misc UK screenwriting selling to the US and Canada. Logistics?

[kjwills]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum, after DDP sold out I googled the top 10 screenwriting forums and Indietalk was second behind the screenwriting Reddit (but that place is awful, everyone here seems much nicer).

I'm UK-based and shopping my scripts in the US and Canada. My latest two specs have had about 7 read requests so far. I'm wondering if anyone here has been in the same boat. Are there any stumbling blocks with tax or Visas etc for selling to a US/Canadian market and being based across the pond?

I did get this response from a Canadian management company which has made me think Canada is out...

'I quite like the sound of TRICK. However, my difficulty is how production tax credits are set up here in Canada. Most production companies must take full advantage of the tax credits available to maximize their budgets; ensuring that the writer of a project is a Canadian citizen (or permanent resident) is key to obtaining the tax credit.

Although I'm very curious about your script, your residency/citizenship will pose a difficulty for me to get it considered. I'm sorry for the news.'

Sorry if this thread is in the wrong section....

 

[indietalk]

You could always work out a deal with the tax credit amount as a discount on the sale. So your negotiated price is then discounted by what they would receive as a credit.

 

[directorik]

Those tax credits are a way to encourage producers to hire local. However if
a producer really wants to option (or purchase) a script they will find a way. So
that response is a bit of a dodge.

US productions don't have that restriction to funding. Each state has their tax
credits and that usually pertains to production - a way to encourage producers
to shoot in their state. Who they buy the screenplay from doesn't count against
any production tax credit.

 

[Aspiring Mogul]

You got interest! Wow, that's impressive.