Thanks for the info. I am so sorry that happened to you. That is so unfair. Sounds like things have gotten beter since then. Thank you for all the info you hae provided your reader. All the info is very helpful.

W-o-w. I'm officially hooked on 'Business of Screenwriting.' Sounds trite but, thanks for sharing.

I agree with tracinell. These are great little vignettes. I look forward to more of them. Thanks a bunch, Scott, for sharing your best and worst.

In high tech, I've written stuff that has an audience of millions...and my name is nowhere to be seen...at least screen writers get royalties...you have me thinking about this...

Great post, Scott.

Really looking forward to reading more of these Business of Screenwriting posts.

Oh my goodness, this is the nightmare. How painful.

Or. Any. Other. Format.

Yellow-sticked to my computer.

What a wonderful description, "schmoozing with a bunch of Type A parents dressed in Type B clothes" (writers tell the best stories!), I think I've been to some of those functions.

And damn, what a shame.

Sitting across from a lawyer some years ago next to my mom and a two foot high stack of documentation and correspondence (filled with promises) after a two year rather traumatizing ordeal with a sunroom contractor, only to find out the spirit and the letter of the law are two entirely different matters. Only a short (and casually signed at outset) contract held any sway (and no sway for us). For a short while after college and before art school I considered law school (logical puzzles! fabric of society!), over 30 informational interviews with alum (god forbid I do anything halfway) and lots of research (decided on intellectual property, could help artists) later, finally figured out I could not imagine spending everyday with lawyers.

Yay to a creative life! Now let's all find a damn good lawyer.

this is not just an issue for writers. Actors get hit with it as well. Or did. Most have learned to future proof themselves. But there was a time when DVD box sets etc didn't happen and actors didn't have clauses giving them royalties for the box sets, the online sales like itunes.
It's amazing to look at how much things have changed even in the last 5 years.

Great story, Scott. Brutal, but great.

Thanks for this reminder Scott. I will definitely remember to have this clause sealed in to my contract with any producers.

4 magic words " Or any other format!"

Best advice online so far for us screenwriters.

Thank you.

I and a cowriter are about to sign a contract with a UK Producer. Everything looks good until we saw this 'Right of first negotiation' WTH is that!? My question is this...what if you are a new writer, living on peanuts, and you can't get an entertainment attorney?