have written scripts that range from political issues to brain racking questions to comedy. Am the type that wants our movie to be a world class movie so am nurturing the thought of having my scripts filmed on celluliod,big dream is it.There is this actor,upcoming and about to explode,he has acted with the likes of ramson noah,jim iyke,eniocha,ini edo, emeka ike, rita dominic,ernest obi and other big actors,except for few. i meet him to help me with my dream. i gave him my first work which he held tenaciously to, promising it will be an eye opener for me,monetarily in the movie industry and a way for him to lauch himself in a lead role with a powerfull script which i wrote.thinking i was going to hit the roof soon, i wrote another script he ask me to write for him, planning to use it also to launch himself into the big screen,that i also did.then i stupidly wrote another, this time a comedy and handed it to him when he told me his producer needed a comedy script to use for a soap opera. for months now i have been waiting patiently for MY BIG DREAM TO BE ACCOMPLISHED, but it is still in the pipe.anytime i demand for my script, he holds on tenaciously to it, promising that he will get sponsor to produce the film and then we split the profit.right now am discouraged.i don't know if i should hold on to my patience or get my scripts back for i have joined some acting groupsto help me build on my talent and i have been writing scirpts for them, a stage drama TITLED "SACRILEDGE IN 'FATHER' CHURCH" Who impregnanted the princess, the reverend father or her stepfather the ill-tempered king,who never knew she was not his daughter. but i felt am the cause because i allowed my emotion to take the better of me. now i have decided not to only thinking of writing scripts but to be one of the best movie producer naija has been waiting for. my scripts are beyond the ordinary. so please what ever you do, don't allow your mind to be only on the money it will yield but on making/writing a world class script that will take mediocres off the stage and see you climbing to the top.i believe i am heading for the TOP.I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU.A nd trry joining a professional body or group that deals with threater arts or movies, it will enhance your performance. byebye

I gave up on getting good scripts some time ago. If good scripts are so plentiful, where have they been hiding?

My dear, writing and screen playing have been in the house of many including me for past years now and I surpose, is not the problem in the movie industry, irrespective that writing movie is not easy let alone to screen play the stuff.  We have the talents but nobody to get it worked our or manifested.  
Do not give up in searching for a good marketer or EP (Executive Producer) who will help you out and not Directors as it is not their work par sae, and with Gods help, you will find one for a start, one day.
Dont you think that we should know each other?  I have same talent and I believe if we meet together, we can make a forest.  Get me here 08059597139 or pitomaglobe@yahoo.co.uk, I am interested and we can do something tangible if we work together.  Remain blessed big dude.

Writing is the problem with Nigerian movies. That's why I don't watch them.

Suen I might be willing to sell CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CONSCIENCE if the price is right. when i'm through with it I'd let you see it, but let me know how much you are offering for it

Is there any law governing intellectual property in Niaja? If yes i'd like to know.
I believe we have talented scriptwriters and screenwriters. Any movie produced is as a result of the talent of that person that wrote it. Without that person's scripts, the movie wouldn't be produced. I have heard from people that if you give your scripts to producers, marketers or directors as the case may be, they will take it and tell you that your script will not sell because of this and that and return it to you. But before then, they would have made copies of your script and begin to work on it and before you know it the movie will be out. How true is that? Somebody tell me please.

I, like any other talented writer, want to meet a good and honest producer who will accept my work with due diligence and not make any attempt to steal my work from me. Where can we find these people?

My works are mostly epic/adventure. My second write up is about the trans atlantic slave trade though still in progress which tells the exact story of the life of Africans who were stowed away in slave ships from Africa to the Americas, the kingdoms and people involved in this business.

The need for presentable scripts devoid of spelling and grammar mistakes, as well as typographical errors cannot be overemphasised.

I run a professional proofreading outfit here in Kaduna.

Scriptwriters can send me the first ten pages of their manuscripts for FREE proofreading.

EMAIL: k10resources@gmail.com SNAILMAIL: P.O.Box 6025, Kaduna.

Is there any law governing intellectual property in Niaja? If yes i'd like to know.

Yes, we have a Copyright Act. Here's the latest amendment:
http://www.nigeria-law.org/Copyright%20(Amendment)%20Decree%20No%2042%20of%201999.htm

The main problem is that our legal system is inefficient, otherwise the legal protection is there.

@Seun
Do I read your "I gave up on getting good scripts some time ago." to mean "I am prepared to pay for a good Scriptweaver (Yes! There is something like that.
Difference? Scriptwriter - one who has completed a manuscript which he thinks can serve as a guide to developing a the next blockbuster; Scriptweaver - one who masterfully weaves a good plot into a well crafted document from which a good Director can develop a compelling Visual story).
Now note: Scriptweavers don't necesarily produce works that result in box office hits; but you can be sure that behind every masterpiece is a scriptweaver who knows his art.
Nuff said. Send me a secure e-mail address to edyfriendslink@yahoo.com, and I will send you a synopsis and script summary, and maybe one or two pages from one of my works.

And before you ask, I don't have any credits yet in nollywood.

Ehe! all definitions are my copyright

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