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[sequoia]

Hi... have written a short film based on a chapter in a book - a biography.

I have been given permission from the author and the person who the book is about, but a production company who has the rights to the feature are refusing to give me permission to make the short film which is only 8 minutes long.

As this is a true story and i have permission from the people who created the work can I make the film without the production companies permission. Should I check their contract to see what rights they have as far as exploitation of the book is concerned?

Thanks

[Zonath]

You really should make sure that the author and the subject of the book still have whatever rights they're purporting to grant you, since they may have sold or otherwise transferred any rights they may have had to make or authorize the making of a motion picture production.  If this is the case, you would need the permission of the production company (or whoever might currently own those rights) in order to produce such a short film without infringing upon any copyright or publicity right.