I have a low-budget spec feature that a small company wants to film. They are in talks with a director to take on the project. This director has read my script and said that he CANNOT work with the script in its present form. He will only take the gig if the script is changed to follow the treatment he has written for my script.
I don't know how extensive the notes/treatment is since he is still in talks with the production company on his own agreement. Another of his demands is that he get writing credit on my script.
As to the script, the company still has not given me an offer, but that did not stop them from asking me to meet this guy and talk about the rewrite and credit split. Which the director does not want to do until he gets his agreement finalized.
Is it normal for a director to come in and make whatever suggestions and demand credit? I'm sure in the industry any goes, as long as we all agree. I don't know how extensive the changes are, he may want a page one rewrite. I don't know yet.
If their offer comes back low, and assuming that I would take it, then I am inclined to not let go of any credit. If their offer is high, I may think about it.
Having been the writer and director on the feature I am working on now, I have not had to deal with an outside director.
I know all will say to get a lawyer. I kind of have one. I have spoken to her and she has given me great advice for free. But she is pricy, as she is from one of the top firms in L.A., and she has suggested that the deal outline should already be in place then she will step in. Even offering to actually write the contract the company would give me since she could do it faster than the usual back and forth that would happen if two lawyers had their way.
So, it looks like I will need to have the framework already in place before I bring her in.
But this credit thing really got my head spinning, since this is a low budget movie, I'm probably not going to get a lot of money out of this and now this guy comes in and wants a cut of my credit.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I don't know how extensive the notes/treatment is since he is still in talks with the production company on his own agreement. Another of his demands is that he get writing credit on my script.
As to the script, the company still has not given me an offer, but that did not stop them from asking me to meet this guy and talk about the rewrite and credit split. Which the director does not want to do until he gets his agreement finalized.
Is it normal for a director to come in and make whatever suggestions and demand credit? I'm sure in the industry any goes, as long as we all agree. I don't know how extensive the changes are, he may want a page one rewrite. I don't know yet.
If their offer comes back low, and assuming that I would take it, then I am inclined to not let go of any credit. If their offer is high, I may think about it.
Having been the writer and director on the feature I am working on now, I have not had to deal with an outside director.
I know all will say to get a lawyer. I kind of have one. I have spoken to her and she has given me great advice for free. But she is pricy, as she is from one of the top firms in L.A., and she has suggested that the deal outline should already be in place then she will step in. Even offering to actually write the contract the company would give me since she could do it faster than the usual back and forth that would happen if two lawyers had their way.
So, it looks like I will need to have the framework already in place before I bring her in.
But this credit thing really got my head spinning, since this is a low budget movie, I'm probably not going to get a lot of money out of this and now this guy comes in and wants a cut of my credit.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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