SCREENPLAY Question For People Who Know About The Industry?
Question by bobbysolo: SCREENPLAY Question For People Who Know About The Industry?
Hi i want to find out exactly how the industry works if anyone can help.
For example.
If i write a script based on a cartoon series or a book do i need permission from the cartoon series production company or book writer.
for example if i wrote a script about aladdin and went to disney and said i have an idea for a movie. what stops disney from saying no to my script and making the movie themselves if you know what i mean. because i cant register a script of a franchise that is owned by a particular company.
and i cant sell the script to paramount or universial since there not disney.
like x-men for example. is it always the studio who wants to make these movies or do people write scripts hoping to get them made.
any info on the matter will help alot.
PS its not aladdin im writing a script about. im actually thinking about writing a script about a marvel comic character. so before i write i want to know if theres any point in starting if its all in house writing anyway.
anyway just flood me with alot of information and examples please.
Best answer:
Answer by Sabot03196
No point in writing anything based on a Marvel or DC character. Marvel and their full catalogue was just recently purchased by Disney. Any infringement on their property will bring them down on you like a ton of bricks and they have a record of suing over the smallest of perceived infringements.
And yes, they’ll develop in house. Why wouldn’t they? They have access to writers with produced track records, who they know can bring a script off.
So, if you want to write a super hero script, you’ll have to create one from scratch.
Anything based on any written or created material that is less than 99 years old has its copyright held either by the individual, that individual’s estate or in the case of a film by the production company that made the film. So if you want to go down the path of adapting another work, you will need to purchase the right to do so or at the very least secure written permission.
I’m a produced screenwriter with feature film and TV credits.
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