Idea for a website

[TearsIntheRain]

I don't think I would be the one to start this, I'm not really interested in starting a website lol But I came up with an idea while I was helping a friend brainstorm for him website, and thought I'd share.

Not sure how to explain it simply, so I'll have to explain it in a very round-about way...

What if there were a website for beginner _______s. Fill in the blank with anything that has to do with filmmaking. Screenwriting, shooting, directing, scoring, sound editing, you name it.

I'll say in advance, once someone gets to a certain level, they will definately outgrow this website, because of the conditions of submitting. But while they're learning, those conditions would be a benifit.

Let's say someone, we'll call him Johnny, writes a screenplay, it being his first. Johnny goes to this website and posts it. By posting it (here's why you'd eventually outrow this site) he agrees that anyone can shoot from his script. Other users read the screenplay, rate it, give feedback and suggestions, and Johnny can rewrite and or make changes to it if he wants.

Now let's say there's a beginner filmmaker. He goes to this website, reads a few screenplays, and he finds Johnny's. He shoots it. He posts it, and same thing, other users give feedback and make suggestions.

Now the next time Jonny writes a screenplay, he'll have a little bit of experience (not real world obviously, but it's something) and will probably be more confident. Same with the filmmaker who shot his movie.

This would be targetted probably towards high school and college age groups, older if they've never done anything related to film before and want to get into it.

What do you guys think? Would that be a good idea? Or disaster in the making...ie, a lawsuit waiting to happen?

Just thought I'd toss the idea out there and see what you guys thought.

[switar king]

Frances Ford Copolla has a similar website, Zoetrope, although you can't theoretically just take someone’s script and shoot it. I posted several scripts on Zoetrope a few years ago, but I started to hear complaints by other members of plagiarism. Getting feedback on your script by other writers is wonderful, but I believe Zoetrope is used more as a gold mine for professional plagiarists to steal ideas since ideas can't be copyrighted. You can only copyright the way you specifically execute an idea, or specific characters created by you.