I believe a story I'm working on has great potential to franchise. It's still a WIP, but it has an extensive backstory with only an infinitesimal part ever making it into the script and a huge time lapse between the second in the trilogy and the final installment. Very open for further development in the area of graphic novels, novels and anything else, really. As an unminted writer, what is the potential for me being a part of it beyond selling it? I would like to retain it, or at least control of the story development so it continues to follow my vision, and get money off it.
Screenwriting : Franchises by Robert Sprawls
Franchises
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Have the characters collide in amazing ways.. If it is believable you need to raise the steaks.
So I have to dine them? Should I bring shrimp and BBQ sauce too? Sorry, I couldn't resist. It was eating at me all day. Nyuk nyuk.
that's halarious Robert,, Keep plugging away... I appreciate you sense of humor!
Robert, truth is unless you have written an underlying intellectual property in addition to the script - a book, a graphic novel, etc - the chances are slim to none, certainly not more than the first 2 drafts. You need to protect yourself. My client wrote I, Frankenstein and it was totally rewritten (poorly) and it went to arbitration and only because he had written the graphic novel it was based on was he able to keep full credit. But you should also keep in mind, there's no such thing as a sequel until someone else tells you there is. Focus on making the first one as amazing as you can, worry about the rest later.
Understood about the sequel that is why I'm not working on one until something moves on the first. So, scripts have a different legal status than other written art forms? Or is it a different business status? I hope what you're talking about isn't what they call "collaboration," because it doesn't sound like collaboration to me. Sounds like theft.
In line with what Danny is saying, if it has potential as a series of graphic novels, DO IT! If they do well, Hollywood will come looking for you. And after they make the movie, you'll still own the franchise and they'll have to come to you again to buy the rights to do a sequel. If you do the script first and sell it, the franchise and characters are theirs.
Ok, I'm getting a better understanding. The rights to the story are tied to the original work, so by selling a scripted story with no precursor means I'm selling the right to the story. With a pre-cursor, I'd be selling rights to adapt it, but not rights to the story. That remains mine. Thank you all. I have the logline, but now I'm compelled to write a treatment/synopsis to help in securing an illustrator and a probable kickstarter campaign.