Finding out if a book has been optioned
What is the best way to find out if a novel has been optioned for a film/screenplay?
–Jon Hanemann
Union City, NJ
I could swear I’ve answered this question before. But in 30 seconds of searching, I couldn’t find my previous answer, so it’s unlikely you could. And it’s so simple, I might as well answer it again.
- Open the book to the publishing/information page.
- Note the publisher.
- Call 212.555.1212. This is New York City information.
- Ask for the phone number for that publisher.
- Call that number.
- Ask for “subrights, please.”
- You’ll likely get a voicemail telling you to fax your request. Follow their instructions.
- In your faxed letter — or in the event you connect with a live person — explain that you’re trying to track down film and television rights to THIS GREAT NOVEL by This Author.
You may need to follow up a week or two later, but you’ll eventually get contact information for the author, her agent or attorney. You then write to them to ask.
What if it’s not a New York publisher, or not a US publisher, or some other special case? You can almost always find someone who knows something. Eventually, you need to get through to the author or her representatives. They’re the only people who will really know the status.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
A follow up question… how much does it cost to secure the rights? I imagine this is one of those ‘piece of string’ questions, but discounting the book being a runaway success and getting involved in a bidding war, is there a ballpark figure?
April 30th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I have a follow up question, too. Assuming the rights ARE available, and you DO purchase them, do they come to you in a box or an envelope?
Oh, and John, I’m kind of hungry… can you tell me what’s in my fridge, I’m too lazy to get up.
Also, before I forget, what kind of car does the author drive - in case I spot her on the street?
April 30th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Speaking of stuff that can’t be tracked down in 30 seconds, I swear there used to be pdf on johnaugust.com that consisted of the feedback and notes John gave during the production of Go — his response to early screenings, stuff about the music, suggested changes etc.
I’ve trawled through the archives but I can’t find it anywhere, anyone help?
April 30th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Jon H.
If you know anyone in the entertainment biz, there’s a website a lot of companies subscribe to called Filmtracker.com–it’s a database of most everything in development at studios and production companies. Sometimes the information is outdated, but at least there’s a trail you can follow.
You might actually be able to sign up for a free trial and look the info up yourself.
You can also search Variety.com and Hollywoodreporter.com (both are free right now, no subscription required) and search for the title of the book. If it’s been optioned by a legitimate producer or studio, it’s possible/probable there would have been a story on it. If the title search doesn’t work, search by the author’s name–if s/he has something else under option, the article usually lists who represents the author, and who’s producing the project, who could in turn tell you who reps the author.
I actually have access to Filmtracker.com–if John will allow it, I’ll look the info up for you myself, he’d just have to relay our emails through his address.
OR, you can post the title and author in a comment, and I’ll reply with the info the same way.
Of course, then you run the risk of a Johnaugust.com reader running out, reading the book, and optioning it out from underneath you (tee-hee-hee).
Up to you.
Anonymous
April 30th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Also, authors often have their own websites where they list their representatives’ contact info.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Calling up publishers and trying to find the info through their sub-rights departments can take weeks. Honestly, the only people who get a prompt response for your type of inquiry, or any response at all, are major Hollywood types like John, or talent agents/agencies who are tight with the publishers and the people manning the sub-rights desks.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Oli,
Further to your question, and further to Johnny Hartmann’s sarcastic reply, the reason he’s teasing you is there is no ballpark. At all. Literary properties get optioned for any and every amount of money, every day.
It depends on the age of the book, they kind of property it is, the clout of the author, whether the author has any precedents, and who’s taking the option out.
A major studio once optioned a book for me (to produce) for a dollar. It was a book by a major author, who had optioned this same book to another studio before, for six figures against a million. My deal was, once we hired a screenwriter to adapt the book, a bigger option fee would kick in.
So the range is $1, up to high six figures if a studio is into it and there’s competition for the property.
It’s different for screenplays–the WGA has minimums that signatory companies have to abide by.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:04 am
Bite me, Hartmann.
See? How hard was that?
May 1st, 2007 at 5:43 am
For a film rights starter project ..
Jonathan Lethem is offering non-exclusive film rights to stories, essays etc for a piddly $1
It’s under the Promiscuous Materials section of his website
May 1st, 2007 at 6:51 am
So we recently optioned a book for adaptation. We spent $7K for ten months with re-up option of 200 bucks a month. Since this just happened to me I figured I’d add the info here. The process was pretty simple. We basically followed your advice. We opened the book and called the publisher, whom was available and ready to do business. We had the ball rolling on the first day and it took us a total of two weeks to hash out a contract. We sign tomorrow and I begin the adaptation next week.
The only advice I would add is to know the book inside out before asking for the rights. We were cornered by the author who wanted to know how much we knew about his book (non-fiction). He was ‘testing us’ and fortunately I’ve done extensive research and he was delighted to know I was ready for the job.
Good luck!
May 1st, 2007 at 6:53 am
Rather than dial New York information, it’s easier to find your contact through the website below. Email addresses included for lit agencies.
http://everyonewhosanyone.com
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:13 am
I can’t imagine spending money out of pocket to option a book for a spec screenplay, but I guess some people must be looking into it, hmm?
A working screenwriter got a hold of my unpublished novel, wanted to adapt it, and to save the trouble of optioning to him, I co-wrote the screenplay in a protege/mentor kinda set-up.
So you could always do that…
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:29 pm
there’s also a site called rightscenter.com that’s amazingly thorough and up-to-date, but expensive– i think a minimum of five grand a year. they once had and may still have a one week free trial. they have availability and agent info.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Here’s another answer.
Doesn’t matter.
Unless you’re a producer or some guy with a shitload of money with some various contacts, it doesn’t matter if a novel has been optioned or not. Optioning material is a producer’s job, not a screenwriter’s.
May 2nd, 2007 at 9:14 pm
“Optioning material is a producer’s job, not a screenwriter’s.”
Not true. At all! There are no rules when you’re trying to accomplish something.
May 3rd, 2007 at 6:13 am
Perhaps the most exhausting and incorrect statements people tend to say about the entertainment business. There are rules. And knowing how to navigate them properly is how you accomplish something.
May 3rd, 2007 at 7:49 am
As in any profession there are certain dos and don’ts. I’d call them parameters. For argument’s sake, let’s call them rules. Still, they can be bend, broken and blurred. Show me the “rule” that says writers are not permitted to option a property, write the adaptation and shop it around? I can’t think of a precedent right now, but it’s a viable means to an end.
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 am
I know a few writers who’ve successfully adopted the producer mantle as well. Yes, they already have good contacts, but by producing as well, they’ll increase their longevity in this business. I’ve been working with a writer/director friend to option a couple of novels and though I have no name recognition, have not had any difficulty tracking down agents, etc.
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:45 am
Johnny, no. It’s not.
In this case, for an unknown (or not yet professional) writer to option a property, write the adaptation, and shop it around, is probably the worst way to go. You can’t think of a precedent because it’s not a smart thing to do. Maybe it’s happened once. Shit, a lot of things have happened once in this world but for someone to focus on the exception rather than the rule is in for some unnecessary heartbreak.
The smart thing to do would be to contact the author, make nicey nice, and then find a producer who has optioned material before and knows what he’s doing. Trust me, I’ve optioned material before. And it’s a very specific talet…much like writing. And I don’t want someone to do it for me and possibly make a silly deal that makes it undesirable for me to move forward. Why in the world would you make it harder for yourself to get hired to write a project?
I’ve heard this “maverick” mentality before. And it never pays off. There’s a saying…“Ride the horse in the direction it’s going”. Don’t try and reinvent the wheel.
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:16 am
Kevin, yes. It is.
I’d argue that it is impossible for an unknown writer to get somebody to option a property for you. You’re a nobody - and nobody wants to spend money on - let alone for - you! No matter how “nicey nice” you make with the author.
When pitching an adaptation, securing the rights to a property (book, life story, et al) is not maverick - it is smart and professional.
May 3rd, 2007 at 12:38 pm
I’m thinking of Phillip K. Dick, whose stories were optioned for a song (as little as $75 for “Impostor”) in the 70s, then later made into big movies - after being heavily rewritten, of course.
I’m pretty sure that some of these stories were optioned by struggling screenwriters. My memory says Gary Goldman optioned some, hence his name all over “Total Recall”, “Minority Report” and now “Next”.
Then there’s Stephen King and his “Dollar Baby” movies, based on his short stories and all sold for $1. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_Baby).
May 3rd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
a fantastic amount of information to someone who has always thought about obtaining rights to a book, which I will be doing in the near future. very very helpful. thank you all for sharing.
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Actually it’s presumptious and amateurish.
So let me just get a handle on your thinking. In your mind you think that you have more of a chance to get a film made from a book that you optioned that probably no one has ever heard of (because if it was big, it’d already be optioned), rather than just pitching the story and getting the producer interested? You know…the way it’s usually done? Again, pre-existing contracts are undesirable for a producer. It’s like dating a girl that your friend just banged.
Johnny, if I was a betting man I’d bet that you’re giving out wacky advice to aspiring writers because you want to thin the playing field.
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:24 pm
I’m not even going to pretend that I understand half of what you’re saying. Maybe it’s your sense of humor, I honestly don’t know what it means.
What I do gather is that you disagree.
Which is kind of silly. Because the truth is, both ways can work. So tell you what, Kev, you go around town pitching projects you don’t own the rights to… and I’ll keep up my “maverick” ways of doing business. How’s that.
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Yes, I’ll keep doing things the way they’ve been done for the last 70 years. You do it the Hartmann way. Let me know how it works out for ya.
May 3rd, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Okay, question more or less specifically for Arbouet and Hartmann, using my own example/intention.
I found a book I love, not “something no one’s ever heard of”, but not a bestseller, either; a non-fiction memoir. All the googling in the world, searching Variety, H’wood Reporter, etc., and I can’t see that the rights have been optioned or sold.
I’ve sent a letter to the publishing company requesting info about options or rights, though JA’s post implies it’s a matter of getting to the author; my letter to the publishing company was broad enough to put me in that direction, so fine.
About me: a few shorts under my belt, the best and most recent I wrote and is currently out on the festival circuit. No sold or produced features.
Let’s say I get contact info for the writer or her agent, and can set up a meeting, or just purchase the rights outright.
Here’s what I’m planning, and here’s where you can weigh in, if you care to:
I plan to make nicey-nice with the author, maybe show her my short, discuss my ideas for the work, and option the rights out of my own pocket. Then write the script and shop it to independent production companies with myself attached as director, or go for independent financing and self-produce. (As for “option the rights”, I’d probably call on an entertainment law firm to help me navigate that.)
Now Hartmann seems, thus far, to think I’m on the right track. Arbouet thinks this is crazy, and the worst way to go. I need to know more of what each of you think, if you will.
Is it possible that on the strength of a good short I can go around to twenty or thirty production houses in NYC and try to sell them on coming to the meeting with me and then using their money to buy the property, because I’ve done such an amazing job of making nice with the author that I assume she’ll tell them that I have to be involved?
Or does it make sense, in this case, to get the rights, write the script, and shop the script with the added bonus of being able to show them the book?
Maybe the calculus is changed here because I’m also a director, and by definition (micro-budget short director) am also a producer.
Advice much appreciated.
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Well, I just e-mailed the author of the book that I am interested in. I’ll let you guys know how far I get, if anywhere at all.
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:22 pm
“I’ll keep doing things the way they’ve been done for the last 70 years.”
See, Kevin, you still don’t get it. I’m not saying optioning property is the only way. Or even the best way. It is one way. Which is why Jon Hanemann’s question was a valid one. Which is why John August answered him.
That’s all there is to say.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Frank Darabont got in touch with this guy named Steven King. He said to King:
I love this little novella you wrote, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. I think it’s a movie, and I’m the one to adapt and direct it. Here’s why…
Of course, what he said next is what mattered most (I wasn’t privy). Point is, great movies sometimes come out of one writer’s passion for another writer’s story.
It does help to have a track record, but intelligence, enthusiasm, and vision go a long way. This was Darabont’s first feature as writer and director, I believe. I also remember he was given the initial option for next to nothing — maybe a Dollar Deal (above post).
I’ve contacted authors about rights before. I try to avoid publishers and go straight to the agent. Publishers have been known to snatch the movie rights themselves, if they think there’s serious interest. Have a look at the “acknowledgments” page in the book — most authors thank their agent. A direct email to the author can be effective, too.
Even if you don’t get the rights, you may strike up a friendship with someone you admire and can learn from. And, really, there is no one path to getting a movie made. In a town where the genesis for a project might come from a star actor’s personal trainer’s wife’s dog groomer, having adapted the work of a published author won’t be an impediment to legitimacy; quite the opposite. Just don’t pay too much — you’re still working on spec.
May 4th, 2007 at 7:49 am
James:
By the time Frank Darabont spoke to Stephen King, he was a very well established writer with Stephen Spielberg as a personal endorsment so it wasn’t quite the “guy out of nowhere” scenario that reads like great PR.
Marc:
It’s all about getting the author excited about you as a writer and or director. After that, it’s all about getting a producer excited about a book that you could adapt. The smartest thing for you to do is to have a written contract between you and the author that guarantees you the right of first refusal to write a first draft.
I think the confusion here is the notion that optioning a book makes you more attractive to producers. It doesn’t. I produce more than anything and as a producer, pre-existing contracts are a turn off because who knows what you promised the author. You could have a provision in the option agreement that cuts me off at the knees. So why would I deal with that mess? There are a million stories out there, why wouldn’t I just find another one?
Even though the blog has been discontinued, http://twoadverbs.blogspot.com (The Inside Pitch) is a great blog to read to see how many writers try contacting producers and agents with the line, “I just optioned this book and…”. It’s usually never good. Because now you’re trying to start a new relationship with not one but two different entities.
At the end of the day, it’s all about pitching a good story. If a book isn’t a best seller or have some type of cult fan base, it’s not on our radar. So when a writer comes in to pitch a book adaptation that I’ve never heard of, I don’t suddenly become excited because it’s in book form. A good story is always what’s most exciting. Maintain a good relationship with the author and have that contract I mentioned in the first paragraph. Don’t start talking deal points with a novelist. It’s unnecessary. And it can hurt you.
We want you to do what you do best:
Write good stories.
And we want to do what we do best:
Make deals.
May 4th, 2007 at 7:55 am
Well, now that’s the difference. I’m letting people know what the best way is. Because I think people are always more interested in knowing the best way to do something, not the way that has worked for only a handful of people.
May 4th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Kevin,
I thought I’d give it a rest, but then you were kind enough to send a link to Christopher Lockhart’s blog where he answers an inquiry from a writer who’s on his fourth draft of an adaptation of a book he doesn’t own the rights to. Mr. Lockhart, Executive Story Editor at ICM at the time, writes:
“You should not have started writing until you had the option.”
He then elaborates:
“It’s not in your best interest to share the script with buyers if you do not have an option in place. With an option, you have secured some sort of spot in the project. But without it, an interested party can bypass you, get an option for the project from the author and bring in their own screenwriter to do the adaptation.”
The writer actually tried to do things the Arbouet way and suck up to the author before writing the script sans option…
You can find the entire post @: http://twoadverbs.blogspot.com/
Look for the header: “I have a script completed that is adapted from a novel.”
May 4th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Marc,
The same principle applies… no matter if you’re a writer, producer or director, if you want to shop a project around town, get the rights first. And DEFINETLY call on an entertainment law firm to obtain the rights!!
Securing the rights to a property can be costly, but it’s the only way to make sure you don’t get screwed - at least not in the first round. Good luck.
P.S. Ultimately, my advice would be to save the dough and focus on writing original work. Your story. Your voice!
May 4th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
I would say if you’re not in position to shop your adaptation–that is to say, you don’t have an agent, manager, or producer–you’re better off just writing your own ideas on spec. Authors aren’t likely to care that you’ll ‘promise to knock on as many doors as it takes to get someone to shop it’. You wouldn’t be playing the percentages very well doing that, and if you’re on the outside trying to break in, strategy is critical.
Now here’s my advice if you LOVE the book, if you’re absolutely possessed by it, and you can’t stop thinking about it. If the story is exactly your style and you know it’d make for a great script that will advance your career, and if the rights are available and not in play…
Just write your adaptation.
That’s right, just write it.
It’s actually not such a cockamamie thing to do because if your script is awesome, and a studio/financier is motivated to get involved, and if the underlying rights are just sitting there, out in the open, the studio/financier can just buy them. You have to make sure everyone knows in advance that you don’t control the underlying rights, but so long as they’re available, no one will care.
And, at the end of the day, if it doesn’t work out, worst case scenario is you have a great sample you’re proud of.
Don’t sweat that you took a risk. You have to write the stuff you’re really fueled to write, and let the chips fall where they may. If the script gets you an agent, impresses a studio or producer, or it’s a good sample for an open writing assignment, it all will have been worth it, even though writing the script in the first place was a legally reckless thing to do.
Heck, the lit agent might even like the idea. Because if the script is great, the lit agent can give it to an LA agent, who can shop the script and the underlying book rights concurrently.
I recommend this strategy mostly for obscure books and material, stuff that hasn’t been set up before, stuff that hasn’t been shopped to studios, or shopped thoroughly. Stuff to which the film rights are just sitting there, and no one cares. And it shouldn’t be something that’ll take you a year to finish–you want to be able to finish and polish it in two, three months.
Again, it’s not all that crazy a thing to do because if the rights are available now, they’re likely to still be available three months from now. Lit agents tend to be a rather staid group, they don’t care a lot about film rights for their backlist stuff because there isn’t usually a lot of money involved (up front), and a lot of lit agents just let LA based co-agents handle their film rights. Lit agents hardly ever shop their backlist stuff, and producers and development execs, and LA co-agents are too concerned with current material to care about old stuff.
And, you know, if by chance the book gets optioned while you’re writing it, depending on who the producer is, since you’re willing to write it on spec, maybe you can even get the job yourself. Producers love to develop material for free. If the producer doesn’t want to work with you, well, the probability is the producer won’t be able to get the movie made anyway, his option will lapse, and the rights will become available again.
So, in summary, depending on the history of the book’s film rights, the book’s age, who the author is, how long it’ll take you to write the adaptation, and whether you’re represented, if you have a good combination of factors, take a risk and write your script without optioning the book it’s based on.
If this plan fails, it’ll be more likely due to the quality of the script, rather than a rights problem.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Well, in case anyone was wondering. I got an e-mail back from the author, saying that he is very excited that I am interested in doing an adaptation of his book. He directed my e-mail to the President of the film company who owns the film rights of the book. The Pres. of the company sent me an e-mail, giving me all the current details on the rights. Lucky me, no one has optioned it. So everything is going great right now.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Richard P.
Not to curb your enthusiasm, but you say no one has optioned the rights, yet you’re in contact with the company who owns the rights…
The rights are off the table.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Anon -
That’s certainly another way of looking at it. Though I’d argue that your time is better spent writing an original. Unless the producer/reader is familiar with the book, adaptations don’t make the best writing samples, because the characters and story are not your own.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Ooh heated debate! I’ll just give my own opinion which is admittedly backed up by nothing but my common sense:
If you are a struggling screenwriter: WRITE YOUR OWN STORY. Why bother trying to option a book nobody has heard of? There are an infinite amount of stories out there. Why not make your mark by creating your own?
Personally, I have no interest in other people’s stories right now. If I ever become an established screenwriter, I wouldn’t mind writing some adaptations or something. If someone said “Hey Greg, would you write a screenplay for a Dragonlance movie?” I’d clean up my pants then sit down in front of a computer.
But for now I have too many of my own ideas to get down on paper.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
Sorry for the confusion. The company does own the rights to the book, but since this company is a book packaging & full-service film & television production company, they told me, “the screen rights are not available for option per se.” This company does all the work (develop, package, sell, produce) themselves. That way it never leaves their studios. So I can’t buy the rights & run off to some other company, but I can do an adaptation as it stays inside their name.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Richard P. - You might want to consult with an entertainment lawyer before moving forward… If the company wants you to write an adaptation “in good faith”, some form of deal memo should be drawn before you get to work.
May 4th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Thanks for advice, I will make sure everything is in line & nothing is open for interpretation before I move forward.
May 4th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Thanks to all for the good advice. I sometimes wish John had a discussion board, but vigorous discussion in the comments is just as good. Thanks again.
BTW, I spoke to the publishing company today. They couldn’t find my letter, but the woman in the permissions department gave me her e-mail and said getting me an answer about rights/contact for the author would be a priority for Monday. I resent my letter and have my fingers crossed, we’ll see. If this thread stays active I’ll let you all know.
BTW 2, in the case of this title, I couldn’t write it w/o the author–it will require additional research and interviews of some of the lesser characters in the book (it’s a slim memoir) to flesh out as a film. In case anyone was wondering.
And good luck, Richard P.
May 4th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Thanks to all for the good advice. I sometimes wish John had a discussion board, but vigorous discussion in the comments is just as good. Thanks again.
BTW, I spoke to the publishing company today. They couldn’t find my letter, but the woman in the permissions department gave me her e-mail and said getting me an answer about rights/contact for the author would be a priority for Monday. I resent my letter and have my fingers crossed, we’ll see. If this thread stays active I’ll let you all know.
BTW 2, in the case of this title, I couldn’t write it w/o the author–it will require additional research and interviews of some of the lesser characters in the book (it’s a slim memoir) to flesh out as a film. In case anyone was wondering.
And yes, Two Adverbs is great, big pity about Lockhart quitting it. I’ve been enjoying it for a while now.
And good luck, Richard P. Let us know how you do.
Last thought: since it doesn’t seem that there either exists boilerplate option forms–and no one would recommend them anyway–what do I tell a lawyer I want if I meet with the author and she wants to option me the rights? Ideally, it’s a year or two with the first right to re-up, but beyond that–any caveats?
May 4th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Thanks Marc & good luck to you as well.
May 6th, 2007 at 4:06 am
Johnny:
I just can’t let this go. I’m taking the time to do this from Moscow so now you know how obsessive I can be.
In that post you shared from The Inside Pitch, you neglected to share the entire initial question. Here’s the link so everyone can read it in its entirety:
http://twoadverbs.blogspot.com/20070301_archive.html
As you can see, the author had no interest in signing the option. And Christopher’s response was more about addressing the fact that the writer seemed like a total whacko. The way the writer came off was indeed not the Arbouet way. After the author balked (which most authors would do with an unproduced screenwriter), he should have tried to get the right of first refusal, which is sort of like an option without all the money amendments.
Context is everything.
Anonymous:
Shopping an adaptation as a writing sample is fine. It doesn’t matter that the characters aren’t your own. It’s a writing sample. In the television world, 99% of writing samples aren’t originals. They’re specs from existing shows. So if the adaptation doesn’t work out, feel free to send the script out as a writing sample.
May 6th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Dude, now you’re just running in circles. Firstly, I had copied a link and header to the post – so context was provided (b.t.w. YOUR link is broken). Secondly, Lockhart’s advice is clear and to the point: “You should not have started writing until you had the option.� Option, Kevin, OPTION! Not right-of-first-refusal. Hence, if you can’t obtain the option, DON’T WRITE THE ADAPTATION!
Fucking hell, is that so hard to comprehend?!
You are babbling on and on about making nice with the author and getting producers excited and it all sounds like peaches with cream, but I’m telling you as soon as a guy walks in with a check book none of that means shit. He snatches the rights, the author says “sorry kiddo”, and you’re out. I’m not saying that’s what will happen in every single case, but chances are when an unknown writer makes a producer aware of an exciting property, said producer will option the rights and go to an established writer – likely someone who’s done adaptations - and hire her to do the job. Lockhart, too, warns of this scenario.
In regards to THE INSIDE PITCH, why do you say the writer is a “whacko�?! He did EXACTLY what you proposed! He got the author interested, wrote the script, even got production companies interested in the project. His downfall - he failed to secure the rights beforehand and the author executed his right to not give the writer an option on his work. Chances are he would not have given him a right-of-first-refusal either. Why would he “give away the rights� for free if he doesn’t want to do so for cash? Point is, the project fell apart because the writer failed to obtain an option.
And yet, according to you, Kevin, securing the rights to a property when adapting a novel is “presumptious and amateurish�. THE INISDE PITCH presents a case where the writer didn’t secure the rights, and all he’s left with is a writing sample, i.e. a spec he cannot sell.
In re. to specs, TV works differently. With a tv spec you want to demonstrate your ability to write FOR a show, i.e. emulate the show’s characters and tone. In film you write the show. Which is why writing a sequel to STAR WARS on spec is a bad idea. Unless of course, you own the rights…
May 6th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Fucking hell, Johnny, this is nuts.
First of all, I’ve been a producer for the last decade. I’ve produced many adaptations, including a Langston Hughes story for Sony. I’m currently producing an adaptation with Whoopi Goldberg. The Woodsman was an adaptation for chrissakes! This is what I do. What in god’s name makes you an authority on this?
Holy shit…
And maybe you should read that letter again from The Inside Pitch. The fucking guy talks about Tom Hanks supposedly being interested–um, do you not get that this writer is all over the place?
But whatever, you know it all Johnny. Keep giving advice on things that you’ve never done. Do you not get–this is infuriating–that people always want to do the thing that’s against the beaten path because they just want to be that guy who did something unheard of. Fuck, everyone wants to be a maverick. Everyone wants to be discovered on a bar stool in a diner. People read these stories and rather than work really hard for success, they’d rather wish really hard for success. For the last time, there’s an exception to every rule but to preach that exception is just stupid.
Whatever, this is obviously going nowhere. I’ve been an agent and a producer but for some reason you think I’m talking out of my ass.
Have fun doing it your way.
By the way, regarding specs and writing samples, you’re way off again. No one gives a fuck if a writing sample is an adaptation from something that you don’t have the rights to. No one. It’s a fucking writing sample.
May 6th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Kevin, Don’t – even for a second – pretend you know what I have and have not done. I’m too professional to get into a battle of “who the fuck are you?!� with you. But trust me, you’d lose.
I told you before, both ways can work. I prefer securing the rights to a project before writing an adaptation. And I’ve given you ample and sound reasons why. All you do is throw your fists in the air and shout bloody murder. I’m done here, Kevin. Obviously you are incapable of having a coherent debate.
May 6th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Sure, Johnny. You’re the ninja of the film world which is why I’ve never heard of you.
Nice talking to you.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Even when you (both Kevin A. and Johnny H.) were being argumentative and even verging on juvenile you were both still highly instructive in your respective perspectives. Thank you for both of your opinions.
Regards,
Abe
May 11th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Wow, calm down boys. You guys wanna whip em out to see who’s…nevermind keep up the low vomedy. I actually got a lot out of the post, thanks.
May 17th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Its painful to watch these kind of battles but it does bring out information in a way that would be hard to do otherwise, its like two guys arguing over how to best pack a UHaul - the process is painful but the results are maximum effeciency. Thanks for debating guys. -Z
May 25th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Hi I need some advice! Someone wants to to buy rights to my book. ALL rights. They want to make it into an animation film for children. How much should I expect? The book’s about a year old.
October 21st, 2007 at 2:02 am
I know this is way after the fact, but just fyi for anyone coming in even later than this: The guy who directed 300 bought those rights himself with his own money. It was such a freaking long shot, especially the way he planned to shoot the movie, and its enormous success took everyone by surprise. If everyone always followed “the rules”, there would be no innovation.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am
RE: “Ride the horse in the direction it’s going�.
I generally prefer to use the bridle to keep the horse’s head up from grazing, and persuade it to turn in the direction I want to travel. I also like to goad the beast on with my legs, to go a bit faster.
Ride the horse without a strategy, and you may wind up back at the barn a lot sooner than you hoped. Or, never leave it at all.That’s the problem with catch phrases - lazy use of them can bite you in the ass.
Why do producers option rights? To make money. No risks, no rewards, simple as that. You want to live passively, your choice, no one’s stopping you.
What have you got on your side, to minimize your risks? Your taste. Your talent. Your dogged schedule of conenctions-fostering. You can’t do it alone, but alot of the package is you
I just tracked down the rights to a book from the ’40’s, by web searching the author, and reading their main fan site. Emailed the estate’s agent yesterday.
Who gets “Best Picture” oscars? Producers. Including producers who write.
Best of luck.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Actually, Frank Darabont’s first produced writing credit was 1983’s “Woman in the Room,” an adaptation of… a Stephen King story.
And his 1st four produced credits were adaptations or remakes - followed by… a ton of TV writing for Spielberg.
Just an FYI.
Love the debate here BTW - very helpful! I just contacted the agent for the estate of an author I’m interested in… some of his works were shot decades ago, but not all… and he has a fan base… knock wood…