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He called me and wants to option my screenplay,but wants to pay an enormously low price for it. Has ayone ever dealt with him?

Are you talking about an option or a sale? Two different things, entirely.

A sale is an outright purchase of the script. An option means he will try to find someone else to buy it.

In your other post you mentionned $10,000 for an option. That's not bad, considering the trend is for free options. If he actually wants to purchase it for that, that is low for a full-length feature.

He wants to option it for something like 10 bucks. Then he wants me to rewrite based on he and his partners notes, then when they feel like it's in a position to buy, they are offering $10,000. It just seems so low once they would buy it. I just feel like he's trying to take advantage because he knows I'm trying to leave advertising for this and as far as he knows, I don't have an agent.

10K for a feature script sale is low.

Also, you have to remember that an option would put you out of the running for many contests listed here. Personnally, I wouldn't go for it. But that's my opinion.

Colin- my misunderstanding. I thought the offer was ten grand for the option. He's talking free option and free rewrite- forget it. He's yanking your chain. If he can't afford to pay for a script, why should you or anyone else believe he can afford to make a movie?

Colin,

Daphne is right. He sees something he likes in your script and is trying to hook you for a rediculous amount. We need to remember, as writers who have yet to "get over", to keep our heads when someone expresses an interest in our work. Oft times we get so excited that a body with a LA/CA address wants our stuff, we jump in head first without making a reasonable, current market comparison of our deal with what is happening elsewhere in the industry. I know, I've been there and have the scabs to prove it. Ten bucks is an insult...sounds like this guy didn't even have the cajungas to say "free". In this biz, money talks and BS walks...so tell him to strap on some comfortable footwear and start hikin'!

I got a similar "offer" from someone calling himself "Bodybag Entertainment."

He offered me $10K (outright) for Kameradenland last year. It was an offer I could, and did, refuse.

You worked hard on your screenplay. If somebody without a pot to pee in is willing to pay $10 for an option, it's good enough to attract a buyer who's the real deal.

I totally agree with Daphne on this. There's a lot of pond scum in this business, and worse. See my post on a "contest" somebody is running.

Hi, I looked him up on the IMDB...he's an actor/producer, so is most likely looking for a cheap star vehicle for himself. He has done some stuff tho', looks like he's heavily interested in vampires...or is one...

thanks for all yøur help you guys. Jody, I'm going to be really stupid and ask what it the IMDB?

Thanks again, guys. I appreciate your help.

Colin

IMDb is the Internet Movie Database. It's probably the most comprehensive movie site you'll ever run across on the internet. At www.imdb.com, you can perform a search by not only movie title or genre, but also by names (In this case, your man showed up as an actor apparently).

My suggestion would be to try contacting some people he worked with to find out more about him, so you can get the most comprehensive opinion about him possible.

Personally, I would most likely tell him to forget it, unless they were willing to offer you a LOT more when the movie is finished. 10K is a low price for something that you worked hard on (not to mention all the work you'd have to do with it once you'd sign on with him). I'm also starting out, but I would have to be convinced 100% that this offer was on the level to think about signing. If there was even a slight nervous feeling, hold off. You (and the rest of us) wouldn't want to become part of the thousands of burned out screenwriters who get burned by bad business decisions.

Barry

Thank you, Barry, for answering Colin's question about the IMDB in my absence. Well, you got all of our $0.02 worth, didn't you, Colin? ...Now, if you did let your work go for that, you'd never be able to look us in the cursor again! :] Good luck. There are plenty of good producers out there. You'll find one!