What development teams need to know, written down

How to check if a book is in the public domain

Two facts settle most cases: when the author died and when the book was first published. The traps are in the exceptions.

7 min read

US public domain rules explained: 95 years, renewals and 1978

American copyright has 3 regimes depending on when a work was made. Knowing which one applies is most of the answer.

6 min read

UK copyright explained: life plus 70, films and editions

The headline rule is simple. Films, editions and unpublished works each have their own twist.

6 min read

Public domain dates by country: US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand

6 territories, 4 different rules. Why a novel can be free in Toronto and Auckland years before London.

6 min read

Public domain is not the same as clear: trademarks, later works and restored rights

A free story can come wrapped in protected material. The famous cases show where the lines fall.

6 min read

How to option a book for film or TV

An option buys you time, not the book. Here is what you are paying for, and what to get right in the agreement.

8 min read

Life rights and true stories: what UK producers need to know

You do not buy a life. You buy cooperation, access and a promise not to sue. Here is when that matters.

7 min read

What does a development executive do?

The job is finding the next project, and then keeping it alive until someone pays to make it.

5 min read

How UK TV commissioning works

Commissioners buy from production companies, by genre, against a slot. Knowing that shapes every pitch.

7 min read

Anniversary programming: how to time a project to an anniversary

Anniversaries get commissioned. The trick is starting early enough, and picking the ones a schedule will want.

5 min read

Screenplay format: A4 or US Letter?

The page is a unit of time. Change its size and the script runs to a different length.

4 min read