Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

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  • Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

    I hope it's okay to post here, as I'm not a screenwriter. I am actually asking a question from the other side of the fence, as a novelist. I published my first novel in US and UK, didn't sell that well but did get some prize attention. I have a US book-to-film agent who shopped it around at publication, but no interest that I heard of. Anyway, I just got contacted out of the blue from a CAA agent asking about status of Film/TV rights. Anyone know how best to handle? I have flicked on to my main lit agent. But should I be hopeful/positive about this, or is it fairly standard sort of speculative enquiry that agents might perform (ie looking through back issues of publisher's weekly, searching out available rights for pitch meeting, etc). Any advice about possible scenarios that might be behind this, or caveats? I know there's not much money in an option, but I'd like to go into anything with a bit of savvy, if at all possible. Of course the sensible answer is to just wait and see...but I am constitutionally impatient! Thanks.

  • #2
    Re: Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

    If you have a good agent they will be able to advise you appropriately and ensure your interests are protected. A door knock from CAA is always something to feel good about but it could be just a speculative inquiry where yours is just one work that is being considered for purchase, or it might be something they are very interested in and will pursue.

    The only real caveat is to make sure you have competent legal representation before signing any deal. In the case of selling film/tv rights in a literary work it's usually a fairly straight forward transaction, but make sure that all of your rights have been considered, for example stage adaptations, sequels, serialization, screen credits and so on.

    I'd be surprised if you were only offered an option. Also there's an amount of corporate strategizing that takes place with the purchase of film/tv rights and they are often purchased to take the rights out of circulation and held for possible development later or to be onsold. There's no telling what CAA's reason is and the best/only thing to do is be patient and make sure your agent is competent.
    "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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    • #3
      Re: Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

      i have sort of been in your shoes, except i have not been contacted by a caa agent. ha. i've published a couple of novels and one received really wonderful reviews (for one, a starred review from Publisher's Weekly...what a hoot that was) and was shopped in Hollywood by a book/film agent, which was all very exciting at the time, but didn't lead to anything re a film or mounds of loot to dive off your chest of drawers into, etc.

      i don't know anything, but it does seem, to me, that novels and short stories and etc have quite a shelf life...no expiration date. i'd turn it over to your book agent to keep in touch with the other agent and keep your fingers crossed and keep an eye on things, etc. good luck with your book!

      i remember a couple of years ago i was in a wal-mart eye center because i'd gotten a stick in my eye, but it was a convenient time, because i needed new eyeglasses. funny how things like that work out in life. chatting with the the nice eye doc, she asked what i did, and i told her i was basically just lazy and did whatever to pay the bills, but i also wrote stories and novels and every now and then, the writing gods shined on me and someone printed up my words and sent me some money for them. it was always a surprise.

      the doc said she was going to buy my books and put them in a cabin she had in New Hampshire. The cabin was on a lake where the tourists like to stay. She told me she rented it by the week in the summers and fall and she said, 'you never know, one of my renters may be from hollywood, may read it and want to make it into a movie.' i nodded. what an excellent line of thinking. we were pards, immediately. i got an eye patch, new prescription and was sure from our chat that somehow my novel would end up being read by Julia Roberts or Mel Gibson on a cool night by a fireside in a cabin in New Hampshire and...the rest is history.

      i haven't heard from julia's agent yet, etc. but you never know. maybe i was meant to go over the handlebars of a dirt bike into a cedar tree, almost break my neck and tear an eye out, and...i end up in a wal-mart trying to get my eye fixed and little did i know as i requested an eye patch that would make me look like a pirate, that my career in hollywood had began the moment hours before when i thought...the brakes aren't very good but i think they'll be okay.

      sorry for the rambling. good luck!
      Last edited by AnconRanger; 06-11-2017, 07:09 PM.

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      • #4
        Re: Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

        i feel like the answers to your questions are ones that both your main lit agent and the book-to-film agent should have if they are worth what you are paying them in commissions. have either or both of them spoken to the person at CAA who reached out to you? they should be able to gauge the temperature of the potential heat coming off the request

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        • #5
          Re: Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

          My experience, though it's somewhat different. My NY literary agent sent a pdf of a still-unpublished novel to his intellectual property rights agent in L.A. He read it, loved it, and began shopping it. It was finally optioned as a TV series by an established production company, who then hired a writer to do the pilot and bible, renewed the option, and it's now off to directors.

          The book remains so far unbought by publishers. But if it actually gets picked up, it'll sell straight away.

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          • #6
            Re: Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

            Originally posted by Jake Schuster View Post
            ...My NY literary agent sent a pdf of a still-unpublished novel to his intellectual property rights agent in L.A. He read it, loved it, and began shopping it ...
            Two impressions: This proves that HW is looking for IP anywhere and everywhere, and that a "prior existing audience" isn't absolutely essential when optioning a novel for media exploitation. A smart executive will be able to anticipate the market, and see that a movie/series will drive sales to the novel-reading world, which will bounce right back again to the movie/series world.

            IP is everything. It's why we shouldn't hand over our (c) wholesale.

            Well, not unless they add a zero to the price because, of course, anything can be accomplished if the price is right!

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            • #7
              Re: Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

              Well, I did get plenty of zeros but they did follow a very nice number!

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              • #8
                Re: Contacted by CAA agent - novelist

                Thanks for the thoughts, everyone. Really useful to get a sense of what might be behind it, and to hear of other's experiences. I should say that I trust both my agents implicitly. They're familiar with this stuff and I know they'll look after my interests. I was just waiting to hear if they'd been contacted after I directed the enquiry on, so was in a speculative (read: impatient) mood. Unfortunately all has gone quiet. It sounds like it was just a random door-knock for info. Grrr.

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