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Stealing/being inspired by ideas/events online

I'm curious, when is it considered stealing, when you apply a scenario onto your screenplay?
I like to read stories and opinions online, and sometimes, like on Reddit for instance, people tell the most fascinating real life scenarios that have happened to them.

Is it ok to apply those kind of events/ideas to your screenplay? When is it considered stealing?
 
Let's say you're unlucky and must defend yourself in court for committing theft. You say it can't be theft and it's a COINCIDENCE, since you've never heart of this true event. If the judge doesn't buy it, he will officially conclude it as stealing.
 
Let's say you're unlucky and must defend yourself in court for committing theft. You say it can't be theft and it's a COINCIDENCE, since you've never heart of this true event. If the judge doesn't buy it, he will officially conclude it as stealing.

I sense that simple answer was provided to answer a stupid question. But oh well if it's that simple, then all good. Guess I'm just scared of plagiarism and it relating to inspiration sources.
 
Oh well, just keep a clear distinction between inspiration and copying :)
1 Day I'll write a script that is inspired by a hundred little true stories that were unrelated in reality, but will be intertwined in the story. All these crazy little notes I made: there must be a way to connects them without having a 'psycho room' full of pictures and a spiderwebb of wool threads connecting everything :P

An event on itself can't be copyrighted. Nobody owns the rights to 9/11 or the day you jumped into a swimming pool for the first time. Only the written report of the event can be protected by copyright.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a copyright expert or legally trained. These are just my thoughts that seem pretty common sense to me.
 
My unprofessional opinion is it becomes stealing if you don't credit external inspiration. Besides every post on Reddit or any messageboard would have to be copyrighted to face legal action. Likely these are anonymous people so I won't trip.
 
My unprofessional opinion is it becomes stealing if you don't credit external inspiration. Besides every post on Reddit or any messageboard would have to be copyrighted to face legal action. Likely these are anonymous people so I won't trip.

According Dutch copyright laws the act of writing original content automaticly protects it with copyright...
 
According Dutch copyright laws the act of writing original content automaticly protects it with copyright...

The same is true in the U.S. I'd suggest using what you read as inspiration, but then fictionalizing it enough to protect yourself. Certainly in "normal" circumstances, you're unlikely to run into a problem. But if you're lucky enough that your project becomes successful, people will come out of the woodwork looking for a piece of the pie.
 
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