Stephen King’smore than60 novels , in addition to his legion short stories and novella , have been providing filmmakers with brainchild for decades . From iconic horror pic masterpieces likeCarrie(1976)andThe Shining(1980 ) to tearjerker likeStand by Me(1986 ) andThe Green Mile(1999 ) , King ’s work has led to some of the most memorable blockbuster of late decade . Have a newfound reverence of clowns after watchingIt(2017 ) ? you may thank the author for that , too . But grownup - name producer are n’t the only ones with the chance to tackle a Stephen King adaptation . Film students can take advantage of what King anticipate his “ Dollar Baby ” bargain to make an adaptation of his work for only $ 1 .
The Dollar Baby contract entails purchasing the right to adapt one of more than 20 of King ’s short chronicle for a dollar—with somestipulations . The film can not be more than 45 minutes long and can not be distributed to anyone without King ’s consent , unless it is for a non-profit-making flick festival or a shoal project . The rights are sound for only a year , meaning the film has to be completed in that clip , and when it ’s done it has to be sent to the author himself ( no pressing ! ) . Additionally , you could not have more than one Dollar Baby at a fourth dimension .
But why betray the rights for a dollar at all ? King is so famous that even his poor stories could be sold for much more—a fact his accountant knows all too well . In his creation to the 1996 publicationThe Shawshank buyback : The Shooting Script , Kingdescribedhis desire to make adapting his report accessible to creatives despite the deficiency of profit he would see from it :
“ Around 1977 or so , when I started having some democratic succeeder , I catch a way to give back a small of the joyfulness the movies had given me . Over the objection of my controller , who project all form of possible sound problems , I established a insurance which still holds today . I will cede any pupil filmmaker the rightfield to make a movie out of any poor story I have written ( not the novels , that would be idiotic ) , so long as the film rights are still mine to allot … I have made the dollar deal , as I call it , over my accountant ’s moans and headspring - clutching protests . ”
These Dollar Baby deals are a way for rise filmmakers to practice their craft and cheaply access strong material to adapt . Plus , King himself — who is anoted motion picture buff — have to relish adjustment of his short whole kit and caboodle that may not be as befit to a feature of speech film . Adapting a King work also look pretty dependable on a budding film producer ’s portfolio . Three - fourth dimension Oscar nominee Frank Darabont is the mostnotableDollar Baby ; in 1980 , he was grant permission to adapt “ The Woman in the Room . ” Though it take in him three years to complete the film , Kingwas impressedwith the final result . In the decades since , Darabont has move on to adaptThe Shawshank Redemption(1994),The Green Mile(1999 ) , andThe Mist(2007 ) .
“ If you want to be one of my dollar baby , broadcast us your information , ” King writes onhis website . So for all the beginner filmmakers and horror buff out there : What are you hold off for ?
