Screen treatment of Novel

wilhem spihntingle · Jan 9, 2010

Hi Ya'll. Used to spend allot of time on the WD MB, but AW is so much better.

My question: I have written a crime thriller and my intention from day one was to write it in a way that would make it attractive for screen rights sale. Are there any avenues where I can submit a completed manuscript for review and screen play treatment. Do colleges (film schools) do this? I'm not intersted in paying any $, and I don't expect any, but I figure if it were to be chosen for such treatment, it might help me. Maybe I'm off my rocker but, I figured I'd ask.

I was Martin Tupper before he was, and I worship movies etc. The first chapter of DreemWeever is posted in the M/S/T SWY forum if interested. The MC in that chapter was modeled after Cameron Diaz, but with a wavy, perm hair style.

Peace,

W.S

WMcQuaig · Jan 9, 2010

Best Advice I can give you for that is to write it yourself. Any writer that you might approach to do it, unless they are lower down on the totem pole, would more than likely charge a fee.

On the other hand, you might be able to find a writer that is lower on said totem pole (Much like myself) who might be able to do it but you also have to factor in a couple of things:

1) They might have projects of their own they are working on.

2) They might not be that great at screenwriting and might totally butcher your storyline.

3) You might not like what they give you.

In any case, you would come out ahead in the long run to write it yourself.

Mac H. · Jan 9, 2010

Hang-on.

You have an unpublished novel, and you want a writer to spend weeks on a project to create a screenplay treatment from it.

But you want the writer to do it for free. But at the end of it, they won't have anything they can develop further for themselves, because they won't own the underlying rights.

It sounds like a lousy deal for the writer.

If you don't want to pay someone else to do it, you should just do it yourself.

Mac

dpaterso · Jan 10, 2010

wilhem spihntingle said:
Are there any avenues where I can submit a completed manuscript for review and screen play treatment. Do colleges (film schools) do this?

Alas I've never seen anyone mention this kind of service before. Asking someone else to adapt your novel into a screenplay treatment sounds kinda odd, especially when you throw "for free" into the mix. Your best bet might simply be to look at screenplay treatments and have a go yourself. Useful article: Michael Hauge's Rules for Adaptation

The first chapter of DreemWeever is posted in the M/S/T SWY forum if interested. The MC in that chapter was modeled after Cameron Diaz, but with a wavy, perm hair style.

Just saying, unless your MC is a famous award-winning actress best known for her comedy roles, that's not exactly a helpful description, for the novel or the screenplay.

Me, I'd concentrate on finishing the novel (if it isn't already) and getting it published. That could give your agent leverage when selling other media rights. If the stars align, you could be hired to adapt your own novel into a screenplay -- which is when I'd worry about writing a treatment.

-Derek

icerose · Jan 10, 2010

I'm with dpat. Get it published, make it a best seller, then talk movie adaption via your agents. Getting a movie made is harder than getting published. And publishing isn't easy to begin with.

wilhem spihntingle · Jan 10, 2010

All,

I stand before you with a humble and contrite heart and head and arms firmly locked in the stockade. So fire away. Please, no glass or rocks, as I can't afford to get an uglier

. The article posted was very informative. The novel is done, and thank you for settiing me straight. Peace, W.S

Screen treatment of Novel

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