Novel to Movie Rights Question

Loud Orange Cat

Loud Orange Cat

Pro Member
indiePRO
Howdy folks! Yes it's me, the guy who refuses to be killed off by his orange tabby. I'm still alive and have a legitimate question for the experienced film community that I love and trust.

  1. What options does the author of a book have to make sure that he is an active member for any future film rights based upon his work?
  2. For those who have been in this situation, what specific language did you demand was in the contracts to insure your involvement in the film?
Okay, now that the questions have been asked, if you're all wondering about me, I...

  • Am no longer working because of the cancer
  • Chemo and radiation is useless
  • Transplant is out of the question (not a viable candidate, long story)
  • Surgery is an option but I probably won't survive it
I'm just hangin' around. Same sh*t, different day. Questions? Comments?
rob (at) loudorangecat (dot) com
Don't be shy. Email me, dammit. I'm not dead yet!

"Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun." -Bruce Campbell
 
Option rights...

Loud Orange Cat said:
Howdy folks! Yes it's me, the guy who refuses to be killed off by his orange tabby. I'm still alive and have a legitimate question for the experienced film community that I love and trust.

  1. What options does the author of a book have to make sure that he is an active member for any future film rights based upon his work?
  2. For those who have been in this situation, what specific language did you demand was in the contracts to insure your involvement in the film?
Okay, now that the questions have been asked, if you're all wondering about me, I...

  • Am no longer working because of the cancer
  • Chemo and radiation is useless
  • Transplant is out of the question (not a viable candidate, long story)
  • Surgery is an option but I probably won't survive it
I'm just hangin' around. Same sh*t, different day. Questions? Comments?
rob (at) loudorangecat (dot) com
Don't be shy. Email me, dammit. I'm not dead yet!

"Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun." -Bruce Campbell
Click to expand...

Loud Orange Cat,

If the author still owns his/her book, then he or she can literally negotiate anything they want. I've never been in the situation myself because I've never written a book of fiction.

However, I have friends that have done this...

Some have sold all the rights to their book just to get it published and to get the money while others negotiated a much better position for themselves.

If it were me and I still owned all the rights to my book, I'd want to be able to retain rights to the characters and any locations I might have created. I'd also want the first right of refusal to write the screenplay. Writing a book is different than a screenplay but I think with a little commitment on the part of the author, he or she could pull it off. If I could pull that off then I'd also try to pull off some kind of producer position as well. I mean hell, you might as well go for it.

And I wouldn't expect any of this up front... LOL. Nobody wants to give anyone anything... You've gotta fight for it but you also gotta know when to give up little bits to get bigger bits if that makes any sense...

In other words, YOU WANT EVERYTHING. You tell them you want everything i.e., you go down your list...

Now you might give up writing the script in place of being one of the producers on the film...

And so forth...

Hope that helps...

filmy
 
Rob,

My first professional job was with a major publishing company in NYC. I can tell you these guys get piles of submissions all the time. They often have temps, interns, or first year hires wading through the tons of manuscripts they receive. Most often, the authors just get a form "thanks-but-no-thanks" letter.

The majority of the stuff that DOES GET published is brokered through a literary agent, and THAT is what I would recommend to you. Don't spend your time looking for someone to publish your book -- look for someone to "represent" your book. If you can find an agent willing to represent you, they will do all the negotiating for you. From what I remember, publishers actually prefer working with the agents anyway because the agents already know the business of negotiating contracts -- publishers don't typically want to waste time trying to explain everything to a first time author. SO -- find an agent, and tell the AGENT everything YOU want, and let the agent negotiate on your behalf.

Oh, and Rob -- I'll have something new for you in about a month. ;)
 
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Yepper, I'm still here. As I lay here, holding my PD170, wishing I could get out of bed to shoot something, I peck away on my MacBook Pro's keyboard keeping up with email, IMs and proofreading my book. Its difficult to get anything done as everyone wants to IM me on Skype.

It's a shame that I can't 'get up and get out' to shoot as I want to do, but I'm not going to waste the few remaining braincells I have left by letting them starve from lack of action. So yeah, I decided to write a book. It's not a bad one, either.

Filmy, saying "YOU WANT EVERYTHING" is the absolute right attitude to have. I'll always remember that when negotiating.

John, I can't wait for "what you have for me." :D This is going to be GOOD.

Barnaclelapse, thanks for the kind words!

Personally, I think that any book written by me would look something like this in a bookstore...

funny-pictures-librarian-cat-tells-it-like-it-is.jpg


Rob
http://www.loudorangecat.com
 
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