Spielberg not paranoid about idea thefts
By IANSWednesday, March 31, 2010
LONDON - A representative for Steven Spielberg has dismissed allegations that the filmmaker is so terrified of his movie ideas leaking to rivals that he imposes bizarre security measures on his staff.
According to a new book by former Variety magazine reporter Nicole LaPorte, the moviemaker has enforced fort-like conditions to ensure no film ideas leak out from his Los Angeles office, reports imdb.com.
The book, “The Men Who Would Be King”, also claims Spielberg insists on being prepared for a natural disaster and even hands out survival kits to his staff.
“His passion for secrecy sometimes suggests a burgeoning near paranoia. In Spielberg’s office, hanging above his desk, a plexiglass half-moon keeps sound from reverberating so that his phone conversations remain ultra-confidential.
“When an assistant once asked what the funny thing over Spielberg’s desk was, a security guard referred to it as a dome of silence,” LaPorte said.
“When … Spielberg’s long time editor views footage in the screening room, a black cloth is draped over the projection booth window to hide the screen. Every document that leaves the office - script, development report, even a memo - is coded, so that if it somehow gets into the wrong hands, the person responsible for the breach can be identified.
“There are also measures to protect against earthquakes or attacks as Spielberg believes in being prepared. At one point, employees were given survival kits including gas masks and other amenities,” she added.
The filmmaker’s spokesperson has shot down the author’s claims insisting the book “doesn’t deserve a comment”.
