Expired Book Rights

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  • Expired Book Rights

    In a bit of a quandary. A few years back I decided to write a script about an historical figure (athlete) and purchased the rights to the only book on him. I had the rights for 3 years but being a newbie to screenwriting had little success marketing (I'm a published novelist but live well north of Toronto) and those rights expired last summer.

    Since then I've optioned a couple of other scripts and another producer is seriously interested in my orig project with the elapsed rights. Although they like the storyline they're not crazy about the structure and themes in that early attempt and are considering going at the story in a completely different direction.

    My concern is what is my position as a writer who once held the rights if we go ahead? Are my hands tied from ever writing anything about this character for the rest of my life without those rights? There's a significant amount of info on him in the public domain, but some facets of his life which could have only been known through the book.

    Any thoughts would be appreciated.

  • #2
    Re: Expired Book Rights

    If you ever had the rights and try to proceed without them, even if you tried to remove elements specific to that book, you are just asking for a huge lawsuit. It's also the kind of thing you'd need to disclose to a financier who then won't touch it. Re-option the book; based on a true story and a book is good for the project.

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    • #3
      Re: Expired Book Rights

      Originally posted by Northbank View Post
      If you ever had the rights and try to proceed without them, even if you tried to remove elements specific to that book, you are just asking for a huge lawsuit. It's also the kind of thing you'd need to disclose to a financier who then won't touch it. Re-option the book; based on a true story and a book is good for the project.
      This. No legit producer would go near it knowing the history, which you would be obliged to disclose. Definitely re-option.
      "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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      • #4
        Re: Expired Book Rights

        you have some good words here.

        quandary.

        historical

        (athlete)

        rights

        newbie

        screenwriting

        marketing

        published

        novelist

        expired

        summer

        optioned

        scripts

        producer

        interested

        project

        elapsed

        rights

        crazy

        structure

        themes

        early

        attempt

        considering

        story

        different

        direction

        what is my position

        as a writer

        for me, sometimes it helps to look at the words. good luck!




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        • #5
          Re: Expired Book Rights

          why not just re-option the rights, especially if you now have legit producer heat behind them?

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