5 Author Scam Red Flags: Film Rights

Turning a book into a movie is the ultimate dream for many authors—something scammers are all too eager to exploit. Don’t fall for their traps. Discover the top 5 red flags that could signal an author scam, and learn the truth about how film rights actually work.

Red flag #1: They want you to give them money.

At first, the email from the film producer/talent recruiter/screenwriter might seem legitimate. They probably won’t ask for anything, but after you respond, the truth comes out. They might ask for a screenplay or a book trailer or some other product related to your book. And it just so happens that they offer services to create those products or know people who will create them. So, you can get a screenplay of your book for only a couple hundred dollars.

Alternatively, some film rights scammers offer to put your book or screenplay into a into a database where Hollywood producers go to find books to make into movies. These databases are also scams.

They might claim the money is just a “retainer” or there’s a money-back guarantee if they do not turn your book into a film. Don’t be fooled. This is just another way scammers get people to give them money.

Red flag #2: They are a big Hollywood name.

Unless you have a personal connection to them or your book has sold thousands of copies, a film producer, writer, or actor is almost definitely not going to email or call you to ask for your film rights.

Red flag #3: The email address is suspicious.

The scammer’s email does not look like an official business email address. It might be a Gmail or Yahoo email address, instead of a company email. Alternately, it could be a company email address, but the company is brand new if you look it up online.

Red flag #4: Your book hasn’t sold many copies.

If your book isn’t a New York Times bestseller, then the truth is that it’s very unlikely someone is interested in purchasing the film rights. Anyone emailing you to ask to buy them is a red flag for author scams.

Red Flag #5 (more of a tip, really): Google common film rights scams.

Unfortunately, scammers are creative. So, it’s a good idea to look up common film rights scams, just to be aware of what’s going on even before you are targeted. Click here for a good article about film rights scams.

A note for anyone who already fell for a scam:

We’re so sorry. But also, don’t feel bad about yourself. A lot of scammers are very skilled at what they do. Anyone could get deceived.

So, How do Film Rights Work?

Another good way to recognize author scam red flags is to understand how film rights work.

There are usually two ways someone buys your film rights: options and outright purchase.

First, a studio usually buys options on your book. This is where a film studio pays you a certain amount of money for the exclusive right to make your book into a film for a certain period of time, usually 1 year to 18 months. In that amount of time, they will try to assemble a team to create the movie. After their time is up, they have to pay you again to retain the rights.

If a studio decides to make your book into a movie or TV show, then they will purchase the film rights, which means they have them forever. Then, they usually pay you a percentage of what the film’s budget is going to be.

If you’d like to learn more about how the process works and how to sell your film rights, I recommend the book Books to Film & TV: What Every Author Needs to Know by Maggie Marr.

Note: If you ever do sell your film rights, a lawyer or film rights agent should always negotiate the contract for you to make sure you get the best deal and are protected.