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Hollywood called - need to find an LA based agent...
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T.J. wrote: "My book Vanirim just won the Sci fi / Fantasy category in the Publishers Weekly BookLife Fiction prize and the producers of XMen / Fantastic Four want to set up a call to discuss taking an option. ..."Ask someone at Publisher's Weekly who they would recommend. Possibly see who the agents are for ten writers in the game. If you don't find one before your meeting it's okay. You won't be offered a contract immediately and you will be given some time to consider your options. Congrats on your success!
Wow, congratulations!! Maybe a lawyer who knows about this sort of thing, too? There must be lots of those in LA?
That is so exciting- You need an entertainment lawyer- not a regular one. Google entertainment lawyers in LA and pick one with the best recommendation.http://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/entert....You can try to call Creative Artists Agent for an agent- but they don't like to take indies (even with interest in the book). Try William Morris and United Talent Agency. Good luck!! Nice work on PW!
It's a long process and sometimes they call, make inquiries and then it just sits.
T.J. wrote: "My book Vanirim just won the Sci fi / Fantasy category in the Publishers Weekly BookLife Fiction prize and the producers of XMen / Fantastic Four want to set up a call to discuss taking an option. ..."Sorry, I can't help with agent recommendations for movie rights, but I just wanted to say congratulations. That's fantastic news!
What a dream come true! I don't know of any agents, I'm afraid, but I'm so excited for you! Congrats!
I know squat about agents but I just had to say congratulations. Way to go TJ.
Nice one, TJ!! :) from my limited experience in the search for L.A. agents, I found that they require a referral from someone already in the business.
My son got an agent through his lawyer. She is an entertainment lawyer that he got by cold calling a big LA firm and pitching himself to her. She told us that unless the book was published by a regular publishing house (not indie)- nobody would buy it for a movie. She then told us, that literary agents only sell to publishing houses and to sell to a film company, you need an additional agent- one that pitches to production companies. I don't know if that's true- it just what we've been told. We've been option three times for films and had about five inquiries from production companies on different titles, both his as well as my own.. The production company then takes the idea and pitches it to a studio for financing. NO firm deal on a movie yet, though. It's a really exciting process, but the take away was it takes a long time for anything to happen.
Carole wrote: "My son got an agent through his lawyer. She is an entertainment lawyer that he got by cold calling a big LA firm and pitching himself to her. She told us that unless the book was published by a reg..."Thanks Carole and Marie, yes that's what I would expect, but I got approached directly by the production company executive, I guess on the basis of the prize win. I'll try to approach some film industry agents in LA directly but I know they would usually only take calls from literary agents. Maybe I can cut through given I've already been directly approached...
I can't help you, sorry. I just want to congratulate you and to wish you good luck! :) A dream come true! :)
Being contacted directly cuts out the literary and film agent. I think you need someone to negotiate the best contract. You don't want them to option you for a few bucks for a long period of time while they shop it around. It locks you up and then you can't entertain other offers if they come your way. A lawyer will broker the deal to your advantage. It may be hard to get an agent too. When my son had it first inquiry it was from a well known Hollywood producer. I had to use a major connection to get a well known agent to do what they call a pocket listing. It was a tremendous personal favor for me and not even this producers interest was the motivation. Pocket listing meant they would only represent this one project and only to that one producer. Kind of like they didn't want the whole commitment thing and she didn't want to shop it around if it didn't work out. So, essentially she only benefitted if that one deal- which we achieved by winning several awards and it was on Amazon's best-seller's list for over a year in its genre. Well, they eventually passed and she never did anything else for us. He was crushed, and then actively pursued finding an entertainment lawyer bypassing the whole agent thing. When he convinced the lawyer to take him on, she made one phone call and he got a literary agent. It's been five months now, and I am not sure how this will play out- but it is a long and windy road. PW is powerful and being chosen by them as the best of the year is exactly what producers are looking for. That's why I think entering books in awards is so important. When they win- they really stand out!
Definitely get an agent or a lawyer before you negotiate / agree to anything. Agents love writers who already have someone interested in paying for their work. Call a few agencies and tell them what's going on, let them know who the producers are who approached you (use their names when talking to the agency, don't say 'the producers of X-men & Fantastic Four') and that they want to option your book. I'm sure most agents will welcome a meeting or phone call with you if A-list producers want to option your work. Congrats!
Rhonda is absolutely right. "use their names when talking to the agency, don't say 'the producers of X-men & Fantastic Four" is great advice. Keep us posted.
Thx for all the advice! I owe an update, tho as someone mentioned, things in the movie industry move at a glacial pace...I called the producers and had a very nice chat with them about what they were looking for, what caught their eye about the book, how the industry works (from their perspective etc). I told them I am trying to secure an agent and would get back to them and that was fine by them. (I've been pleasantly surprised that they even answer my mails and calls!)
Meantime taking the advice of people here, I spammed a list of LA film agents who cover both film and literary agent side (telling them about above) because I have neither and need both! One of the larger ones got back to me straight away and now I have a whole lot of paperwork to look at, which as far as I can see just means they will 'consider' taking me on. I guess we'll see if that goes any further, meantime I will keep looking in case that one falls through.
But hey, that is all a lot further down the path than I ever expected to be when I started self publishing a year ago, so I am a happy camper!
Thanks again everyone for the guidance... you guys are great.
TJ
Good luck! Exciting news!
That is so awesome and exciting. Good luck!
Demand to be an Executive Producer on the movie. Im an entertainment lawyer in LA, and I can tell you more, but I see you are already on your way. The most important aspect is not only getting paid but get credit. Without the proper credit, you dont get to own a piece of the back-end of the movie.
Michael wrote: "Demand to be an Executive Producer on the movie. Im an entertainment lawyer in LA, and I can tell you more, but I see you are already on your way. The most important aspect is not only getting pa..."
Thanks Michael good advice!
Luck me dear. I reckon fame and fortune calls
I don't want to negotiate this myself . . . so need a recommendation for an experienced agent or how to find one. Any suggestions welcome, especially any personal recommendations.