Re: Need some help...please!

Subject: Re: Re: Need some help...please!

Comments:
: : I have a newly formed scenario paintball production company. What we do is write "stories" for games that paintball players participate in. Each story is written and then produced at paintball fields across the country. The players participating in these events are given roles of characters in the story to play. I have written over 16 prologues and events in the past year alone. In May of this year I produced and directed one of my events in Maryland with publication of the event after it took place on our web site and paintball publications. Recently someone in NY started advertising an event such as mine with a prologue and storyline very similiar to my own with some modifications to it. I contacted the producers of this event about it on two seperate occasions asking them to contact me so that we can dicuss if my story was being reproduced and reinacted. : : Some of the players who attended my event got wind of it and posted on a public forum saying that this story had already been done by me recently and was almost identical to mine. I also posted on the forum after hearing what was going on asking people to stop their hostile attacks on each other and for the producers of the story to contact me. The producers of this event are now posting on their forum belittling me and accusing me trying to prevent their event and threatening to sue me. : : My questions: : : How similiar does a story have to be to your original before it is considered copyrighted? : : Being that I live in one state and they live in another where should I seek legal advise if needed? : : In a situation such as this where I did nothing to "attack" or "disrupt" their event except ask them to contact me and was belittled and falsely accused of trying to hamper their event how do I protect MY reputation? : : If someone can please assist me on this I would greatly be appreciated. I have a very young company and ALL of my finances are invested in this venture and I cannot afford at this time, an attorney. : Dear Mr. Mamaligas, : E arly L egal A dvice I s N ot E xpensive™. Registered copyrights would be a good start. There may be right under the law of unfair competition. : Your ideas are not protected, only your mode of protection. : Good luck. : M. Arthur Auslander : Auslander & Thomas-Intellectual Property Law Since 1909 : 505 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 : 212-594-6900, fax 212-244-0028, aus@auslander.com : ELAINE's Workshop™ : E arly L egal A dvice I s N ot E xpensive™

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