A DIFFERENT WAY IN

I received this email today from Dan and thought it was something worth posting. His company has a very unothodox approach for writers. I am not endorsing his company or its approach. I do not personally know them. However, I do know of them and I can tell you they have a real company with real projects set up around town. Perhaps your story is right for this kind of approach:

Hi, there. You don’t know me but I, too, am a screenwriter. I’ve read and enjoyed your blog for a couple of months now and, first and foremost, just wanted to tell you to keep up the good work. I really enjoy your writing and the legal insight you bring to things has been invaluable. I truly look forward to every post. No where else on the web have I found a site quite like yours with as much practical knowledge and advice (and, yes, I’ve tried Artful Writer or Josh Friedman’s blog like you suggested). I (and I’m sure many others) am truly grateful that you’re doing it.

Secondly, I wanted to let you know about a topic that you and some of your readers might find interesting. No, I’m not selling Amway. 🙂 I’ve recently started working for a company called Platinum Studios (www.platinumstudios.com) and they’ve asked me to help them promote a program they just started up for screenwriters. Take a look at excerpt from an article below (You should also take a look at the whole article, too, as it offers some great alternative ideas about getting a screenplay seen and produced.) It’s from Script Magazine’s March issue and details things better than I ever could. You can find out a lot more about the program on our website www.screenwritersubmissions.com. I don’t want to go into too much detail here, as I really don’t want to bother you with this if you’re simply not interested, but if you have any questions or want to simply know more, feel free to ask.

Most importantly, though, honestly, I just wanted to take this excuse to thank you for a great blog that I’m sure speaks to a lot of us out there.

Cheers,
Dan Forcey
Platinum Studios, LLC

COMICS NOT A LAUGHING MATTER
From
GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND OFF THE SCRIPT STACK
By John Scott Lewinski
Script Magazine Vol. 12, no. 2
March 2006

While so many film projects are being jump-started from magazine articles, books and especially comic books, some writers might look to translate their feature script to a more comic-friendly format.
Platinum Studios is an entertainment company with an active stake in more than 2, 500 characters that have appeared in hundreds of millions of comics in 25 languages in more than 50 countries. According to Lee Nordling, Platinum’s executive editor, the company’s library is continually expanding through its comics acquisition and publishing program.
“I feel terrible for screenwriters who have to struggle just to get an industry exec to read what they write,” Nordling said. “I also can’t imagine how many talented writers this process wastes per year. Platinum’s own unique niche in Hollywood is to adapt from comics that have been previously published or that we will be publishing (or financing for publication). Studios understand that we draw on a different talent pool than more traditional production companies, a talent pool that includes a lot of new, talented writers.
“Where this has added value for us is that if the development of an adaptation of a comic falls through, we always have the source material with which to begin a new adaptation. This is much more difficult to do when a group is developing a project as an original screenplay and the direction for that screenplay needs to change. We prefer to develop from the comics medium as we believe that gives a property a life and history in an existing marketplace and offers a potential producing partner or studio a glimpse into the original vision of the story.”
Nordling added a personal note: “I think it’s cool for writers to have a completed story for the public to read which more closely reflects their original visions than most films are able to (due to the increasingly collaborative nature of film and television). “Anybody who looks at our web site can see that we have properties set up all over town-there’s really quite a laundry list, so I recommend people check out our Platinum Studios News section on our site at Platinumstudios.com.”

By the way, Dan has a very interesting background himself.

41 thoughts on “A DIFFERENT WAY IN”

  1. I’ve never dealt with Platinum personally, but I’ve only heard good things. I met Scott Rosenberg a few years ago at San Diego Comic Con, he was friendly and very approachable.

  2. It seems like an interesting way to go. I have a screenplay with hopes of getting it looked at and considered for production. But the process of traveling out the CA and meeting with studio execs and producers is daunting (and a bit scary). Any edge one can create would earn its way in gold.

    ~Devin

  4. I must say, interesting blog here and a great little post on comic to film companies. Platinum is not one I’ve heard of before…

    However, for what little it’s worth, allow me to shed some light on my own experiances in this very matter.

    Myself and my business partner headed to San Diego last year (much enjoyed) and had our comic tossed around. In four days we managed 9 word of mouth meetings (3 being considered top 5 comic pubs.), etc, we were very lucky.

    I myself am a screenwriter. So, though I love the comic medium, most of these companies offered exactly what platinum does. Axed from film rights/tv rights…either a buy out of the story or a buy out prior to it being involved in any film medium. Thus…somewhat useless. Though this is a credit of sorts, there’s a reason Allen Moore is not a big time screen writer. He’s a talented writer…but axed out before it goes to film…and so on…

    I can see the appeal to be produced/published. But at a point I believe one needs to be wary of what they’re really signing away and how it applies to their overall goals. You can make a name with a comic, no doubt…but without attachment to the same piece of work up to and through the screenplay process you will be left behind as simple the creator that it was adapted from. For some people- this is gold. For others…well…you get it.

    Just my 0.02 .

  5. Just to clarify, Robert-James, Platinum does not axe out its writers. We offer our comic writers a percentage of the book sales and a percentage if the idea is actually sold as well. We really care about the creator having a stake in his/her own property from start to finish. Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, our Chairman, practically invented the idea of creator-owned content back in his days at Malibu.

    I understand your concerns and agree with much of what you said. Writers must be very careful with what they sign away and Platinum is definitely not for everyone. We’re definitely much more for the kind of person who really needs a foot in the door or a way to even get their stuff seen and worked on with industry professionals.

  6. I’m currently in the process of creating a Flash-style animation of my script concept (with dialogue and scenes set out the way I envision them). It’s probably more for me than anyone else, as directors will create their own unique vision of it… should it be bought and produced.

    I also like the idea of turning it into a graphic novel. Being an artist, I just may tackle that task on my own (and retain my money/artistic freedom).

    I’m sure the service mentioned is wonderful, and very helpful to many aspiring (or established) authors/dreamers.

    Best Regards,
    Devin

  7. I did send a screenplay that I transformed into the graphic novel/ comic format to Platinum studios. They first sent a kit and an explaination of what they are looking for. Mr. Nordling was very over worked but extremely responsive and even though my idea was not for them, he left the door open for any future submissions. The purchase price is not the six or seven figure you hear about from the studios, and they openly lay out how they pay in the kit, but it is a very good route to get your work sold, published and possible made into a movie.

  8. Funny — I left a comment warning people against working for/with Platinum, based on my own experiences…

    …and this morning, I find the comment removed.

    Wonder why that is?

    Thanks alot, “Thinking Writer”.

  9. Adrianna –

    I did not intentionally delete any comment from you. You are welcome to post any warning you want. I have absolutely no affiliation with Platinum. This site receives a lot of spam and your previous comment may have been swept in a filter. If you repost the comment and it still does not appear, please shoot me an email in the questions section and I will investigate it.

  10. I don’t know what could have happened — I saw it posted, and then it was gone — but it’s really not a big deal. What’s important is that people are cautioned before getting into business with Platinum Studios. The President of the company is one of the single most amoral people in Hollywood that I’ve worked with in over 10 years.

    Be warned, creatives: he will steal ANY idea from you that he thinks he can make a dime from. He specifically directs his people to go after writers who want to “break in”, and will work for nothing and give all their ideas away.

    I’m just looking out for you — avoid, avoid, AVOID this company.

  11. Adrianna-
    I’d love to know more about your experience with Platinum and why you have such a bad view of us. Please elaborate.

    -Dan.

  13. For anybody still following this, it’s been a week since I asked the person above about their experience and the only response was a comment saying “Here?” that disappeared a day later. All I can really say is that I’ve only been with Platinum for a short while and I can honestly say that they’ve been completely open, honest, and up front with me in everything that I’ve done with them. Are they the biggest production company out there? No. Do they pay the most? No. But they also tell you up front, “We’re not the biggest, we don’t pay the most.” And, as I’ve said above, they’re not for everybody. Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, the Chairman of Platinum, is one of the most MORAL people I’ve ever met in this business. I was actually in a meeting with him yesterday where he said to an artist, “Don’t sign that contract yet, read the third paragraph again before you sign. There’s something in there you may not agree with. I don’t like slipping things past people.” I’ve worked in and around the business for a lot of years and if behaviour like that is amoral, I have dealt with a lot of people that are pure, unadulterated evil. Anyway, thanks to the owner of this blog for putting up with this whole thing.

    -Dan.

  16. For everyone reading this — I’m sure that Dan is an honest, upstanding guy. But I’m also sure that he hasn’t worked for Scott Rosenberg long enough to properly evaluate him as one of “the most moral people” in the business.

    From someone who’s been there, worked for that company, DIRECTLY for Scott Mitchell Rosenberg —

    — all I can tell you is… watch your back.

  17. I would still really love to hear about your experience, A.F.. You could even email me privately, if you feel more comfortable with that. My email is forcey@platinumstudios.com. I would really love to hear what left such a bad taste in your mouth about Scott.

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