v Don’t say yes right away. Get advice from an attorney or someone you trust.
v Do visit www.wga.org to research the current terms of book option contracts and money.
v Do get a written contract.
v Do limit the option to six months at a time.
v Do have a second contract that protects you if the script goes into production
v Don’t ever, Ever, EVER sell ALL rights to anyone.
v Do protect, or make sure you get a share of any ancillary rights, such as action figures or Burger King™ deals.
v Do have a literary attorney look over the contract.
v Don’t use a non-literary attorney for contract review.
Adapt Your Short Story for Film?
Are You Ready to Adapt Your Novel for Film?
Pauline Baird Jones is the award-winning author of ten novels, some of which were successfully adapted to scripts. Her script adaptation of Do Wah Diddy Die (formerly I Love Luci – When I Don’t Want to Kill Her) won The First Draft contest and was optioned by IndieGals Productions. For more information on her novels or to find out more about Adapting Your Novel for Film, visit her website at: www.paulinebjones.com
© 2006 Pauline Baird Jones.
You are welcome to recirculate this article to friends, discussion lists, newsletters, etc., as long as the ENTIRE text of the article, including author bio and copyright tag, is included and proper credit is given. Please email when and where article will appear.