Adapting a novel into a screenplay

kirstin_mccormack · Jan 20, 2007

I have been dreaming about adapting my favourite novel into a screenplay for years.

How would one go about this? I suppose I need to find out if it's already been done/in the process... but I really have no idea of how to do it.

Should I contact the author and ask permission? Can I simply go ahead and work on the script? What sorts of legal requirements might there be?

dpaterso · Jan 20, 2007

Write to the publisher, they probably own the rights.

Check first that a film adaptation isn't already under way, Google the title (search on Google.com putting double quotes around the title for an exact search) and/or look on imdb.com (the Internet Movie Database).

You can go ahead and work on the script to your heart's content, but you can't show it to anyone, you can't query it or submit it anywhere, you're in breach of copyright the moment you do and subject to legal action by the publisher and possibly the author too.

If the novel achieved any kind of popularity then it's probably best to assume film rights have either been sold or are at least being considered. In which case, time to think about writing your own novel and/or screenplay.

-Derek

Adapting a novel into a screenplay

kirstin_mccormack

dpaterso

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