Posts tagged as:

optioning your screenplay

Will an established writer get credit for my screenplay?

August 31, 2011

I got this question recently: “Upon finishing a screenplay I contacted a producer/script doctor/who seemed to know what he was talking about…and as a published screenplay writer himself, he advised me that most likely my own name would never ever be attached to this project should it ever be sold. Instead a published screenplay writer [...]

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Taking deferred pay for your screenplay

December 23, 2009

I got this question recently: “If you have no street credit in writing, much less Hollywood, but you think you got a great movie that can be made on the cheap and strike a nerve like Juno, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Little Miss Sunshine, etc., is it likely that a producer will accept paying [...]

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What is a screenplay option?

October 21, 2009

A little while back I made this post: How to decide if you should option your screenplay to a producer A got a few people asking me to define what a screenplay option is. An option (as it relates to screenwriting) is when a screenwriter gives a producer the right to purchase the writer’s script [...]

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How to decide if you should option your screenplay to a producer

August 5, 2009

There’s not an easy “right” answer to this question but there are some factors to consider.  I think to turn down an option purely because you want to find someone who will “buy it immediately” would be a mistake.  It’s very unlikely that a producer, especially an independent producer who is willing to work with [...]

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How can I prevent a producer or director from ruining my screenplay?

June 8, 2009

I got this question recently: “I have written a script which is my baby and I want to ensure that the producer and director don’t mess up my vision for this story.  How do I bring this up when talking with the producer?  How can I ensure that my vision wins the day when this [...]

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