Screenwriting : Shopping Agreements by Tony McFadden

I have but it's been with shady broke producers and non-union mom/pop prod companies. Keep the agreement short time (under a year) and have your own lawyer look at any legal paperwork.

there is usually no money upfront. It really depends where you are in your writing career, players involved and which game you want to play - the indie world (no rules) or union world (standards).

This whole business is a dog and pony show.

I agree with the two Dans. Be very diligent.

- Do all the research you can on the individual you're dealing with.

- Use a professional template for your shopping agreement.

- With the help of an entertainment attorney, modify it to suit your terms BEFORE you send it to the producer.

- Keep it short (I'd say less than six months. Three is even better.)

- Talk with them about what they're specifically going to do with your script under a SA, e.g. pitch it at Cannes, AFM, etc. The quality of their strategy will tell you most of what you need to know about the worth of the shopping agreement.

Whether the SA leads to anything, who knows. It depends on the quality and grabiness of your concept and who is hearing your producer pitch it.

I wish you the best, Tony. Cheers!

I agree with the two Dans and Phil. You are in the right spot to find out the truth of it. Happy networking!

Thanks for the feedbacks. (Feedsback?) Mush appreciated. I'll let you know how it goes.

Good luck

Don't you hate when people spam their shit in a comment not related in any way at all with the subject of the thread?

There are a couple of things that irk me about this forum, I would say.

Okay, stupid question. What is a “shopping agreement”

John Iannucci - in screenwriting, for example, it's a short-term agreement between a writer and a producer (usually a producer, I believe) that gives the producer the right to 'shop' the script around and see if there's any interest in the market. If there is, the producer will probably option it from you; if not, the producer's rights over your work will expire when the shopping agreement expires. To use a relationship metaphor (roughly speaking): shopping agreement = dating; option = engagement; sale/production = marriage :)

Thanks Phil I was going to Sainsbury's mmm

I've done it, but only for a limited two-week period while the producer tried to attach a major star. When he tried to renew for a second two-week period, I refused, not wanting it shopped all over town. (Always insist the producer give you a list of who/where he shopped it so that if a manager asks you at a later date "Who's seen this?" you'll have an answer.)

Erik, I'm curious about why you didn't want a script shopped all over town. Isn't that the purpose?

Fingers crossed. Heading to the MIFF in August to hit up some financiers. The production company is, that is. More interested in the exposure at this point than a sale. (Not that I'd be disappointed in a sale.)

Tony McFadden did company pay you for a shopping agreement? Exclusive ? Short or long term

Shopping agreements are free from the encumbrances of financial gain ;^)

What it does do is allow a small production company who likes the screenplay, but can't afford to make it, have exclusive rights (for a short time) to shop (hence the name of the agreement) the screenplay around. Helps me because they have waaaaaaay more contacts than I do. Should a buyer be found, the production company negotiates their "Producers" deal, and I negotiate my "screenwriter" deal.

Yeah, the “money guy” never has any money. Always. Standard salespitch — “I know someone...”

Good Luck. And welcome to Show Biz.

Your cynicism tells loads. There's a producer/financier event at MIFF that the production company is taking the screenplay to. They are a small production company. Really don't have the money to do this without financing. Very few good movies are self-funded. Very few.

And if you could get someone else's money to make a picture, wouldn't you?

Why would I tie my script up in the hands of someone who can't produce it? I can shop it around (take it wide) all by myself - and so can you.

I've had two shopping agreements and nothing to show for it (other than developing relationships with producers). But you never know. Financiers look at a lot of material. Good luck, Tony!

Thanks Dan. That’s the whole point. Legally exposing myself.

My apologies. It was a very, very poor attempt at a joke. I’ll put my clothes back on.

It’s an adaptation of a novel I was a co-author on. Not one of the screenplays I have up here.

https://www.amazon.com/Into-Tordon-Z-F-Kingbolt-ebook/dp/B01NAAJVJ2/