26 Screenplays

We here at 26 Screenplays are huge fans of the Creative Commons initiative. The screenplays in the book are released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license and exist to have derivative works created from them.

Creative Commons offers a Catalyst grant, and we have applied for it. To see our application page, go here. You will see what 26 Screenplays has planned for the upcoming year as well as how this project aligns with the larger goal of Creative Commons.

If you believe in the Creative Commons initiative and would like to contribute towards future grants, I strongly encourage you to make a donation. The easiest way to donate is to go here and contribute until your heart is content.

We will certainly keep everyone posted, and if we get the grant, you will see a lot more activity here and on the website.

If you want a free sample of the type of material that is in the book, I am posting fake trailer scripts throughout the year. These fake trailers use the same format and information that is in the book, giving everyone a free sample.

The latest fake trailer script is a Schlock Horror fake trailer with a working title of Zombie Prom Queen. It is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, so all you have to do is give credit to 26 Screenplays and you are free to create a film from it and keep all the profits for yourself. It doesn’t get better than that.

Download the script from the message board or directly from this link. This fake trailer script is also available for free on DocStoc and Scribd.

This weekend’s On the Media had not only one, but two stories about copyright.

Here they are:

You can’t copyright jokes, just like you can’t copyright cooking recipes.

You can, however, copyright performances and comedic personalities and collections of recipes. This means that people can steal jokes as long as they are not copying comedic personalities. This makes for a more robust and thriving creative environment. Even if someone “steals” another person’s work, the creative community enforces standards and keeps people honest.

Which leads to the discussion about Carlos Mencia. The reason comedians seem so upset with Carlos Mencia is that he doesn’t not give credit where credit is due. There are dozens of comedians who crib from each other, but they are honest about where they got the jokes from. Some comedians, like Milton Berle, even make jokes about cribbing.

This is one of the reasons the book was released under Creative Commons Attributions license is that I want people to steal the material in the book. Just put my name in the credits and everything will be fine. Don’t be a Carlos Mencia; be a Milton Berle.

One of the whole idea about Creative Commons or other alternatives to traditional copyright is that people assume they don’t make money.

Because they don’t.

Not directly, that is.

To make money, there needs to be a alternative source of income that is reinforced by the internet.

Take for example Sita Sings the Blues and Rip: A Remix Manifesto. Both of these films are available from their creators for free on the internet.

Both of these websites have stores that offer T-shirts, DVDs, and other accompanying products. The films also allow people to contact the directors for public appearances or speaking engagements. Through merchandise and speaking fees, the filmmakers are able to generate some income off of the films.

It is important to note that neither of these directors are pursuing the traditional Hollywood filmmaker career. They are blazing their own artistic trails. For them, money was not the goal of the project. The idea was to entertain or to convey a message, not primarily to make money. As a creator, it is up to you to decide why you are making your film. Is it for experience, fame, or money?