Film rights for short stories

[lostlore]

I've been reading about how many movies have gotten their genesis from short stories as opposed to novels -- there's a lot of them -- and I wonder if anyone has any experience in this area.

How common is it today for film rights to be purchased from a short story? Is it even something to think about? And when a studio wants your story, what might you expect in terms of pay for selling the movie rights?

[Soccer Mom]

I have no clue about this. I'd be afraid of suffering brain damage when I passed out and hit the floor--cause that's what would happen if a studio called about one of my short stories.

[Twizzle]

well, like Zoetrope? Don't they buy an option for film rights if they buy your story? or something like that? I think it's like for a year.

[Kate Thornton]

I had an independent film production company contact me for rights to a story last year. Unfortunately, I had sold those rights with the story (stupid me!) and could not help them. It was a story I wrote nearly ten years ago - I would have loved to see it as a film.

A note: think twice before you sell all rights to a story - even for $100 like I did.

[Soccer Mom]

I had an independent film production company contact me for rights to a story last year. Unfortunately, I had sold those rights with the story (stupid me!) and could not help them. It was a story I wrote nearly ten years ago - I would have loved to see it as a film.

A note: think twice before you sell all rights to a story - even for $100 like I did.


A gooood warning to heed. Did you faint? I would have.

[Stijn Hommes]

Yes, make sure you didn't sell them before.
There's the whole option thing (pretty much similar to an agent's exclusive - these don't suck as much). An option gives the company the right to make your story into a movie if production starts before a specific period of time ends.

[Kate Thornton]

A gooood warning to heed. Did you faint? I would have.

I didn't faint, but I had to adjust my heart medication on the spot. Yes, it was a great feeling!!!!

[Berry]

An option gives the company the right to make your story into a movie if production starts before a specific period of time ends.

That's not entirely correct. An "option" is just a fee the production company pays you to promise not to sell the film rights to anyone else for the option period. If the project gets greenlighted, then they STILL have to buy the rights, usually for a LOT more money than the option fee.

[Jamesaritchie]

That's not entirely correct. An "option" is just a fee the production company pays you to promise not to sell the film rights to anyone else for the option period. If the project gets greenlighted, then they STILL have to buy the rights, usually for a LOT more money than the option fee.

True. I have screenplays under option right now, one of which was based on a story I had published. Unless you're a famous writer, options won't make you rich, but the money is still a nice thing to have.

I'll also add that sometimes an option can be picked up by an actor, a director, or any interested party. Options don't always come from production companies, though this is the most common.

[Stijn Hommes]

No, but you do get rich if your screenplay is optioned multiple times before it actually gets greenlighted and sold.

[Jamesaritchie]

No, but you do get rich if your screenplay is optioned multiple times before it actually gets greenlighted and sold.

Maybe if it's optioned a thousand times, or so. Options generally pay very, very little, unless you're a famous writer with a household name, and even then the money can be surprisingly small.

I have one screenplay that's now had the option renewed several times, and I still haven't earn as much from it as I received for an advance with my last novel.

[Roadfish]

When you say options pay very little, how much is very little?

[Jamesaritchie]

When you say options pay very little, how much is very little?


Anywhere from $500 to $5,000 is about normal. An option really doesn't mean much. It's just means you can't sell film rights to anyone else during the time the option is in effect. It's not a film deal, it doesn't mean a film will ever be made, and it's usually fairly short term.

Stephen King can get a lot of money from an option. The average writer can't.

[Bo Sullivan]

Anywhere from $500 to $5,000 is about normal. An option really doesn't mean much. It's just means you can't sell film rights to anyone else during the time the option is in effect. It's not a film deal, it doesn't mean a film will ever be made, and it's usually fairly short term.

Stephen King can get a lot of money from an option. The average writer can't.

Oh what a dream it would be to get offered up to $5,000 for your work. I live in hope!

[Roadfish]

Is a short story treated by agents in the same way a treatment for a film?

[javili]

I think short stories become films mostly by being "pulled" by the film industry, not "pushed" by agents and writers.
Somebody reads a good story and wants to do a film. Or they have seen a lot of Phillip K Dick short stories do well as films and start looking for the next one. Or some such.

Just my impression.

[Jamesaritchie]

I think short stories become films mostly by being "pulled" by the film industry, not "pushed" by agents and writers.
Somebody reads a good story and wants to do a film. Or they have seen a lot of Phillip K Dick short stories do well as films and start looking for the next one. Or some such.

Just my impression.

Films get made in all sorts of ways. You generally get nowhere by pushing a short story, but you can get somewhere by writing a screenplay based on the short story, and pushing that.

And an agent/publisher can make sure the short story is read by the right people. Sometimes this is all it takes.