Not sure if a scam or not.

[Moon Glade]

I have been contacted by Matt Tolmach Productions in Culver City, CA in regard to submitting a screenplay version of a book I have published. I did some research and finally took their call and told them I was not interested in writing a screenplay because I find the format tedious. I was asked if I knew anyone to work with and told them I did not and they offered to find a professional screenplay writer.

If any of you have had dealings with them or have any ideas I would appreciate any advice you can offer.

Thanks,

Moon Glade

 

[gunhilltrain]

I have been contacted by Matt Tolmach Productions in Culver City, CA in regard to submitting a screenplay version of a book I have published. I did some research and finally took their call and told them I was not interested in writing a screenplay because I find the format tedious. I was asked if I knew anyone to work with and told them I did not and they offered to find a professional screenplay writer.

If any of you have had dealings with them or have any ideas I would appreciate any advice you can offer.

Thanks,

Moon Glade

They have an online presence, assuming it was really them. The production list from them, for example:

https://productionlist.com/production-contact/matt-tolmach-productions

1. Yes, screenplays, at least for conventional American movies, have a fairly rigid format to follow. There may be resources online about how to do one, and I think there is at least one program that offers the feature. The one time I experimented with screenplays, the one I came close to completing would have had a run time of, I don't know, five hours. The scenes were long too, like ten minutes or more. That is probably not going to fly with any studio.

2. There may be legal issues involving with signing a contract with them. It's possible you would need the services of a lawyer who has entertainment industry experience. I know nothing about that, so you would have to look into it.

 

[NotWise]

Some where along the line I would have asked, "What's in it for me?"

 

[MelissaBaby]

It may not be a coincidence that they are contacting people just as the Writer's Guild is ready to go on strike.

 

[gunhilltrain]

It may not be a coincidence that they are contacting people just as the Writer's Guild is ready to go on strike.

Yes, it might be worth seeing how that shakes out first. It's possible that they are looking for "scab" labor. The Writer's Guild is also something that I know nothing about. I was under the impression that being a member was necessary for people working in television or films. As in most union situations, there are always free-lancers working outside the system. That's very obvious in the New York construction industry, where the big jobs are controlled by the unions, but most of the smaller ones will accept just about anybody that can be found waiting on a street corner.

 

[HordHolm]

I have been contacted by Matt Tolmach Productions in Culver City, CA in regard to submitting a screenplay version of a book I have published. I did some research and finally took their call and told them I was not interested in writing a screenplay because I find the format tedious. I was asked if I knew anyone to work with and told them I did not and they offered to find a professional screenplay writer.

If any of you have had dealings with them or have any ideas I would appreciate any advice you can offer.

Thanks,

Moon Glade

It may be a scam, it may not. You need more information (if you are at all interested. If not your polite 'no' should end the matter).

It may be in response to the putative Writers' Guild action, though if they are contacting you to adapt one of your own stories then the lead-in time for producing a feature should take you to the next set of negotiations with the Writers' Guild.

But as Gunhilltrain as has pointed out, if you do take it further, and take it the point of contracts being drawn up, then you absolutely need legal protection.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Here is a blog site that might provide you with some resources and assistance should you decide to proceed:

https://www.stage32.com/welcome/

 

[ColetteJulie]

How did they find you? Did you publish under your real name?

 

[gunhilltrain]

It may be a scam, it may not. You need more information (if you are at all interested. If not your polite 'no' should end the matter).

It may be in response to the putative Writers' Guild action, though if they are contacting you to adapt one of your own stories then the lead-in time for producing a feature should take you to the next set of negotiations with the Writers' Guild.

But as Gunhilltrain as has pointed out, if you do take it further, and take it the point of contracts being drawn up, then you absolutely need legal protection.

The strike, if it happens, is set to happen tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

 

[Moon Glade]

How did they find you? Did you publish under your real name?

It's not one of my books on here and yes it is published under my real name.

 

[Moon Glade]

Here is a blog site that might provide you with some resources and assistance should you decide to proceed:

https://www.stage32.com/welcome/

Thanks you for the link. I have signed up for it and it does look like it could be useful. I have yet to complete my profile and am a bit reticent to do so. Have you used the site and if so what do you think of it?

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have used it to sometimes alter my perception of my writing and what I think works best versus what the readers do. There was a recent article concerning when to cut characters out of a story to tighten things up that is a perfect example. A lot of what was mentioned, benefit-wise, focused on screenwriting but there were definitely pointers for novels as well. I've found it a helpful resource.

 

[Moon Glade]

After quite a bit of research, phone calls and questions and examining answers from the two parties I am dealing with I have decided to politely say thanks but no thanks. I'm not sure its a scam but after researching this site I'm sure enough.

https://writerbeware.blog/2021/08/13/scam-alert-transmedia-agency-and-new-leaf-media-llc/

 

[gunhilltrain]

After quite a bit of research, phone calls and questions and examining answers from the two parties I am dealing with I have decided to politely say thanks but no thanks. I'm not sure its a scam but after researching this site I'm sure enough.

https://writerbeware.blog/2021/08/13/scam-alert-transmedia-agency-and-new-leaf-media-llc/

One of the give-aways is that you have to send them money first. It's much like those schemes (sometimes from Nigeria) that offer a huge sum of "discovered" money but you have to pay "fees" or "costs" first.

If you were able to contact Matt Tolmach Productions through your own research, they would say something like, "Who the hell are you? What offer are you talking about?"

Countries like The Philippines and Nigeria have a lot of English speakers who can handle any inquiring phone calls, assuming you could get through to them at all.

 

[Moon Glade]

One of the give-aways is that you have to send them money first. It's much like those schemes (sometimes from Nigeria) that offer a huge sum of "discovered" money but you have to pay "fees" or "costs" first.

If you were able to contact Matt Tolmach Productions through your own research, they would say something like, "Who the hell are you? What offer are you talking about?"

Countries like The Philippines and Nigeria have a lot of English speakers who can handle any inquiring phone calls, assuming you could get through to them at all.

Agreed. Basically the first contact was a cold caller for the 'literary agency' that would have put me in contact with a screenwriter. During telephone conversation with the agency that supposedly was recommended by Tolmach Productions I picked up on some real disconnects and then thanks to the Writer Beware Site I saw that since early this year there have been impersonations of Tolmach Productions. Both parties were US based and the agency was articulate and professional but the cold caller that said she represented Tolmach acquisition team was not and it became evident that her job was to just reel in the fish.

 

[gunhilltrain]

After quite a bit of research, phone calls and questions and examining answers from the two parties I am dealing with I have decided to politely say thanks but no thanks. I'm not sure its a scam but after researching this site I'm sure enough.

https://writerbeware.blog/2021/08/13/scam-alert-transmedia-agency-and-new-leaf-media-llc/

I've been looking at other posts on that site. It's very informative, a good source of information for anybody thinking of going "pro."

 

[Moon Glade]

I never gave it much thought before this episode but using a pseudonym on anything you publish is a big advantage in order to protect yourself from the scammers that grow more sophisticated on a daily basis. I have used my real name, although in an abbreviated form for my more 'serious' scribbles that have been published but will never do that again in order to avoid nuisance calls and the more sophisticated scams. This site does provide us authors a real service and a great degree of protection from the less than scrupulous out there that want to take advantage of us.

 

[Blind_Justice]

Like this guy? Received a private message from someone claiming to work for BKS. I doubt the Miami-based studio is shadow-hiring on Lit for their award-winning whatevers.

--quote--
Hey are you still interested in writing scripts? I haven't logged in on Literotica in forever and saw your reply from the thread last year. Long story short, we start at $125/script for a new writer and then if people love the content we increase it from there. One of our writers is on $350/scripts for example. They are usually between 3,000-4,000 words.

I can share a sample if you want to see the layout of them and the kind of thing I'm looking for!
--end quote--

It's pretty obvious it's shotgun fishing. Wave money around, neglect to mention the exact content we'll be asked to produce. Mentioning a "thread from last year" I can't remember participating in, especially since I'm so famous for my scriptwriting ability around here* feels fishy as fuck and for the love of god, those rates!

Also, if the solicitor wanted ME and not some typing monkey to fill out templates, he could have gone through my official contact channels, right?

* I haven't written a (presumably movie?) script in decades, much less published anything of that sort here on Lit. So yeah, good job finding the perfect guy for the job.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Okay, just some overall advice.

1. Get an agent.
2. Anyone contacts you related to your work, direct them to your agent.
3. Repeat as necessary.

If you managed to publish your first book without an agent, contact an agency and say "Hey, my name is X, I have a published book and so-and-so has contacted me wanting me to write a screen adaptation, will you represent me and my work?"

Most agents will immediately bite (assuming they're in your field) because it's a no-brainer commission AND you've already proven you can write and be published. Maybe a little tougher if you're self-published, but only marginally, especially if you share sales numbers.

 

[Moon Glade]

Got a well written legit looking email yesterday from an outfit called Brilliant Books Literary making a pitch to me regarding the a book published elsewhere that deals with food as conceptual art, language confusion and culture clash. I'm not sure if they are truly literary agents or scammers but I'm more than a bit wary so I responded:

"Send me a cashiers check in the amount of $10,000 and after it is deposited and clears I will provide you with the contact information you are requesting."

The response I got back was, "What does that mean?"

And my response to his response was, "It means I'm not easily scammed."