Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

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  • Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

    I'm not a screenwriter and I don't pretend to be.

    My award-winning novel, Mount Royal: There's Nothing Harder Than Love is a movie posing as a book.

    When a great city goes broke and money flees, who moves into the crumbling ruins and brings it back to life? That's right; the freaks, geeks and tweaks. Lovable sleazebag Johnny Carp walks a fine line between music scene groovers, drug lord psychos and a global conspiracy determined to enslave everything and everyone that's cool.

    I know spec is a dirty word but I'd like to work a fair equity split with an experienced screenwriter who can take on the adaptation.
    I've gotten back all rights from the publisher, including all digital files and cover art.
    PM me for details.
    http://basilpapademoswriting.blogspot.com

  • #2
    Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

    You aren't the first person to think that 50% of nothing is a good deal for a writer...

    http://studios.amazon.com/discussions/Tx25246NR3P78Z5
    "People who work in Hollywood are the ones who didn't quit." -- Lawrence Kasdan

    Please visit my website and blog: www.lauridonahue.com.

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    • #3
      Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

      Thanks for your useful reply.

      Perhaps your mother never taught you the old maxim; If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all.

      Aside from that, if you actually read the post, you'll find I'm not pitching some recycled pap that's clogging your hard drive and will never see the light of day. I'm pitching a published novel which won an award and was short-listed for a couple others.

      I've had a few inquiries but felt the prospective screenwriter wasn't right for the project.

      There are some very specific requirements, including keeping an open mind.

      Good luck in all your endeavors.
      Baz

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      • #4
        Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

        The Bi-Sexual Book Awards aren't exactly the Pulitzer Prize.

        http://biwriters.livejournal.com/

        Lots of people here have won awards. Even the ones who haven't don't generally want to work for free.
        "People who work in Hollywood are the ones who didn't quit." -- Lawrence Kasdan

        Please visit my website and blog: www.lauridonahue.com.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

          Originally posted by baz View Post
          I'm not a screenwriter and I don't pretend to be.

          My award-winning novel, Mount Royal: There's Nothing Harder Than Love is a movie posing as a book.

          When a great city goes broke and money flees, who moves into the crumbling ruins and brings it back to life? That's right; the freaks, geeks and tweaks. Lovable sleazebag Johnny Carp walks a fine line between music scene groovers, drug lord psychos and a global conspiracy determined to enslave everything and everyone that's cool.

          I know spec is a dirty word but I'd like to work a fair equity split with an experienced screenwriter who can take on the adaptation.
          I've gotten back all rights from the publisher, including all digital files and cover art.
          PM me for details.
          http://basilpapademoswriting.blogspot.com
          Interesting. What place on the New York Times best seller list did it hold? How many copies did it sell? Why would a publisher give up rights to a book that was made to be a movie? Why do you think any writer worth their while would do this basically for free? Do you have any idea the hours and hours and weeks and weeks involved in writing a good adaptation?

          Looking forward to yours answers.
          Last edited by EdFury; 07-29-2014, 08:41 AM.

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          • #6
            Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

            I clicked on the through-link to your blog and saw the cover of your book, but being in the middle of my local Starbucks, I had to quickly close the tab. Based solely on what I saw in the 3.2 seconds I had it open, my only stipulation is that I be involved in the casting process. I'll have the treatment finished by sundown.

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            • #7
              Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

              My mom taught me that maxim -- so I have nothing to say.
              If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base.
              Dave Barry

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              • #8
                Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                Originally posted by baz View Post
                Perhaps your mother never taught you the old maxim; If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all.
                We've all heard that old maxim.

                That maxim has done a lot of people a lot of harm.

                You've offered a proposal.

                But you can't get genuine feedback on a proposal if you insist that "Only give feedback that fits my preconception". Worst still .. you'll never learn whether your existing views on the subject are accurate or not.

                If you want to learn about this new area (values of film rights, useful tradeoffs when hiring writers etc) then you'll have to accept that you'll be getting new information that may not fit what you expect.

                And some of that will be people telling you that you are on the 'wrong' path.

                So hopefully you'll be able to learn from this.

                My point of view (as someone who has negotiated film rights for novels in the past): You are on the wrong path. It is not a good approach.

                Of course - I may be wrong. But hopefully you won't reject the feedback simply because I'm saying 'nothing good', or because it doesn't also include a detailed description of what a better path may be.

                I hope that you learn to accept that some feedback is negative.

                Good luck - I hope things work out well for your project,

                Mac
                Last edited by Mac H.; 07-29-2014, 10:10 PM.
                New blogposts:
                *Followup - Seeking Investors in all the wrong places
                *Preselling your film - Learning from the Experts
                *Getting your indie film onto iTunes
                *Case Study - Estimating Film profits

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                • #9
                  Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                  Wow, you got William S. Burroughs to blurb your novel?

                  If your lit agent has that kind of pull, why isn't she holding a seance to recruit screenwriters who have also been dead for 17 years?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                    Yes, yes, children. Please don't fret, all will be well. You will all be fed and have your diapers changed momentarily. Now, where did I put those baby bottles?...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                      What Ed said.

                      About 98 percent of the books that Hollywood might be interested in putting on screen, some producer has bought the rights to and has hired at least one screenwriter to give it a shot. When you do a round of meetings after your script goes out, everyone has at least one book they want you to read and pitch your take on... and you can get caught in the loop of pitching your take on a stack of books from each producer and never get anything done. So a book that no producer has purchased the rights to worries me a bit.

                      Then I looked at your sales ranking on Amazon:
                      Paper: Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,533,490 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
                      Kindle: Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #963,345 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

                      And compared it to my worstselling title:
                      Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #526,624 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
                      And my bestselling title:
                      Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,697 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

                      So, I think I'll just write my own stuff instead of adapting yours. I am not selling many books this month (lowest sales ever!), but my worst selling book is doing much better than your book.

                      Bill (also waiting to hear the answers to Ed's questions)
                      Free Script Tips:
                      http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                      • #12
                        Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                        Originally posted by Mac H. View Post
                        We've all heard that old maxim.

                        That maxim has done a lot of people a lot of harm.

                        You've offered a proposal.

                        But you can't get genuine feedback on a proposal if you insist that "Only give feedback that fits my preconception". Worst still .. you'll never learn whether your existing views on the subject are accurate or not.

                        If you want to learn about this new area (values of film rights, useful tradeoffs when hiring writers etc) then you'll have to accept that you'll be getting new information that may not fit what you expect.

                        And some of that will be people telling you that you are on the 'wrong' path.

                        So hopefully you'll be able to learn from this.

                        My point of view (as someone who has negotiated film rights for novels in the past): You are on the wrong path. It is not a good approach.

                        Of course - I may be wrong. But hopefully you won't reject the feedback simply because I'm saying 'nothing good', or because it doesn't also include a detailed description of what a better path may be.

                        I hope that you learn to accept that some feedback is negative.

                        Good luck - I hope things work out well for your project,

                        Mac
                        The responses to my post appear to be from fairly bitter people with nothing useful to say, cliched failed writers who are angry at the world for not recognizing yada yada yada.

                        And as someone who's busy negotiating etc, I wouldn't think you'd have the time to mouth pieties.

                        It seems you and the others have replied for one simple reason: You have nothing better to do, and that says all I need to know.

                        Thanks

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                          Originally posted by baz View Post
                          The responses to my post appear to be from fairly bitter people with nothing useful to say, cliched failed writers who are angry at the world for not recognizing yada yada yada.

                          And as someone who's busy negotiating etc, I wouldn't think you'd have the time to mouth pieties.

                          It seems you and the others have replied for one simple reason: You have nothing better to do, and that says all I need to know.

                          Thanks
                          You also have time to be on here and yet you didn't answer my questions. They are pretty straight forward and I imagine you can answer them without straining too much.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                            Baz, you are getting some good, honest feedback here from experienced writers who have seen countless proposals like yours. Experienced screenwriters, who you've targetted, have most likely been down this rocky road before (I certainly have) and I'd be surprised if any of them bite. You are more likely to attract someone fairly new who has a what the hell, something may come of it attitude. Unless you get lucky with an up-and-comer, I suspect you'll have to stump up some bucks to get a decent adaptation.

                            Also, your bitterness and failed writer comments come across as immature and, for me, set off warning bells. To be honest, I wouldn't work with you after reading this thread. It looks like a recipe for disaster. If you have such a hostile attitude to people who disagree with you, and such a skewed interpretation of their motives, I wonder how you will be able to work with a writer who wants to make any changes to your story.

                            Anyway, that's my 2 cents' worth. You have a book written - which is great - but IMO you should take a step back and think about how you are approaching this project, as on your present course I think you are making things very difficult for yourself. Good luck.
                            TimeStorm & Blurred Vision Book info & blog: https://stormingtime.com//

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Equity split- Award winning novel seeking exp screenwriter for adaptation

                              These replies are so sad, bitter, humorless. The croaking of defeated squares, stuck in horrible jobs and 2D lives; hysterical, miserable and angry, raging against something they don't actually care about. Weird.

                              I live in Bangkok and there's a saying I often hear here aimed at those who bitch and whine and criticize due to their own failings:
                              "Your anger will punish you." or translated into less formal vernacular,
                              "Chill."

                              As for William S. Burroughs, gather round kids and I'll tell ya what...

                              I'm old. Burroughs and I met in Montreal a long time ago when I was living there. He was touring with his shotgun art. Wish I'd had the money to buy one then. We compared notes on junk in Montreal and NY. He was gracious in accepting a small offering of our local fare.

                              Among aficionados, Montreal had long been known to have superior dope and many a user rode the old slow train down to NY with an envelope in their shoe, if only to pay for their trip. That was back when everybody wasn't a wannabe cop.

                              After we'd met, Burroughs and I corresponded once in a long while. There used to be these things called letters you wrote either by hand on paper then mailed in an envelope. Or you could use a strange contraption called a 'typewriter' that made a helluva a racket. In fact, some hotels in Montreal were known to refuse to rent to 'writers' due to the constant machinegun-like hammering of their 'typewriter' keys.

                              Anyway, at one point I'd been using too much and had become paranoid, and wrote to Burroughs about psychic parasites. He replied, in his usual dry tone, this kind of thinking could be considered: "Morally dangerous."
                              When I showed the letter to my publisher, they decided to put it on the cover...

                              Well, this little excursion on the Intergoog has been a hoot but gotta fly...
                              Sitting in my cheap'n'sleazy hotel room, beautiful ladyboy whores hawking their wares down on the street below, traffic hollering, brilliant expat drunk chicks crawling up my stairs to do filthy things they'd never do at home... uh, nothing personal, but I am ever glad I'm not any of you. Phew...

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