The Writer Got Screwed (But Didn't Have To): A Screenwriter's Guide to the Legal and Business Practices of the Entertainment Industry

by Brooke A. Wharton

Book Overview

The Writer Got Screwed is the first book to untangle the legal and business aspects of writing for the entertainment industry. For the young TV production assistant waiting for his big break, the executive with a treatment tucked away in a bottom drawer, the techie targeting the new field of cyberspace writing, or anyone who is inspired to write screenplays, this book is an indispensable road map to success. Savvy Hollywood entertainment attorney Brooke Wharton explains the proper methods of protecting creative work, decodes the legal jargon the new writer is likely to encounter (and be unfamiliar with), gives practical advice on how to find representation, explains the pluses and minuses of obtaining an agent versus a lawyer or manager, shows how to read between the lines of a contract before signing, tells how to receive appropriate compensation for work, and advises how to avoid getting sued or screwed along the way. Top writers from film, television and the emerging field of interactive entertainment candidly reflect on their careers, giving valuable advice on how to pitch ideas and offering alternative paths to success. For example, Jane Anderson, writer of How to Make an American Quilt, reveals how she made the move from television to big screen, and Philip Lazebnik, screenwriter for Pocahontas, recalls the collaborative excitement that lured him -- despite myriad obstacles -- to write for feature animation. Useful resources, including a glossary and lists of agencies, competitions, fellowships, internships and legal organizations, make The Writer Got Screwed an essential addition to every writer's tool chest.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062701304
• ISBN13: 9780062701305
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 21 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

GREAT Advice - More Relevant in '04 than Ever!! Excellent!

1 year & 3 complete reads. Those are my reading stats for Brooke Wharton's fantastic primer about writing for Hollywood. I initially read the book for an industry overview, and it was fantastic. Truly, there is ample useful information here that I have not seen in any other Hollywood How-To tome (I've read +20 of them). Subsequently, a book I wrote gained modest studio interest. I immediately returned to "The Writer Got Screwed" to understand my priorities and the dealmaking nuances. Again, it was an excellent resource and enabled me to ask the "right" questions. Finally, I used the book to draft an agreement with a screenwriting partner. It nailed our priorities/intentions, and withstood legal scrutiny. Bottom line: If you are writing for Hollywood, you have a helluva of a lot to worry about. Fretting about your deal shouldn't be one of them. Read the book. Then put it within easy-grab distance, because you'll be coming back to it! -- P.H. Mullen, author "Gold in the Water"

Terrific resource

This is a wonderful resource for screenwriters. Wharton demystifies the copywright/WGA registration issue, explains the legalities about writing true stories, offers great sample contracts, and clears up many of the questions writers are afraid to ask for fear of sounding ignorant. This book has been on my shelves for years, and I continue to refer and recommend it often. --Jenna Glatzer, jenna@absolutewrite.com

MANDATORY READING, MERITS 6 STARS

As an entertainment professional, I consider this book essential reading. Any aspiring or even working writer should pick this one up. In fact, anyone and everyone in the business of film-making would be well-served by reading this book. It's much more funny, informative, and relevant than the other similar books in the marketplace. The cost of the book is a small price to pay for an education that may help protect you for the rest of your career.

A WRITER'S BUSINESS PLAN BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS

I had the pleasure of the meeting the author, entertainment attorney Brooke A. Wharton with agent Jonathan Westover of The Gage Group. As a former paralegal, I am often questioned by friends and there are few books available that tell me something I don't already know about writer's business concerns. This book is one of them. More than just a guide, this book is a valuable and essential resource tool for every writer. Though the book focuses on the film industry, universal topics such as how to protect your work, contracts, release forms, managers, agents and lawyers - to query letters and competitions are covered in plain English and the information can easily be applied to any form of writing. For example, "pitching" is an art form similar to proposals, while rights and options are a key element in all news-related and fiction writing involving real people. Also, many agents handle both book manucripts and screenplays. If you're like me, your bookshelves are cluttered with writing industry books. Trust me, this one is worth it. Having this book is like having a lawyer at your fingertips. With information on networking, competitions, legal organizations and cyberscribing, thi book can serve as a writer's business plan blueprint. It was the best investment I made in my writing career this year. I honestly don't know of any writer who could not benefit from the information in this book.