Need Advice on Contracts with Co-Written Script

geminii23

geminii23

A friend of mine and I co-wrote a short script. The idea and first three drafts were mine entirely. His part was to help with revisions and clean up. He worked on two sets of revisions and overall the changes were not drastic but the script is tighter and dialogue a bit better in spots.

He has since dropped out of the project due to commitments to other work. I registered the script in both of our names and gave shared credit with WGAW, IMDB, and also Library of Congress.

I since have been able to get two good SAG actors attached to the project and am starting pre-production entirely on my own. I also intend to fund a portion of the film myself and seek crowd funding for the rest. My question is that since we had no formal written agreement and he seems to not want to be involved anymore, if the film were to be successful and get picked up for distribution or be remade into a larger budget full length, where does this put me legally with my friend on such a sale?

Thanks.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
if his changes weren't drastic you may be able to have him as an uncredited writer. you can also put "story by" with your name and not include him there
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Well since you've documented the agreement in a public forum, he now would have legs to sue you if you decide to just drop him.

It sounds like he's performed his end of the agreement (revisions and touch ups). It's unrealistic to expect him to get involved in the production in any other capacity.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
His name is on the copyright registration. That means that legally he
has a claim on anything that is done with the script. He would have
no claim on any further revisions or remakes. But get an agreement
IN WRITING today. Not later today, not in a week or two. Call him
and discuss this with him today. Ask him what he would see as fair
compensation if the short script were to expanded by you into a
feature and sold. Ask him what he would see as a fair on screen credit
on the feature version. Then put together a simple agreement and
you both sign it.

Do it now.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
He would have no claim on any further revisions or remakes.
Click to expand...

Unless he assigned away those rights, he may just have a 50% claim. Copyright protects derivative works too.

But what Rik said is right, talk to him now. See if you can nut out a solution and get it in writing.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top