Authorship Protection for Screenwriters
From logline to locked draft — every revision is evidence that the story is yours.
The Problem
Pain points that screenwriters face every day.
Pitching without protection
You walk into a room, pitch your concept, and walk out with nothing but a handshake. If that concept appears on a development slate six months later, you have zero proof it originated with you.
Untracked script sharing
Scripts get forwarded, printed, emailed, and passed around development offices. Once a PDF leaves your inbox, you lose all visibility into who reads it and when.
No chain-of-title documentation
Studios and distributors require chain-of-title before greenlighting production. Without documented evidence of authorship from early drafts, you create gaps that delay — or kill — your deal.
How ScriptShield Helps
Specific ways ScriptShield protects screenwriters.
1. Register before every pitch
Upload your treatment, logline, or pitch deck before any meeting. ScriptShield timestamps it with a SHA-256 fingerprint — proving the exact version existed before anyone else saw it.
2. Track who reads your script
Share scripts through ScriptShield's tracked links. Every recipient must accept an NDA before reading. Every access is logged with timestamp and location.
3. Build an unbroken version chain
From first draft through revisions to locked script — each version is registered and linked. Your authorship trail grows with your screenplay.
4. Satisfy chain-of-title requirements
Your ScriptShield version chain provides the documented proof of original authorship that studios, distributors, and E&O insurers require.
Real Scenario
The pitch that came back as someone else's
A screenwriter pitches a feature concept to a mid-tier production company in February. The producer passes. In September, a strikingly similar project goes into development at the same company — with a different writer attached. Without a timestamped record of the original pitch document and proof that the producer accessed it, the screenwriter has no way to establish their claim. With ScriptShield, the treatment was registered before the meeting, the producer opened it via a tracked link and accepted an NDA, and every access event is logged. The evidence chain is complete.
What to Register
Documents and files that screenwriters should protect with ScriptShield.
- Loglines and one-pagers
- Treatments and outlines
- First drafts and subsequent revisions
- Pitch decks and visual treatments
- Final locked scripts
- Series bibles for TV projects
Protect your screenplay
Start with a free account. Register your first work in under two minutes. No credit card required.