Question about rights

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  • Question about rights

    Forgive my ignorance. And sorry about the long post.

    I'm thinking of writing a bio of this woman who started a company -- she is still living and in her late 80's. A book I found (that I am ordering and haven't read yet) tells the story of this company being founded by her.

    The book came out in the 1980's, so this isn't a bestseller situation, but I could see the script/movie getting traction for a small, indie film.

    So, jumping ahead... if the book has value and I can glean structure and a narrative arc that has weight, and if I can option the rights to this book -- do I still need the permission of this actual person that the book is about?

    If so, how does that happen?

  • #2
    Re: Question about rights

    Originally posted by figment View Post
    Forgive my ignorance. And sorry about the long post.

    I'm thinking of writing a bio of this woman who started a company -- she is still living and in her late 80's. A book I found (that I am ordering and haven't read yet) tells the story of this company being founded by her.

    The book came out in the 1980's, so this isn't a bestseller situation, but I could see the script/movie getting traction for a small, indie film.

    So, jumping ahead... if the book has value and I can glean structure and a narrative arc that has weight, and if I can option the rights to this book -- do I still need the permission of this actual person that the book is about?

    If so, how does that happen?

    The threshold question for me is, if the woman is still alive, can you depict her life at all, regardless of the source material, without securing her life rights. Which would depend on whether she is deemed to be a "public figure." Until you figure that part out, the book rights are secondary

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    • #3
      Re: Question about rights

      Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
      The threshold question for me is, if the woman is still alive, can you depict her life at all, regardless of the source material, without securing her life rights. Which would depend on whether she is deemed to be a "public figure." Until you figure that part out, the book rights are secondary
      Thanks, JoeBanks.

      Yeah, that's a worry. I don't want to waste my time, either.

      With The Social Network -- Sorkin adapted that from a book, supposedly, but I doubt he had Zuckerberg's rights, and he's alive. But I just don't know how that would work, or if you need studio lawyers and such, to figure it out.

      Gah!!

      With the script, Saving Mr. Banks no one got the rights at all and because it was a sympathetic version of Walt Disney, the Disney company didn't sue, but actually produced the movie. Of course, you can't count on something like that happening.

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      • #4
        Re: Question about rights

        Originally posted by figment View Post
        I'm thinking of writing a bio of this woman who started a company -- she is still living and in her late 80's. A book I found (that I am ordering and haven't read yet) tells the story of this company being founded by her.
        To save me some time typing, maybe look over these articles which might help provide some details to at least think about, in case you haven't already seen them before:

        Search for article: "To Acquire or Not To Acquire Life Life Rights For A Movie"

        http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...s-whats-103334

        http://www.marklitwak.com/purchasing...ry-rights.html

        There are other some other articles out there too, of course. But do read teh first one all the way to the end. It provides some various positives & negatives/pros & cons to reaching out to the person or persons involved with the real life story.

        Hope this can help some.
        Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 10-14-2017, 10:39 AM.
        Will
        Done Deal Pro
        www.donedealpro.com

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        • #5
          Re: Question about rights

          Thanks, Will. That first article wouldn't let me log in for some reason, but the links did help.

          With no producer to guide me in this, I think I'll just read the book for pleasure and forget trying to adapt it. Best laid plans and all that...

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Question about rights

            Originally posted by figment View Post
            Thanks, Will. That first article wouldn't let me log in for some reason, but the links did help.

            With no producer to guide me in this, I think I'll just read the book for pleasure and forget trying to adapt it. Best laid plans and all that...
            You are most welcome. And that is really odd. I got right to it with no issues. Do this then. I just repeated and it worked for me. Go to Google. Search for "To Acquire Or Not To Acquire Life Rights For A Movie." It should be the first listing. Right click that link and open in a new window. Works like a charm.

            And one thing you could at least consider, though you may already have. Do a story similar to the story in the book possibly. Again, without knowing the details, it's tough to say but maybe there is a way to fictionalize what is there and still have a similar impact.
            Will
            Done Deal Pro
            www.donedealpro.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Question about rights

              Originally posted by Done Deal Pro View Post
              You are most welcome. And that is really odd. I got right to it with no issues. Do this then. I just repeated and it worked for me. Go to Google. Search for "To Acquire Or Not To Acquire Life Rights For A Movie." It should be the first listing. Right click that link and open in a new window. Works like a charm.
              That did work -- the other one asked for my email to "sign in" and then said my email wasn't valid. Who knows what that was.

              Interesting article that if you are using public facts you don't need the rights, necessarily. The public facts are all over the web. For me personally, I'd worry about re-creating the conversations accurately. The Joey Buttafucco movies that they used as examples in the article didn't have that concern, though.

              In the movie Chappaquiddick coming out they had the police transcripts and just used them verbatim.

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              • #8
                Re: Question about rights

                I'm not an attorney, so I'll say, "Consult an attorney."

                But based on my experiences, producers aren't going to want to touch it unless you have the rights nailed down FOR EVERY LIVING PERSON who is a character in your script.

                Your mileage may vary.

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                • #9
                  Re: Question about rights

                  Originally posted by DangoForth View Post

                  But based on my experiences, producers aren't going to want to touch it unless you have the rights nailed down FOR EVERY LIVING PERSON who is a character in your script.
                  Thanks, Dango.

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