I have a script up for grabs

Hi guys...I know you guys love to hear from actors too...since we eventually turn your words in the magic that is on screen...hah!

Anyway, it is a tough situation to ask that you have the right to give the script to anyone, anytime...if a filmmaker goes through the trouble, time and expense to put a film together they should have all exclusivity to that script...it's little bit mean to go and offer it to someone else after that....which I think is the main reason why a lot of writers keep their scripts so tightly held under their hats.

If you are maybe worried about not getting credit for the script you've written, I'm sure you will definitely get credit where credit is due!

Maybe you feel that someone may not do justice to your script if you give all rights away to it?...I know lots of writers feel that way sometimes, but I'm sure any filmmaker you collaborate with will be more than happy to help realize your vision!

Well, whatever your reasons...perhaps taking the advice of some of the more seasoned filmmakers and contributors will go a long way to helping you along with your mission.

Best of luck!
 
John LaBonney said:
Hey bro, Rodney is THE MAN. His level of success and skill in short filmmaking is at a bar I endeavor to reach, and you'd be better off trying to make him your friend rather than insulting him. It looks to me like he's trying to share the benefits of his experience with you by suggesting ways that would help your script be more appealing to filmmakers. Don't agree with him? That's fine. But throwing insults at him doesn't fly with me.

John
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Thanks John. There goes my ego inflating way up now. :grin:
 
That's why people need contracts/releases. Some people I deal with hem-n-haw, but these things are there to protect the director and their investment as much as anything else.

So don't work without them. And if you don't like the terms talk them out.

That's why I require them. It protects the director more than it really protects me. It clearly states who has rights to what and 'laugh laugh' any money that will change hands, etc. This way there is no miscommunication/misunderstanding/hurt feelings/wasted time/wasted effort/etc.etc.etc.

If this guy really wants to give non-exclusive rights to shoot, (so you risk having someone else shoot the film at the same time), well sign up/negotiate/or walk away. Everyone has their own terms, us writers are always eating our own, so you'll find someone willing to give away a story.

Yes Rodney us writers do work on our craft, sure it's just a start of a film just like a fetus was just the start of Rodney. Where would you be without it? :) I know how much time, effort, and money directors/producers put into a film, but we give our babies/time away from family/late nights/hollow rejections away to potentially see them mangled. So my clause of keeping the rights to the story keeps the carnage from getting worse, especially when my names on it.

Luckily I've only been really disappointed once.

That script is being shot again by another director right now. He is fully aware that it was shot a couple years ago and actually pursued me to get the rights.

I guess what I'm saying is have a contract you are both happy with. It is show BUSINESS. After all that's done go out and make a damn great film.

P.s. I have a couple scripts up for grab. One will surely tickle your fancy. :)
 
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Hey Chris I'm totally with you there. Believe me I don't do anything without a contract (well nothing that's binding) but don't forget I'm also a writer. I know the effort and time it takes to put into a script and then the multiple head-pounding rewrites until the script is firing on all cylinders. And Ive had a couple of my scripts produced not to my full satisfaction, but I've also screwed up my own work.

I'm just saying that writers (especially inexperienced writers) need to take into consideration how much they themselves do not have to undertake and why the business is structured as it is. Sure get a contract, but be aware of who' actually dong the spending and turning your pretty words into pretty pictures.
 
so i guess no one is going to be happy unless i give one person exclusive rights to my material.

sure fine
take it
i dont care anymore
that's what I was planning on doing anyways
and maybe this misunderstanding is my fault
"After the script has been sent to you, you do not own the material but are allowed to use it, the distribution of the script is at my discretion (meaning I can send it to whomever I like and how ever many times)"
this is what all the rage is right now
everyone pissing their pants about this
my goodness well lets see
i stated clearly I can send it to whomever I want
I have no idea if these people i send it to are going to make the film or not unless they get back to me
im just trying to help for christ's sake by throwing a script to some ppl who are interested in making a movie but having a hard time writing or finding writers

I'm so tired of all this slamming and then apologies and then reappearances or criticisms and 3rd parties who MUST BE HEARD and must establish that we do things a certain way around here and thats the way its been done and that's the way it'll always be...

Rodney might be the man but to me he came off blunt and rude and controlling. Not my fault, he isn't a moderator or administrator so if I get some strange demands from a member then i'm allowed to throw my ten cents back in and criticize him back.

When you post something on here and someone doesn't take the time to articulate to you in a way that doesn't sound like they're going to kick your ass what do you say?

So what's the point of this forum?
I came on here with good intentions.
I just wanted to help out by throwing out some pages, and as far as editing and what not

JOHN "You expect a filmmaker to dedicate the next three months turning your script into a movie, but leave him some major rewriting work to do to fit it into the required time frame, and then you also insist on being made aware of the changes necessary to fix your material. Writing is rewriting; seems to me that if you can find the time to write a script, you can certainly find time to rewrite it to a point where it's usable for this fest."

I don't expect anything John. I don't expect 3 months, I don't expect a week, I don't expect money, I expected credit and some information about modifications to the original material
as far as major rewriting you're assuming a lot considering you haven't read the script. And don't assume for one minute that you know my schedule or have any clue as to what's going on in my life. Just because I had 6 hours one day to kill, doesn't mean that I have 6 hours the next day, week, or month even. Why do you think I haven't logged on in the last few days? Busy? Yeah I would say so.
and i don't expect people to comment on conversations that they weren't apart of either, but I guess I should have seen that coming

Nobody that's commented on here has read the script so most of this is a buncha hoopla

so far Chris has been the only one on here with any understanding and not ready to kick my teeth in cause I'm not doing things his way.

CHRIS "That script is being shot again by another director right now. He is fully aware that it was shot a couple years ago and actually pursued me to get the rights.
I guess what I'm saying is have a contract you are both happy with. It is show BUSINESS. After all that's done go out and make a damn great film."

Contractual agreements sound like a great idea Chris, wish i would've come up with that myself, could of saved me a lot of grief from dealing with this

Thank you
 
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MrSeth said:
Wow. I was going to ask to check out your script but your tone and attitude drew me off. I suck as a filmmaker so I'd probably ruin your script lol but good luck finding a director. I would never work with a writer on those conditions you described. The only right you have to making those conditions (ethically) is if you paid for the production.
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and as far as my attitude concerns you, you dont really have to work with me wink* wink* you just take the script shoot the script send me a copy on some sort of medium and you're done:)
i'd doubt you'd ruin it
we all get better with each failure and or try
and even if you did
you think I'd be upset?
I wouldn't care
i'd just be interested in your interpretation
especially rodney's
 
Yep. I think you were just misunderstood.

No one's expecting you to exclusively only let them see a script. All they are really doing is reading it. Once they think they want to shoot it, then you talk agreements.

I have several people looking at my scripts now. Normally I can send them to 6 people before one expresses interest in shooting. So if you are only sending it to one person at a time, then odds are you won't find the right person, anytime soon.
 
I think tpluddow is not out of line. The writer should be and is entitled to dictate the terms of the use of his material especially when he isn't being compensated. If you don't like it don't make the movie. If he wants to give exclusive rights to the short story say for three years but he retains the right to turn his short screenplay into a feature length screenplay after that time period and the filmaker owns the short. Why not?
Apples and oranges but if you adapt one of my stage plays to the screen can I no longer have it produced on stage? No playwright would sign that contract.
If you use a song in your film you don't own it and the artist/songwriter can put that song in other films at any time.
 
Everyone has a legitimate point, but I think I'm in favor of the writer on this one. He is being more than generous in giving up his script in a forum of aspiring filmmakers to make a SHORT FILM. If we were talking a feature, then that would change things up. Mostly because of the amount of resources involved.

If you are a producer or director and want exclusive rights, then PAY the writer for those rights. How hard is that? For a short film, that could probably be extremely cheap. Hell, you could probably get it for free if you approached the guy with a little respect.

When someone owns the rights to something, they are God as far as that property is concerned. They can ask for anything they want. It could be money in whatever amount or denomination, a hotel room for the shoot, an antique gun, bottled water from Antarctica, or a lap dance from Angelina Jolie. Doesn't mean they'll get it. We all know what happens to writers once they sign away their rights. They disappear, the work gets messed with, credit can be stripped, etc. Writers need to excercise control over their work. So I don't really get the people who say this writer is being hard to work with. He's really doing the opposite and getting slammed. That would piss anyone off, and I think he's stood up for himself quite well.

As far as this situation is concerned, anyone who shoots a short film is looking to produce something that will hopefully propel their career up a few notches and break them into the professional level. Haven't read this guy's script. If it's fantastic, and I wanted to direct it then I would become his best friend and find a way to convince him that he should really let me be the only one to direct it. If I think it's good enough to be the one thing that will give me the exposure I need to push my career forward, then I would do just about *anything* to be cool with this writer. Because, relationships are everything in this business. And if he's good, then by becoming best friends you will only help each-other in the long run. As far as I know, he could be a genius. And the last thing I would want to do is attack this guy on a public forum, even if his POV is wrong IMO. There's a way to get people thinking about something from your perspective while still making that person feel good about themselves. And if you are a director or producer, then you want to find a writer who you can send ideas to and they run with them and surprise you with something amazing. So it's not about a single script at all.

For a short film, I think it is absolutely acceptable to offer up a script and allow whoever wants it to take it and interpret it as they see fit without exclusivity. It's not ideal for the filmmaker and I wouldn't like that personally, but it can still work. And I have an clear example of professionals who are doing this right now:

http://www.cinema.philips.com/gb_en/
 
lambert said:
I think tpluddow is not out of line. The writer should be and is entitled to dictate the terms of the use of his material especially when he isn't being compensated. If you don't like it don't make the movie. If he wants to give exclusive rights to the short story say for three years but he retains the right to turn his short screenplay into a feature length screenplay after that time period and the filmaker owns the short. Why not?
Apples and oranges but if you adapt one of my stage plays to the screen can I no longer have it produced on stage? No playwright would sign that contract.
If you use a song in your film you don't own it and the artist/songwriter can put that song in other films at any time.
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I thank both of you
 
Only an idiot would give away their exclusive, perpetual, story rights for nothing.

If I let someone use a short script of mine, that is a one-time, limited right. They don't own the copyright! I am still free to do anything I'd like with my own work. To expect otherwise (while still expecting to pay nothing) is absurd at best, and parasitic at worst.
 
John LaBonney said:
I've done it in dvxfests several times. Just wanted to give myself the best shot at production, and it worked out great.

Guess that makes me an idiot.
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That would be one opinion.

Now what happens if that short gets real attention. Then a big time producer wants to fund a feature version. It turns out to be a great hit, blah, blah, blah, and you have no claim or say on any of it, because you gave your rights away.

You don't have to sell your soul to get your scripts made. The right relationship will come along if you are patient.
 
Chris_Keaton said:
Now what happens if that short gets real attention. Then a big time producer wants to fund a feature version. It turns out to be a great hit, blah, blah, blah, and you have no claim or say on any of it, because you gave your rights away.
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Yep, that's exactly right. And I understood that going in. But I didn't give my rights away. I got something for them.

I have no argument with a writer negotiating his terms. I agreed long ago in this thread that the owner of the property can make whatever stipulations he wants. I just think that if you make the conditions too harsh, you reduce the chances of your material getting produced.

That was always my goal when I started here in the dvxfests: just to get someone to pick up the scripts and turn them into films. Others may have different goals, and that's fine. Back then I had no screen credits, no camera, and no money, and I was looking to get involved. I just wanted the pleasure of seeing my writing turned into a moving picture. Worked out great for me. Would I do the same again now? Possibly. It depends.
 
John LaBonney said:
Yep, that's exactly right. And I understood that going in. But I didn't give my rights away. I got something for them.

I have no argument with a writer negotiating his terms. I agreed long ago in this thread that the owner of the property can make whatever stipulations he wants. I just think that if you make the conditions too harsh, you reduce the chances of your material getting produced.

That was always my goal when I started here in the dvxfests: just to get someone to pick up the scripts and turn them into films. Others may have different goals, and that's fine. Back then I had no screen credits, no camera, and no money, and I was looking to get involved. I just wanted the pleasure of seeing my writing turned into a moving picture. Worked out great for me. Would I do the same again now? Possibly. It depends.
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That's great if you trust that the person is honest enough to point out that you were the writer of that great film. I personally have been ripped off too many times to ever do what you are doing. Shoot, I lost $38,000 in one job because of lack of contracts upfront. I think personally that if you don't have stipulations, then you haven't moved into the professionalism that film-making requires. Just because someone seems nice, that doesn't mean they are. I think Brooksilver made this point unintentionally.

If it's fantastic, and I wanted to direct it then I would become his best friend and find a way to convince him that he should really let me be the only one to direct it.
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Everyone is trying to get ahead in this business. If it's not business for you, then discussing whether a writer should have a contract or not is kind of silly IMO. I think that is the primary difference in this dispute. Some people here make films for fun, some make films hoping to be the next great director, writer, cinematographer, etc.

SO I suggest we move on and stop discussing whether he should or shouldn't have a contract. I think it should be about who wants to read his script.
 
"After the script has been sent to you, you do not own the material but are allowed to use it, the distribution of the script is at my discretion (meaning I can send it to whomever I like and how ever many times)"
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The main problem with your rule is that the way you formulate it suggests that multiple crews could shoot your film at the same time and in the end you could deny any of them the right to release the finished short film.
If you offered me your script with a contract based on this I would not touch it and no sane person would either. It's high risk and other than that I wouldn't want to shoot a film with the knowledge that other crews could be shooting the same thing.

So what you want to do is formulate it a little more clearly like...

You give out your script to as many people as you want, well that's your good right I'd say and makes sense. However, without getting back to you and some kind of agreement/release/contract (in writing) no one who got your script can go ahead and shoot it.
And the first crew/producer who gets back to you and whom you have an agreement with gets exclusive right to shoot the film.

So if that's what you wanted to say in the first place, good. Just formulate it differently not to confuse or put off potential producers.
If you actually really meant it like you wrote it originally, good luck, it's not reasonable.
 
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