QuinceTheCarpenter
04-24-2006, 10:39 PM
I know script security is a serious matter to everyone involved in producing a show like Lost, where mystery and surprise/reveals are so important ... and I avoid spoilers myself because I like the suspense ... but as a bystander, thiniking about the security issues around leaking scripts is kind of fun!
You mentioned in the "Whispers Script?" thread that some scenes are left out of scripts to keep them more secure. That sounds like a lot of work, but understandable. I have heard of some shows/movies in the past actually shooting alternative endings to keep the truth secret.
Watermarks and numbering of documents will help discourage photocopying - no one wants their number to show up on a bunch of illicit scripts. But that does not stop leaks entirely. If you want to find the leaks, another idea would be to ADD short bogus unique scenes or dramatic events (such as big secrets or deaths) to each script you hand out. Then see which misinformation shows up on the 'net or elsewhere... sure, extra work, but think of the fun of busting some dufus like InsideScoop.
Oh, the intrigue. Happy leak hunting! :cool:
( And if that doesn't work, lock folks up in a hatch with a button they have to push every 108 minutes, or else, no more Dharmalars! )
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Edit: Okay, I know this is a long post already (and seems to lack a question), but my mind kept turning this over, and I have a somewhat more elaborate variation on the "disinformation" approach to finding leaks ... combinations of these significant events as follows:
Say you have 5 events with 2 versions (A and B) each to sprinkle into the script. That gives you 2^5 possible combinations (choosing either A or B version for each event for each copy of the script). With 32 combinations, you can make 32 unique script versions.
For instance, script #1 could have AAAAA while script #2 could have AAAAB versions. Here's the fun part. By choosing a subset, half, of the 32 combinations carefully, you can guarantee that ANY TWO of the scripts have at least one of the events in common. Thus a hypothetical leaker, even if they know you are using this approach and have two different copies of a script, cannot find all the key details. Depending what they reveal, you will be able to narrow down which copy was the source.
Here is an example:
AAAAA, AAAAB, AAABA, AABBA, ABAAA, ABABA, ABABB, ABBAA,
BAAAA, BAAAB, BAABA, BABBA, BBAAA, BBABA, BBABB, BBBAA
This set of combinations has no two that are completely opposite (i.e. there is no BBBBB since there is an AAAAA in the set).
Well, sorry for the length. I got carried away.
- Inspector Quince :police:, at your service.
You mentioned in the "Whispers Script?" thread that some scenes are left out of scripts to keep them more secure. That sounds like a lot of work, but understandable. I have heard of some shows/movies in the past actually shooting alternative endings to keep the truth secret.
Watermarks and numbering of documents will help discourage photocopying - no one wants their number to show up on a bunch of illicit scripts. But that does not stop leaks entirely. If you want to find the leaks, another idea would be to ADD short bogus unique scenes or dramatic events (such as big secrets or deaths) to each script you hand out. Then see which misinformation shows up on the 'net or elsewhere... sure, extra work, but think of the fun of busting some dufus like InsideScoop.
Oh, the intrigue. Happy leak hunting! :cool:
( And if that doesn't work, lock folks up in a hatch with a button they have to push every 108 minutes, or else, no more Dharmalars! )
-------------------
Edit: Okay, I know this is a long post already (and seems to lack a question), but my mind kept turning this over, and I have a somewhat more elaborate variation on the "disinformation" approach to finding leaks ... combinations of these significant events as follows:
Say you have 5 events with 2 versions (A and B) each to sprinkle into the script. That gives you 2^5 possible combinations (choosing either A or B version for each event for each copy of the script). With 32 combinations, you can make 32 unique script versions.
For instance, script #1 could have AAAAA while script #2 could have AAAAB versions. Here's the fun part. By choosing a subset, half, of the 32 combinations carefully, you can guarantee that ANY TWO of the scripts have at least one of the events in common. Thus a hypothetical leaker, even if they know you are using this approach and have two different copies of a script, cannot find all the key details. Depending what they reveal, you will be able to narrow down which copy was the source.
Here is an example:
AAAAA, AAAAB, AAABA, AABBA, ABAAA, ABABA, ABABB, ABBAA,
BAAAA, BAAAB, BAABA, BABBA, BBAAA, BBABA, BBABB, BBBAA
This set of combinations has no two that are completely opposite (i.e. there is no BBBBB since there is an AAAAA in the set).
Well, sorry for the length. I got carried away.
- Inspector Quince :police:, at your service.