Movie Producer

[Sarah Ahiers (Falen)]

here I am, working toward becoming an agent in 5 or so years.

If i'm still unagented at that time, you better believe I'ma query you... 

[bodwen]

I'd better get in line, then.   

[Zooks]

I hope this turns out the way you want it to, Becca.  Best of luck to you. 

[drdileo]

Cautionary Tale:
I had a fantasy book shopped around by a legit agent. One of the publishers turned it down because they thought it should be hardback and they only print paperbacks. Two years later a TV show came on--same concept, SAME TITLE as my book! It lasted about 3 seasons. I sued. Had to settle (see below), but I was told by my copyright infringement lawyer that this is business as usual--studios do this then cut a nuisance check in settlement when they get sued, and so end up getting the idea pennies on the dollar.

Double Cautionary Tale:
You cannot sue these thieves successfully. They'll make out a depositions list of hundreds of people all over the world, and you will have to drop your life/career while you fly out to attend these. Not counting the airflight costs, you'll have to pay your lawyer $250-450/hr to be there even if you decide to stay home. You cannot afford it. Art Buchwald did it, won, but creative accounting showed that "Coming to America" made no money. So even if you win, you're in danger of getting little if anything.

How do you protect yourself?
I would suggest send this guy a Non-Dislosure Agreement and have him write a check to you to option your work for a limited time. If he's a scam, that'll shut him up.

So there!

[drdileo]

Oh, I forgot to mention...the publisher that turned it down was a wholly-owned subsidiary of the studio that produced the TV show. So for copyright infringement, you have to show a connection (access), and the publisher/studio relationship was that; you have to show ownership (your copyright); and you have to show intent. It gets complicated:

For instance, you can write a book called "Gone With the Wind," and it's OK. It can even be about a Civil War story and a big plantation. But unless you include specific character and plot elements, you're safe. What WILL happen is that they'll sue you not because of copyright infringement, but because they'll claim you're selling YOUR Gone With the Wind because people think it's the famous one. They'll even canvass customers coming out of the bookstore to ask them WHICH author's Gone With the Wind they thought they were buying.

In my case, I settled with them, got my "nuisance check" from them. I can't give specifics, because there was a confidentiality condition in the settlement. But what really pissed me off is that I saw a "novelization" of the TV show. So, a novelization based on the TV show based on MY stolen novel. Ah, capitalism.

[JohnPansini]

It does not sound like a scam to me. As long as you have a paper trail of emails between the two of you you'll be OK. Since you have a producer interested, it might be a lot easier to get a screen agent. Highly recommended.

Also, beware of what they call a "free option." That's when you give a producer permission to shop your book to studios at no cost to him. If he wants to shop the book, make him pay for the option. A screen agent will protect you from free options.

I have had some experience with a Hollywood for a screenplay I wrote based on a nonfiction book I wrote.

Check out: https://scriptcat.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/should-i-accept-a-free-option-on-my-screenplay/

Good luck,
JP   

[TerryRodgers]

Oh, I forgot to mention...the publisher that turned it down was a wholly-owned subsidiary of the studio that produced the TV show. So for copyright infringement, you have to show a connection (access), and the publisher/studio relationship was that; you have to show ownership (your copyright); and you have to show intent. It gets complicated:

For instance, you can write a book called "Gone With the Wind," and it's OK. It can even be about a Civil War story and a big plantation. But unless you include specific character and plot elements, you're safe. What WILL happen is that they'll sue you not because of copyright infringement, but because they'll claim you're selling YOUR Gone With the Wind because people think it's the famous one. They'll even canvass customers coming out of the bookstore to ask them WHICH author's Gone With the Wind they thought they were buying.

In my case, I settled with them, got my "nuisance check" from them. I can't give specifics, because there was a confidentiality condition in the settlement. But what really pissed me off is that I saw a "novelization" of the TV show. So, a novelization based on the TV show based on MY stolen novel. Ah, capitalism.

I would have also sued to allow you to sell this as a credit. Forget the money. You can then go to agents and say a three-year series was created based on your novel. That's a huge selling point.