Literary Acquisition Option and Purchase Agreement Package | USA

You've commissioned an original screenplay from a writer. Now get the writer to sign this Certificate of Authorship. The screenwriter certifies that:

• The screenplay was written as a work made for hire commissioned by the producer, and that the producer is deemed to be the author of the work.
• The work is original and not in the public domain, has not been adapted and does not violate or infringe upon any other person's statutory or common law rights.
• The producer owns all right and title to the screenplay, and has the right to make any changes to the material, and the writer waives all moral rights.
• The writer will not make any claims or demands against any assignee or successor in interest of the producer.
• The writer will have no right to enjoin or restrain the distribution or exploitation of any motion picture or other material based on the screenplay.
• The Certificate of Authorship of Screenplay form is an important part of the documentation you need to establish your rights to the material. Download it for your production forms library.

Exercise your option to acquire the rights to an original screenplay with this Film Rights Acquisition Agreement.

• The option is being exercised by the film producer under the terms of a prior Option Agreement between the screenplay owner and the film producer.
• The screenplay owner grants the producer the right to produce a motion picture, adapt the work for the screen, record a sound track, assign or license the rights, exercise distribution rights, and make prequels and/or sequels using the same characters.
• The producer also has the right to register worldwide copyright with respect to all motion pictures and products created from the screenplay.
• The screenplay owner will receive payment of the exercise price and a percentage of net receipts as a royalty.
• If principal photography on a film treatment has not commenced within 5 years of the date of the Agreement, the owner has the right to re-acquire the rights to the screenplay (a right of reversion).
• The owner waives all moral rights in the screenplay.
• The owner will receive an author credit on every copy of the film and in all publicity and advertising.
• This is a downloadable and customizable digital document in MS Word format.

Secure your option for worldwide rights to an original screenplay with this Option Agreement template.

Who are the parties to the Option Agreement?

The parties to the Option Agreement are (i) the writer of the screenplay, and (ii) a film producer seeking to option global motion picture, exploitation and merchandising rights for the screenplay.

What rights are granted under the option?

The writer grants the producer an exclusive and irrevocable option to purchase the rights to the screenplay.

If the option is exercised, the  producer would have the right to make sequels, prequels, remakes and TV series based on the work, for which the writer will be paid a percentage of the net profits.

What is included in the template?

This downloadable template also includes:

• Short Form Option Agreement for recording at the Copyright Office,
• Short Form Copyright Assignment, and
• Quitclaim Release of Interest in Literary Property.

Format and Legal Applicability

The Option Agreement for Rights to Original Screenplay is a downloadable and fully editable MS Word document. Buy the form once, use it as often as needed.

This is a generic legal document which can be used almost anywhere.