Sunday, December 17, 2006

Kids, don't give the novelist approval of your script adaptation. Especially if he's a self-important jackass.

9:04 AM

3 Comments:

Not to dispute Cussler's status as a self-important jackass, because I think that's pretty clear-cut, but I'm also not particularly impressed by the behavior of the execs at Crusader. Karen Baldwin seems intent on proving the stereotypes of Hollywood execs not only accurate but possibly a little generous.

By  Anonymous, at 11:50 AM  

Kids, don't give the novelist who has sold 10,000,000+ books script approval in your legally binding contract if you don't intend to keep your word.

Kids, don't sell your book rights to producers who have ethical standards so low that they'll break the law to get their way.

Kids, this has already been hashed out, for your enjoyment: Clive Cussler really, really dislikes Sahara.

Who are we/you trying to kid here? Like producers, studio execs, directors, and everyone in Hollywood isn't a self-important jackass.

I see a lot of industry people snobing about how Cussler shouldn't have sold his book rights if he didn't want the story changed during the adaptation, yet of all people, I see the very same crying constantly about having their scripts changed by other people.

Let's have a reality check, please, for just a moment. The producers didn't have to buy his book rights either. They didn't have to give him script approval. Nobody put a gun to their head and made them sign it anymore than someone forced Cussler into the agreement.

He had something they wanted, and had the power to demand more than just money. Awesome, if only all of us were so lucky.

Cussler already got screwed once with a book adaptation and wasn't about to let it happen again, hence, he demanded script approval.

Unconscionable? How about jealous.

There isn't a person out there, novelist or screenwriter, that wouldn't exercise that kind of power if they had it.

I see a lot of people condemning Cussler for exercising his rights as he negotiated them, and far too few people condemning the producers for breaking their contract.

If Cussler was in the WGA, there would be a war on right now, you know there would be.

Maybe he is a self-important jackass, but selling 10,000,000 books and landing best sellers left and right has a tendency to make people want what you wave, and give you power. More power to him, I say.

The scene really should be rallying around this guy right now, not throwing him to the wolves. His power represents what you want, what is wrong with you? Sure, you play it nice and condemn him for being difficult, then you launch a full scale attack on the producers for not honoring their contract and rub it in their face that the film failed because of what they did. Use this opportunity for crying out loud for something other than crying.

They made their bed, proceeded to piss, and now they must sleep in it.

By  Anonymous, at 11:53 AM  

Bravo, Paul.

I don't see how or why anyone is condemning Cussler.

It's sick.

By  Tenspeed & Brownshoe, at 12:49 AM  

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