Uploading Treatments?

Hi, all! I'm wondering why there isn't an area for uploading treatments. Did something like that exist in the older incarnation of Amazon Studios? Or does it actually exist now, tucked away somewhere that I haven't yet discovered?

I'm just thinking that in the interest of collaboration, it would be cool to have an area to upload 5-15 page treatments for the purpose of receiving feedback before beginning the script-writing process.

Or maybe they could even be uploaded with the idea that someone else could try writing the script. My computer is a digital wasteland for story ideas I haven't had time to write. A few of them should be junked, but there are a couple of really strong ideas that I just haven't had time to flesh out. I would be willing to post a couple of them to see if anyone wanted to run with them.

Anyone else think this would work?

Pros? Cons? Other thoughts?

You can always post them but I don't think they'll qualify for anything.

Tommy, it's not that I want them to qualify for anything on their own. I just think it would be interesting to have a special area of the site in which people could post their own treatments/pitches for the purpose of feedback and for working collaboratively.

Here's what I'm thinking:

What if I had an idea that was solid, but didn't have time to write? I post the treatment and you love it. You show me a writing sample that proves you know what you are doing, and I give you permission to take a crack at the script. Once it's finished, maybe we edit it together, then post it. If Amazon options it, the money is shared.

I'm sure the idea has problems, but I think there's something in there that could be cool.

Not sure why anyone would want to do all the writing work for half the (very theoretical) money... There are gigs like this all the time on Craigs and Mandy, but I don't know if anyone ever goes for them...

Since initially AS choices are more about concepts than the quality of the script it definitely would make sense for them to allow pitches for potential projects. But, they don't. Everything they're doing now is behind closed doors so we don't know if they're really looking for new projects or not. They say they are, but... seriously?!

However, you can certainly upload your treatment, give it "by permission" status and let people contact you if they want to collaborate with you. Keep in mind that ideas are not copyrightable and anyone can take your idea and do whatever they want without your permission. So, if your treatment is solid* then you should register it with the WGA b/c they allow treatment registration.

"I'm sure the idea has problems, but I think there's something in there that could be cool." --- this comment makes me think your treatment is NOT solid and all you have is an idea.

you've been warned now pay me $2.

P.S. -- Bonus suggestion: You can enter this pitch contest - http://www.fresh-voices.com/2011pitchwinners.html --- notice the 3rd place finisher from last year ;)
You still have time to make the current contest deadline, but your pitch must be SOLID.

Lisa, when I said "I'm sure the idea has problems, but I think there's something in there that could be cool," I was referring to the idea of a treatment/story development area on this site, not one of my actual treatments. The problem I was specifically thinking of was exactly what you mentioned: the fact that someone could blatantly steal a good idea.

I do think you're right, though. I think a treatment could be uploaded in the scripts area. If someone really wanted to rally the troops to take a look at it, they could just give the link to it in the forums and tell any interested parties to have at it, right?

Lauri, I guess I'm thinking like this: reflecting on my own time as a writer trying to break into the industry, there have been times when I'm in full-on screenwriting mode but can't come up with a great idea, and there have been times when I've got some great ideas but just don't have the time to flesh them out into a great script (sometimes you've got to focus on the "day job" to pay the bills). I thought an idea like this would allow people going through those very opposite phases to sort of meet in the middle.

A few years back, when I was feeling some serious burn-out and just couldn't come up with an idea I wanted to work, my manager pitched an assignment my way. It was a story that was totally out of my comfort zone, and even though I was sick of some of my own ideas that just weren't working and was considering walking away from writing altogether, I was totally reinvigorated by being given the chance to work with someone else's idea. Maybe it's because the concept was just so fresh to me, whereas rehashing and revamping my own ideas had made them seem unattractive. I'm just thinking there might be others out there who feel the same way--folks who might enjoy having an idea placed before them that might seem new and exciting. And for all those folks, there just might be a few of us sitting on a good idea but who are working 50 hours a week and just can't get it into a full script.