Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sale?

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  • Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sale?

    No. Hell No. Yes, "everyone uses everyone elses money", but the WGA should pass a rule that no prodco can
    shop a spec script to a studio or partner until at least
    an option contract has been signed between the writer
    and the prodco. Would you want to see you movie idea in the next Miramax release? Prodco's could care less. Whose gonna sue them? The poor writer who can't afford an entertainment lawyer. Or as I have said before...your script is all ready received coverage at the studio and the prodco arrives the studio tin cupping for funds. Some geek Story Analyst thinks you script sucked and wrote bad coverage. The prodco walks in with your hot property and gets blown away by studio coverage report. There goes your deal.

    Np payee. No shoppee. Clear and simple.

    Writers Unite. Join The Teamsters. The Strong Arm of
    Law. Let the Hoffa's Make Sure That Scripts Remain in the Hands of It's Brothers. The WGA is history. Teamsters Rule!

  • #2
    Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

    You may want to revise your post to be a little more coherent SD.

    But if I'm reading you right, you're saying a writer should not allow a prodco to shop his script without first getting paid for it (or at least some sort of contractual agreement).

    I agree, and as I understand it, that's the WGA's guidelines anyway.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

      Yeah, but it happens all the time.

      You give your script to producer, they like it, take it to the studio where they have a deal to see if they can get it off the ground - if not, the original producer tells you he or she is passing without going into the details of their little trip to the studio.

      Right or wrong, it happens ALL the time.

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      • #4
        Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

        Maybe you should read Steinberg's piece on how SLACKERS was sold to help you understand how the "territory" process works...

        www.scriptsales.com/DDReadSteinberg.html

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        • #5
          Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

          that's a great piece right there....

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          • #6
            Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

            Maybe I am ignorant, but I fail to see what's wrong with a producer seeing if he can get additional funding for a script he's considering before making a decision. If he gets a positive response, then the writer will get a sale.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

              Also addressing the issue is this excerpt from Steinberg's Done Deal interview:

              <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Why did your agent send it only to producers?

              That's more of an agent strategy. Think of the script-buying side of the industry as separated into two classes of people, producers and buyers. Buyers are companies with money that have the ability to purchase scripts. These are usually the studios, but there are self-financed production companies too like New Regency or SpyGlass. Producers, on the other hand, do not have money, they have deals. They take the script to the studio and ask them to buy the script for them to produce.

              The only people that got the script were producers because Jewerlâ€TMs theory is that a script coming into the buyer with a producer attached or at least a producer's interest is much more likely to sell. It all has to do with the theory that no one likes to go out on a limb until they hear what everyone else says. A studio executive is not going to risk his job by saying, â€This is a great script. Lets buy it.†But if he gets a script from some producer who says â€this is the best thing I've ever read, you've got to buy it for me,†then there is not as much risk in saying yes.

              It's also much easier to get a producer to like a script than a studio executive, because the producer is not paying for it. Producers take scripts to studios all the time and only a few of them get bought. There's also a much bigger pool of producers than buyers.

              <!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

              You can read the entire interview here: www.scriptsales.com/Stein...rview.html

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

                CRASH thanks for that article. What a great and inspiring read.

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                • #9
                  Re: Is It Right For A Prodco To Shop A Script Before Opt/Sal

                  I remember that script. It's called ALL EARS,
                  about a radio host who can read people's
                  thoughts. DHS should post some pages, you
                  know, for educational purposes only.

                  Rx

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    RE: CRASH - Buyers

                    Mr. CRASH. Hollywood Expert. Thanks for your insights.
                    You are correct. Studios are the money brokers most of the time. However, one should remember that there is the indie producer market that finances films independently (you site two examples) via private investors, overseas money, or banks. These prodcos
                    shop the script all over the place as well (co-producers,
                    money brokers). It ain't right until you get optioned for what you write. No ifs ands or buts. OR at the very least, have a conversation with the prodco to tell them that you have already been there and done that with a contact yourself. Clarify before you duplicate and have the excited prodco's vision turns to disappointment.

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                    • #11
                      Re: RE: CRASH - Buyers

                      I'm very confused, Storydude.

                      Are you saying that you want money upfront before a prodco shops your script around to studios? Isn't that the agents job? If that's not what you meant...

                      Are you saying that we, as writers, should be fair to the prodco who wants to shop our script around, to make sure that they don't cover the same ground that you already have?

                      I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying, I guess.

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                      • #12
                        Dr.S

                        How is it that you read ALL EARS? That was a while back. Were you at a production company then?

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                        • #13
                          Re: Dr.S

                          I was a minion at a studio. Actually, I haven't
                          read it but it made a big splash when it came
                          out.

                          Rx.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Dr.S

                            Simple solution StoryDude.

                            Make a stand on behalf of writers everywhere. Be the front line for your cause.

                            Explicitly forbid every company you query or submit to from shopping your screenplays in any manner, shape or form until you get paid.

                            In fact use that line in your query- <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Np payee. No shoppee. Clear and simple.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              ?

                              ALL EARS: What's it about?

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