Wizard World Pitchfest

When the partnership was announced between Sony Pictures and Wizard World to hold pitch sessions at conventions, it was a little light on details. Now, we know how the two companies will handle the pitch sessions.

In advance of Wizard World Portland, Sony and Wizard World have revealed how to participate in their pitch process. Instead of pitching to Sony, the pitch process is with Columbia Pictures, a Sony subsidiary. To participate in the 2018 Portland Pitchfest, you must attend Wizard World Portland as an attendee, exhibitor, or artist, submit your idea for a movie through the online portal, and be selected to pitch your idea at the show. You also must agree to two privacy policies and a Submission/Pitch Release.

I skimmed over the Submission/Pitch Release, and there is a lot of the typical information you’d expect in it. Just because Columbia is hearing your pitch it isn’t obligated to buy your idea, compensate you for your idea if they don’t use it, or produce your pitch. If they like your pitch, you agree to negotiate with them. Also, I didn’t see anything obligating you to pay Wizard World. So, any money Wizard World receives should be coming directly from Columbia.

Columbia also lists a number of ways they won’t compensate you if it ends producing something similar to your idea. If your pitch “(a) is substantially similar to or contains significant elements of a concept Company already had under consideration or in development at the time of my submission or presentation, or (b) is not unique, novel, original, or concrete so as to be entitled to intellectual property protection under the law, or (c) has been made public by anyone at the time of my submission or presentation, or (d) is in the public domain or otherwise would be freely usable by a third person as a member of the general public, or (e) is not protected by federal copyright law, or (f) was not fixed in a tangible means of expression or (g) was, is or may be obtained by Company from other sources, including without limitation, Company's own employees or associates or those of third parties independently of my creation, whether before or after the date of my submission and/or presentation[,]” then Columbia will not be obligated to compensate you for your pitch. 

The agreement also includes some other unfavorable language to those pitching to Columbia. For instance, if you have to sue Columbia, by agreeing to the release you agree to binding arbitration instead of court, and the arbitration will take place in Los Angeles. Additionally, any damages you might get from Columbia are limited to fair market value of the script – at the time of original negotiation. Furthermore, you agree you cannot seek an injunction against Columbia preventing release of any TV show/film/media/etc. produced using your idea during the course of litigation, which can be a major bargaining chip. Also, if you lose in a lawsuit/arbitration, you will pay all of Columbia’s fees. Another interesting piece of language in the release puts the burden on you to prove Columbia didn’t independently develop the idea, had access to it, copied it, and otherwise establish all elements of Columbia’s liability. You also agree that your submission doesn’t presume Columbia took or copied your pitch or otherwise had access to your pitch, other than the person hearing it. 

What steps can you take to protect your idea if you are interested in participating in the pitch process at Wizard World? Based on the language giving Columbia broad exemptions, and as a best practice in general, you want your pitch to be as original as possible, as fully developed as possible, and committed to writing, paper, or other media in some way.

I still believe this to be a worthwhile effort for Columbia to find some different ideas outside of the typical Hollywood landscape. By requiring submissions in advance, they can determine if there are any ideas they are actually interested in hearing before committing resources to attend a Wizard World convention, which can limit their financial burden. Even though the release seems ridiculous and broad, Columbia needs it to manage its risk. Idea theft lawsuits are common in Hollywood, and it’s the main reason most companies don’t accept unsolicited pitches.

If you choose to participate, good luck, have fun, do your best, and don’t forget to negotiate.