Public domain movie scripts

Question

Are there any famous movie scripts available that are in the public domain? I'm interested because I'd like to supply a full-length sample script with our upcoming 1.1 release of our screenwriting software.

I noticed Sophocles comes with Casablanca. I tried finding out how to contact Warner Bros about redistribution rights for it, but didn't succeed, and this isn't important enough to hire a lawyer to do it for real.
Any other suggestions on how to acquire a sample script are also welcome. (Yes, I did try writing one myself; no, it wasn't particularly motivating writing a script "bad enough" that I could feel at ease giving it away.)

Osku Salerma - http://www.oskusoft.com/ - Screenwriting software. Remove the z's when sending email.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

There's not really any such thing as "public domain" any more than there is such thing as "outdoors." Things don't so much enter the public domain as they leave what is protected by copyright. How do you know when someone won't assert a copyright? Either have a lawyer give you an opinion on that fact or have whoever might own it waive the claim. Both put you back where you didn't want to go.

You couldn't figure out who to contact at WB? This information is not difficult to acquire. In fact, WB would be happy to license rights to you. There are a half dozen little clerks waiting for your call right now. If you're serious about this whole thing, you need to take it a little more seriously and find out who to contact. Otherwise, why are you asking people here to take your quest more seriously than you have?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]You couldn't figure out who to contact at WB? This information is not difficult to acquire.[/nq]
http://www.warnerbros.com is totally consumer-oriented, I can't find any contact information there or with Google. If you know a better source for this information, let me know.
[nq:1]In fact, WB would be happy to license rights to you. There are a half dozen little clerks waiting for ... out who to contact. Otherwise, why are you asking people here to take your quest more seriously than you have?[/nq]
I'm not in the habit of calling anyone in the USA, and don't intend to start with this project. Email was invented for a reason.

Osku Salerma - http://www.oskusoft.com/ - Screenwriting software. Remove the z's when sending email.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Are there any famous movie scripts available that are in the public domain? I'm interested because I'd like to supply ... feel at ease giving it away.) Osku Salerma - http://www.oskusoft.com/ - Screenwriting software. Remove the z's when sending email.[/nq]
There is no such thing as a screenplay in the public domain for which the movie made from that screenplay is still under copyright. The two are inevitably owned by the same author (author in the legal sense) are copyrighted at the same time and remain under legal copyright for the same duration.
Any screenplay for a "famous" movie would inevitably still be under copyright as essentially every famous movie is, likewise, still under copyright. If Sophocles used "Casablanca" it would certainly be with the knowledge and legally acquired permission of Warner Brothers or whoever currently owns the rights.
I'm afraid that there really is no shortcut if getting a script to a "famous movie" is the way you want to go you have to go through the rights department it would involve some kind of legal documents lawyers would be involved.
But really, I'm not even sure why you'd want to go this route. Formats have changes not profoundly, but in ways that matter since "Casablanca" came out of the typewriter. Ideally you'd be looking for a sample much more recent as an example of contemporary writing and if that's all you need a sample why do you need a whole screenplay? Why not just write up four or five pages that contain all the formatting stuff that a screenplay has?
NMS

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Any screenplay for a "famous" movie would inevitably still be under copyright as essentially every famous movie is, likewise, ... Why not just write up four or five pages that contain all the formatting stuff that a screenplay has? NMS[/nq]
Yeah, I feared that since movies are so new they'd all still be copyrighted. And I'm not really keen on getting involved in overseas lawyering, so I guess I can forget that idea.
It's not the formatting I want it for. A full-length sample script makes it much easier for users to test all the features of the program, like the different reports available etc. The "famous" part would be preferable so they already know the movie, and can more easily see how the different reports hopefully show them aspects of the movie they maybe haven't noticed themselves, or show them with less effort.

Osku Salerma - http://www.oskusoft.com/ - Screenwriting software. Remove the z's when sending email.

Public domain movie scripts

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