Screenwriting : Adapting an IP by Edward Veltre

Edward Veltre

Adapting an IP

Hi Everyone,

I have an idea floating around, but it's based on an IP. Who would be the right people to get the rights to use the IP?

Dan MaxXx

Hire a lawyer and get your own paperwork in order first (I would form a LLC solely for film project), then contact Business Affairs Dept of company who owns IP

Craig D Griffiths

If it is a book. A good place to start may be the publisher. It is going to be a little bit of investigation work.

Abeeha Alam

Definitely hire a lawyer to cover yourself.

Nick Waters

Good question Edward Veltre. I recommend checking out this course to help with this project:

https://www.stage32.com/webinars/The-Adaptation-Journey-Adapting-an-exis...

David Abrookin

As someone who used to have to dig around to find rights holders, start with the publisher (books/magazines/comics) or studio (film/TV)

Kiril Maksimoski

Based how? Loosely? I mean you have a spy trying to save the world, just label it 008 or something...

Edward Veltre

It's a spin-off of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that focuses on two potential slayers who died in S7 and get brought back to life; Chloe and Amanda who now must go on a journey to form a slayer squad while trying to survive in a changed world.

Phil Clarke

Does it need to be linked to Buffy though? Wouldn't it stand up on its own merits if you wrote it outside of the Buffy story world? In my view, that's how you should approach it.

Dan MaxXx

Buffy? Hard pass.

You're writing fan fiction.

Erin Leigh

I agree with Phil. The angle sounds fantastic. Change the names/backstory and make it your own.

Bulent Hasan

I agree, forget the whole buffy connection, create a whole new reason why these two exist in this world to fight vampires. make it your own. trying to connect it to property that you legally have no ownership to is an uphill battle.

Edward Veltre

I have read your comments. Thanks for sharing your opinions. To answer one of you, this won't be connected to Buffy since I plan to make it stand on its own like Agents of Shield. Also, I plan to introduce new supernatural threats in this world for Chloe and Amanda to face.

Ewan Dunbar

If it is a book you want to know the IP holder of, contact the publisher as they may have a deal with the author regarding multi-media adaptations.

Erin Leigh

Hi Dan, Edward mentioned the story would be a spinoff of the Buffy world. Edward, that means you would need to get permission from Joss Whedon/20th Century Fox to move forward.

Edward Veltre

Hey Erin, could I contact 20th Century Fox about this through their website?

Lisa Lee

Edward Veltre Big studios don't talk to unrepresented writers. At least they didn't used to. Years ago, I sent a query to Warner Bros about an idea I had for a property they owned. They sent the letter back with a note stating that they only read my material enough to see why I had sent the letter.

Erin Leigh

Hi Edward, so I'm still pretty green compared to some of the writers here, and, while I am an eternal optimist, my understanding is that you would need to have some pretty MAJOR connections in L.A. to make something like this happen. My advice from earlier still stands: change the names and backstory, get it all on paper, and then this becomes YOUR world and YOUR IP. You're the Joss Whedon, then. ;)

Stephen Folker

If it was a local company or story, sure, you could ask and make it happen. If it's a big brand / company, you are wasting your time and resources.

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