16 The Deal
THERE ARE ONLY three ways that screenplays are bought and sold: outright purchase, option deal and step deal.
The laws covering the sale of screenplays are strikingly similar to the laws covering the sale of property.
Outright Purchase
A producer who reads your script may want to purchase your script outright. He/she will negotiate with you, or your agent, and agree a cash price for your screenplay. You then get a cheque. The copyright for the screenplay passes to the producer, and the deal is done.
Within the body of the contract, you may have certain rights and privileges directly expressed. A simple one might be that you are ...
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