Unfair movie rights.

[UCHE OBI]

So I just found out that authors SELL their books ot a movie company and after that, they basically have no rights whatsoever on what they want for their book. Not the casting,places or anything. I feel that its unfair and horrible, I mean if it wasnt for YOUR book the directors and everyone else involved wouldnt be getting the money their earning . Shouldbt you have a say as to what you want? Isnt it YOUR vision? Well it is for me, im thinking about not only writing but directing, acting, and becoming a screenplay writer, thats the only way you get to create your vision. Does anyone else agree or disagree?

[Brandi Heather]

I completely agree with you. I do think that authors put so much time and dedication into their work, but when the sell it -- it is sold. Honestly, it is kind of like if you made clothes, and you spent hours working on one t-shirt. Someone is going to want to buy it, but then you have not rights to it. You can't tell that person when to wear it, or what to wear it with, or anything else.

I think what irks me the most about it is that I read these great works, and then I have a high expectation when I go to see the movie. I get disappointed every single time. I don't think that the end result of these movies are what the author's had in mind from the beginning.

My favorite author is Jodi Picoult, and when the movie "My Sister's Keeper" came out, I was horrified. It was COMPLETELY different from the book. The casting was awful, and it was not what I expected at all. I actually wrote her and asked her why she would allow such a thing (because I didn't know about the legality of them selling the rights to their books) and basically her reply was that she isn't selling the book, she is selling the RIGHT's to her book. So what that means is that she is selling the "main idea" behind the story, and the producers/directors/etc get to have "creative rights" to it.

I still don't think it is fair -- and honestly if Hollywood would just realize that the movies are never half as good as the books, then we would all be better off!

[Chriss Cornish]

Thought I'd point out that it's almost never the AUTHOR that sells the rights. It's the PUBLISHER who sells the media rights when a book gets optioned, and the Author gets a share.

Because it's the Publisher who owns the rights to the book in the fist place, at least for the period of time mentioned in the contract with the Author; that's one of the things the Publisher is buying when the Author sells the novel to them. (the contracts are also specific about what mediums the Publisher owns the rights for. So on older books the Publisher doesn't own the electronic rights. One of the barriers to ebooks).

Options/selling the movie rights to a work have a time limit, by the way, that's written into the contract. If the company doesn't do anything with them in that time then the rights return.

Selling movie rights to a book is like a writer selling a screenplay; the company bought it, it's theirs, and you've got to sigh and let it go.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I do think it's a bad move to not consult the author at all when it's a book that's being adapted. Afterall, the goal is to reproduce a work in a different medium and a chunk of your audience is going to be the original customers, so to speak.

[Maria Hesh]

Many years ago, Jacquelyn Mitchard (who also was a newspaper columnist and magazine writer -- I adored her work) wrote "The Deep End of the Ocean," which became a movie starring MIchelle Pfeiffer. The movie did not do well, by the way...

In any case, she wrote something at the time about how you can take the money or you can whine, but you can't do both.

HA!! I found exactly what she said: "From their anguished comments, I have to believe that some authors are forced at gunpoint to accept film-option money, but this was not my experience. Where I come from, it's sort of a code that you can either take the money or moan about the process, but not both."

She did acknowledge that the process was not without her experiencing pangs and qualms.

And she also said something about how she got the chance to tell the story her way once, and that the book will hold up, no matter what happens to the movie.

All that said, I STILL remember seeing the movie "Gone With the Wind," and being utterly astonished as to how much was left out..."

And by teh way, here's a link to Jacquelyn Mitchard -- I'd not thought of her in quite some time and also didn't realize I was spelling her name wrong. The things you find out!

[UCHE OBI]

Well I havent read The deep end of the ocean but I have seen the movie and i thought that it was amazing. It depends on who you sell the rights of the book too. For example Stephaine Meyer sold the rights to Summit and look how all of the movies are turning out? They leave so much out that when people go to see the movie who havent read the books they ask what all of the fuss is about? The movie was horrible. But the truth is the books are better and young teens are just in love with the fact of being in love, finding their Edward, and of course Taylor Launter and all of the Twilight stars. None of the real credit goes to the authors of the book, its just like they wrote it and thats it.