The Writer Got Screwed (but didn't have to): Guide to the Legal and Business Practices of Writing for the Entertainment Industry |  | Author: Brooke A. Wharton
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Category: Book
List Price: $14.99
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Seller: Goodwill Southern California
Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 317412
Media: Paperback
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.3 x 0.7
ISBN: 0062732366
Dewey Decimal Number: 384.830973
EAN: 9780062732361
ASIN: 0062732366
Publication Date: April 23, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
You've got to love a lawyer who advises, "Don't make your lawyers rich." Entertainment lawyer Brooke A. Wharton provides an authoritative and, yes, entertaining primer for the beginning entertainment writer not just on the legal and business issues of writing for the industry, but also on how to get a career jump-started. The first section covers copyright, libel, and contracts, so that if you can't "control the exploitation of your scripts and written work ... at least [you'll] know when you're being screwed." The following section delineates the murky differences between the roles of agent, lawyer, and manager. The gist of it is that you don't need all three, but which ones you need depends on the type of person you are and the type of agents/lawyers/managers they are (industry insiders are not prone to job-title limitations). The next section has a series of interviews with writers, agents, and a producer, all of whom help to enlighten us about the various writing jobs the industry offers, from film to television to cyberspace. (If you're surprised to learn that "most writers working in the film industry do not make their living from the sale of a spec screenplay," I've got a good deal for you on some land in Florida.) Finally, there are lists of competitions, fellowships, internships, and agencies. And what about jump-starting that glamorous career? Contacts, baby. Contacts. And wouldn't you know, if you ain't got 'em, Wharton's got great advice on how to make 'em.
Product Description
An indispensable roadmap to success, The Writer Got Screwed is the first book to untangle the legal and business aspects of writing for the entertainment industry. It is for the young TV production assistant waiting for a 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. Savvy Hollywood entertainment attorney Brooke Wharton decodes legal jargon, explains how to protect creative work, shows how to read between the lines of a contract, and advises how to avoid getting sued and screwed along the way. Useful resources, including a list of agencies, competitions, fellowships, internships, and legal organizations, make The Writer Got Screwed an essential part of every writer's tool chest.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
The Writer Got Screwed not out of print, visit its website August 24, 2004
Buzz (LA)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful
My name is Brooke A. Wharton and I am the author of "The Writer Got Screwed." I am writing a review of my own book as the only available method to report that "The Writer Got Screwed" is neither unavailable nor out of print, despite the Amazon description under the reviews of the book since 2002. I thank all of you who have positively reviewed the book and hope that "The Writer Got Screwed" continues to illuminate the mysteries of how one my obtain a career writing for the entertainment industry, and how one may protect themselves on the journey to/of this career. To all writers--- past, current, and future-- I wish you courage, persistence, and the best of luck to find your voice in words. Whatever you do KEEP WRITING! If any of you would like to ask a question regarding writing for the entertainment industry, visit "The Writer Got Screwed's" NEW WEBSITE at WRITINGFORFILM.com. Sincerely, Brooke A. Wharton P.S.--Yes, I gave my own book 5 stars--what's an author to do?
A WRITER'S BUSINESS PLAN BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS July 9, 1999
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
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.
GREAT Advice - More Relevant in '04 than Ever!! Excellent! August 16, 2004
P. Mullen (northern California)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
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"
MANDATORY READING, MERITS 6 STARS June 17, 2000
Brian N. Gibson
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
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.
Terrific resource October 31, 2000
Jenna Glatzer (NY, United States)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
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
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
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