Agents who handle book film/TV rights

jimbo1981

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Hi everyone,

Please excuse me if this has been asked before. I've recently published a novel and am looking to shop the film and TV rights. Are there agents or agencies who do this? I know lit agents handle their own clients but I don't have a lit agent at the moment.

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
 

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If you've actually published it, the chances any agent will want to look at it now are vanishingly small. The reason for that is first rights, which are the most valuable, are gone forever.

I could be wrong about you finding one, though (I'm frequently wrong about a disheartening number of things). Maybe there are film-only agents who'll take a look at this. For your sake, Jimbo, I hope that's the case here.
 
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whiporee

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There are agents who specialize in book-to-film, but they usually only work through referrals, and then usually only when a book deal is in place.

Grisham sold the film rights to The Firm before he had a book deal, but that's pretty rare.

However, if you've got an agent, there's nothing wrong with asking him/her if they have anyone they could suggest.
 

shelleyo

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If you self-published and the book isn't selling spectacularly well, you probably won't find an agent to do that. If it's selling really well, maybe ask somewhere like the Writer's Cafe at kboards.com, where there are likely to be people who self-published and have agents for foreign and film rights. Maybe they can recommend someone.

But chances are that if it's selling well enough for an agent to spend time marketing foreign and film rights, an agent will approach you.
 

MandyHubbard

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If you've actually published it, the chances any agent will want to look at it now are vanishingly small. The reason for that is first rights, which are the most valuable, are gone forever.

I could be wrong about you finding one, though (I'm frequently wrong about a disheartening number of things). Maybe there are film-only agents who'll take a look at this. For your sake, Jimbo, I hope that's the case here.

This may derail the thread a bit, but just to point out to anyone reading this-- 'first rights' are hardly a concern any more, and they certainly are not the "most valuable" rights.

Back to the question at hand, since you self-published, most film agents aren't going to bother with it without impressive sales. (I'm talking tens of thousands or preferably into the hundreds of thousands).

They often look at books for film potential but you haven't met the easiest test of quality for them-- a large publisher picking it up. In the absence of that as a litmus test, it's the sales they'll look to.
 

jimbo1981

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I actually didn't self-publish. It was published by a small but reputable publisher.

I guess I'm looking for book to film agents, if there are such a thing.
 

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If you have a contract with a trade publisher--albeit a small one--you need to check that contract to see if you still control film and TV rights to this book. There's a good chance you signed them over to the publisher when you signed over the rights to the book.
 

jimbo1981

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Yup, I own all the rights. I made sure before I signed the deal.
 

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As you probably know, many larger lit agencies have partner agencies or strong relationships with individual agents on the Hollywood side and they work in tandem.

Since you said you don't have a lit agent at the moment, here are a few suggestions.

Most of the larger Hollywood agencies have a book department or at least an agent or two, that focuses on book to film/TV adaptations.

For example, at ICM Ron Bernstein and Josie Freedman head that department. Kassie Evashevski and Howard Sanders do at UTA. Brady Rivers at Gersh specializes in it. Sarah Self at WME has done a lot of book to film/TV deals as well.

You could also check out management companies as many of them now represent authors/book properties. Companies like Heroes & Villains, Gotham Group and Circle of Confusion represent not only screenwriters, but comic book creators and authors, with the intention of getting the IP's made into film/TV.

Good luck!
 
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AngelicaRJackson

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Was just about to ask this question--I'm in a similar situation in regards to publishing (agentless--long story) with a small press, except I already have interest for film. I kept the film and merchandising rights, and the PM announcement for my book listed the person handling my foreign rights, so that's who the production company contacted. Signing with her for the film rights is an option, but I'd like to make sure it's the best option.

I've contacted Sean Daily at Hotchkiss and found a few other names through Publisher's Marketplace, but am unsure if you approach them like a regular query? Or whether it's okay to call? There are some circumstances that might need to make this timeline move faster, but I'm admittedly out of my depth here.
 
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Melville

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Was just about to ask this question--I'm in a similar situation in regards to publishing (agentless--long story) with a small press, except I already have interest for film. I kept the film and merchandising rights, and the PM announcement for my book listed the person handling my foreign rights, so that's who the production company contacted. Signing with her for the film rights is an option, but I'd like to make sure it's the best option.

I've contacted Sean Daily at Hotchkiss and found a few other names through Publisher's Marketplace, but am unsure if you approach them like a regular query? Or whether it's okay to call? There are some circumstances that might need to make this timeline move faster, but I'm admittedly out of my depth here.

If you already have a production company interested in your literary property you don't need an agent if you don't have one. You need an entertainment attorney. Not any attorney but one who specializes in film rights. But you don't need to do anything yet. Just wait and see if the prod co follows through and what they're offering -- get the deal on the table. They're probably after a low ball option, but it costs you nothing to listen to what they propose. 98% of these exploratory deals never come to pass so you don't need to rush it.

If they offer a contract just say you'll have your entertainment attorney review it.
 

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Strictly speaking, you don't need an entertainment attorney either.

In my experience, literary agencies which also have a film division handle such rights far better than solicitors.
 

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Strictly speaking, you don't need an entertainment attorney either.

In my experience, literary agencies which also have a film division handle such rights far better than solicitors.

You're certainly correct, OH, but if the poster doesn't have an agent and a deal is on the table he/she could find an entertainment attorney by tomorrow where a lit agent might be a longer process. Since film options happen all the time and often involve very little money a lit agent probably won't be enticed enough to take the poster on as a client based solely on a film rights offer.
 

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You're certainly correct, OH, but if the poster doesn't have an agent and a deal is on the table he/she could find an entertainment attorney by tomorrow where a lit agent might be a longer process. Since film options happen all the time and often involve very little money a lit agent probably won't be enticed enough to take the poster on as a client based solely on a film rights offer.

Solicitors (and attorneys) can tell whether a contract is legal or not. But they often can't tell whether or not a contract grants an author favourable terms, or whether or not an author has better options to explore; nor do they usually negotiate as effectively as an agent, or as knowledgeably.

I agree with you that many options aren't lucrative enough to interest an agent, but I'd argue that in that case they probably wouldn't interest a writer either; I disagree with you that it is quicker and easier to find an appropriate solicitor than an interested literary agent when a deal is on the table.
 

AngelicaRJackson

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Thanks for chiming in!

I negotiated the publishing contract myself, with the help of an IP attorney (Elaine English) for understanding terms and that went well, so I wouldn't rule out working with a reputable entertainment attorney.

I'm currently agentless by choice, meaning that when I signed with my previous agent there were others in the running I could certainly follow up with. And my publisher says they often "matchmake" with agents too. But after a less than ideal experience, I'm content to not be tied into a contract with an agent for now.

That said, when I withheld the film rights, I wasn't expecting to be contacted within a few days of the PM announcement! I have 3 film agents I'd like to try, but as I said I'm unsure of the etiquette. For one of them, I can check in with an agent-friend at the same agency and ask her, so I'll do that today. I would like to make contact with someone before I go out of the country for a bit, so I'm hoping that this timeline is not the same as regular querying!

(For some reason, my subscription didn't show the replies to this thread, so if I don't respond my apologies)
 

AngelicaRJackson

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Heard back from the agent-friend who checked with their rights department and am reporting back here. They basically said until it's an actual offer, it's going to be difficult to get a film rights agent at this stage. Also, it's feasible to handle the offer myself, with the help of an attorney just like I did with the book contract.

I did try contacting a few film rights agents by phone today and got mixed results: one flat out said "we don't talk to anybody unsolicited, period", one took my info and said the agent would call me back, one directed me to a different email than I'd already tried at the agency.

I also heard back from the original agent, who said she was assuming I'd gone with another agent since I hadn't been back in touch with her (since last week!). I clarified that I was still waiting to hear back, and did she still want to be in the running? So we'll see what happens there.

I may very well just decide it's not necessary for me to make a decision about representation at the moment, and just see what the production company comes back with.
 

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Kfu3000

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I thought this might be of interest for authors looking to develop their novel/manuscript into a film/TV project or interested in screenwriting (and possibly vice-versa).

It's a newly uploaded podcast I did with Gotham Group Lit Manager, Eddie Gamarra who specializes in the film and television development of animation, book and graphic novel properties.

I talked to Eddie about how literary reps in the film/TV world work with their publishing counterparts, if self-publishing is a viable route to develop a book IP for film/TV development, developing animation and comic book properties, gives tips to authors looking to become screenwriters and much more.