The Adaptation Journey: Adapting Existing Intellectual Property for TV and Film
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Webinar hosted by: Micky Levy
Writer and Filmmaker (RAILS & TIES, AMISH GRACE, NOBODY & THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS adaptations)
Micky caught the eye of Alison Eastwood and Warner Bros. with a script she wrote entitled RAILS & TIES. Directed by Eastwood, the film starred Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden. It premiered in the U.S. in the Telluride Film Festival and overseas at the Toronto International Film Festival. Since then, Micky has completed several book adaptations, including AMISH GRACE for which she received a Humanitas Prize nomination. Other adaptations include NOBODY from the award-winning book by Caryl Phillips, DANCING IN THE DARK, THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS from a best-selling novel by Israeli author Yuav Blum, and STOLEN WATERS from the Romanian short story collection by Ada Shauluv. Micky’s directorial work in film includes the shorts, PAGE’S GREAT AND GRAND ESCAPE, distributed by Virgin Produced, and UNION, starring Sean Patrick Thomas, which Micky adapted from a story by best-selling author, Steven Heighton. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Learn how the pros acquire the rights to books or other intellectual property and adapt them into your favorite films and television shows, from a writer who’s worked with Clint Eastwood, Kevin Bacon and more!
IP, short for “intellectual property,” has become the buzzword in recent years. Sometimes it seems like there aren’t any originals left. So if IP is what producers want, how are you supposed to get them to read your original pilot?
Maybe it’s time to adapt that short story, magazine article, or epic fantasy novel you’ve had on your mind for years.
Now, where do you begin?
How do you lock down IP before someone else does? What does it cost to get the rights to the source material? And once you do get the rights, how do you attack it so that it has your voice but stays true to the original?
In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, you’ll learn the ins and outs of landing the rights to every kind of source material, including understanding the chain of title, how to approach the author or reps of the IP, and the different rights agreements available to you. You’ll know how to break the story in a way that audiences will love while still making the story your own, and how to attract talent to create a package that sells.
Taking you through the journey of adaptation is Micky Levy, a screenwriter who launched herself in the industry with the script RAILS & TIES, which was directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden. She has a long history of adapting IP, including AMISH GRACE, which earned her a Humanitas Prize nomination, NOBODY by Caryl Phillips, DANCING IN THE DARK, THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS by Yuav Blum, and STOLEN WATERS by Ada Shauluv.
Micky will take you through the process of securing IP, her own process of breaking the story, and how to launch your own writing career or package the project to produce. Micky will even provide examples of decks and mood boards that help emerging writers and producers sell their projects and that you can use to create a buzz for the next hit film or series created by you.
You’ll also have the opportunity to ask Micky any questions you have during the live webinar about your own adaptation, writing process, or breaking into the industry. With Micky’s incredible industry experience, you can use this webinar to get ahead of the trends and snag the next juggernaut project based on IP that you had the foresight to discover.
PRAISE FOR MICKY'S TEACHINGS:
"Micky Levy was really well prepared and gave tremendous advice. Not only an experienced screenwriter and a skilled communicator, but just a fine human being too." -John D.
"The webinar was very informative and helpful. I appreciated the inclusion of the instructor's own pitch deck during the presentation to have as an example."
-Ardith M.
"GREAT info - I will have to watch the replay to get it all again! Thank you!" -Paolina M.
What You'll Learn
The First Step: Getting the Rights
- Why getting exclusive rights to intellectual property is a must
- Establishing the chain of title
- How to get the rights
- How to approach the agent, publisher, or author of the IP
- Shopping agreement vs. option agreement
- What is public domain IP?
The Development Process
- Do you write your optioned IP on spec on pitch it?
- What is packaging?
- How can packaging inform your development process?
- How can packaging sell your adaptation?
- Identifying theme and tone
- Researching the marketplace
The Treatment
- Why you should begin your adaptation with a treatment
- The differences between a pitch and a treatment
- When to use a pitch and when to utilize a treatment
- Short-form vs. long-form treatment
The Materials
- What do you need to draw attention to your adaptation?
Examples: Decks and moodboards
Q&A with Micky
About Your Instructor
Micky Levy
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Testimonials
"Micky Levy was really well prepared and gave tremendous advice. Not only an experienced screenwriter and a skilled communicator, but just a fine human being too." -John D.
"The webinar was very informative and helpful. I appreciated the inclusion of the instructor's own pitch deck during the presentation to have as an example."
-Ardith M.
"GREAT info - I will have to watch the replay to get it all again! Thank you!" -Paolina M.
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