# Appropriate amount for movie rights?



## Runner (Aug 3, 2011)

There may be a better thread for this question, but I can't find it. I've recently had a publisher buy my novel. They are getting inquiries into selling the movie rights. The novel isn't published yet, and I do not expect it to be a bestseller by any means.  My question is this: What is a typical amount offered for movie rights for a yet-to-be published work from a first time author with no previous track record?  I will trust my agent and publisher, but I want to hear some outside advice.  And if you can tell me in U.S. dollars, I would appreciate it.


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## Philzilla (Aug 4, 2011)

There is no price scale. It could be $0 to infinite, it just depends. A major studio will pay more than a small production company. It's a contractual situation. You could get a lump sum, say six figures, or a few hundred dollars with points, depending on whether the intellectual property is actually developed into a cinematic product.


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## Bloggsworth (Aug 4, 2011)

Philzilla said:


> There is no price scale. It could be $0 to infinite, it just depends. A major studio will pay more than a small production company. It's a contractual situation. You could get a lump sum, say six figures, or a few hundred dollars with points, depending on whether the intellectual property is actually developed into a cinematic product.



But remember, some of the biggest films in history have as yet (we are told) not moved into profit. See  Hollywood accounting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  and watch the original "Producers".

One way to look at it is in relation to your age and expectations and current earning power. If you can happily live without the money on offer, and/or think it is not enough, just tell them NO. It works on the same principle of not playing the stock-market unless you could actually afford to throw the money away. I am a pensioner, I have Mr Pickwick's  twenty shillings and sixpence, so could think that if they offer $1 million then they would actually pay $2M, and hold off for that, because actually for me it doesn't matter. On the other hand, if you are young and on the first rung of the ladder, then the opposite view applies, in which case do some checking; we know for instance, that Spielberg is an honorable man, so look for studios/producers with that sort of track record before deciding whether to go for a percentage or a one-off payment. For you, you need to be on the ladder, so having it said of you that  _"He sold film rights"_ instantly makes you a player - Just make sure that you have sold only the rights to one instance of the property in question, that you don't accidentally sell the TV rights and rights to produce further properties based on the character and/or concept. If it's going to fly, you need to be in control of its future, if it doesn't fly it doesn't matter, but it leaves you free to develop your own property.


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## KarlR (Aug 6, 2011)

Bloggsworth:

Do you have some experience with the Honerable Mr. Spielberg?  I'm looking for an in.  I just (three weeks ago) sent his organizationa acopy of my first novel.

Thanks,

K


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## Bloggsworth (Aug 6, 2011)

KarlR said:


> Bloggsworth:
> 
> Do you have some experience with the Honerable Mr. Spielberg?  I'm looking for an in.  I just (three weeks ago) sent his organizationa acopy of my first novel.
> 
> ...



No - I just know that for the first Star Wars film he offered Alec Guinness a %, and Guinness got rich as a result, none of the Hollywood tricks of the film making a loss on a turnover 100 times the cost...


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## Auskar (Aug 7, 2011)

In any negotiation, it seems you can negotiate terms or price.  An untested author may not have a lot of pricing power, so maybe you should focus on terms.


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