Let’s clear up the discrepancies with IMDB:
In the world of motion pictures, a “Ghost Writer” is a screenwriter who does not take a film credit. This could be for any number of reasons. In my personal experience, it is because either the original writer does not want to share credit and the production company is willing to pay a Ghost Writer more than usual, to basically sell them that screen credit. This typically means more money, less glory. And if the movie is crap, this arrangement is ideal.
The other common reason I have experienced for accepting a Ghost Writer arrangement is this; the Director wants to be perceived as something of an “auteur” and prefers that the screen credit reads something like, “Written and Directed” by so and so, or “A Film by” so and so. I’ve done a few of these and there is only one where I really wish I had taken the screen credit instead of the money.
Now, that said, “Bell Media” has never produced anything, ever. There are numerous companies called “Bell Media” so I am only referring to the one that I own bears my last name. When a motion picture is produced, one of the first thing that must happen is a “single purpose entity” must be formed, some kind of limited liability company, such as an LLC, or a Sub Chapter S Corporation. This way, if the movie is sued for some reason, the writer or studio or whomever is less likely to get sued.
If I were to write a screenplay I would send it to two places immediately: 1) I would register it with the Library of Congress to make sure I have copyrighted my material. I may or may not put that in the name of Bell Media, instead of my name, depending on several potential circumstances, and; 2) I would register my screenplay with the WGA, or the Writer’s Guild of America. Again, that intellectual property could belong to me personally, or could belong (at least temporarily) to Bell Media.
You average working screenwriter in Hollywood writes a lot of scripts, for which they are paid, that never see the light of day. This is of course disappointing and sort of soul crushing at times. However, it’s also a living. And if someone offers you a substantial amount more than you are used to being paid, to fix someone else’s work, or to work with a Director and give them all the credit, it’s kind of hard to say no, if the price is right.
The last time that I wrote a screenplay and received full screen credit was for “Bondage” in 2006. It’s been all Ghost Writing since then. As a Ghost Writer, you are in violation of a legal agreement if you go out and start boasting to people that you have a hand in writing something for which you are supposed to remain a Ghost Writer.
Therefore, I will handle this next part delicately…
I was never involved, in any capacity, with the production of the motion picture entitled, “Wonderland”. Here is why IMDB temporarily kept getting that wrong:
In 2001 I had adapted a novel by Danny Sugerman (best selling author) for John Battsek (Oscar winning producer) called “Wonderland Avenue”. This was so long ago, we were in talks with Toby McGuire to play the teenage lead. The studio that was involved was 20th Century Fox and the executive in charge of the project was Senior Vice President, Fred Chandler. IMDB showed me as the credited screenwriter and the project was shown, on their website, as “In Development” for a few years, as I recall. Anyway, the movie never got made. And, because I was not a Ghost Writer, I can post all of those names and details here, in a public forum.
As for the other motion pictures that Lawrence Estavan has mentioned here, questioning my involvement, all I can really legally say is this: IMDB should not be showing me as a credited or uncredited screenwriter. This means that I may have had nothing to do with any of those titles, or some, or all, or again none, I cannot and will not say. End of story.
With regard to television shows that my Bell Media has been wrongly credited as being attached to, in any capacity, again that Bell Media has never produced anything, including television shows.
Finally, as for the two documentaries, “Selling the Future” and “American Infidel” these are projects that are in production. That means, since documentaries often take years to produce, that a significant amount of footage has been shot, people have given permission to have their names listed as appearing in the projects, or some other criteria, that IMDB requires, has been satisfied to show these projects in their current status, “In Production”. If the status shows that they are already produced and distributed, that would be incorrect.
I think that should cover everything, with regard to IMDB, with the exception of my salary information. I will just say this, on that topic. Some of that is correct and some of what is listed is way, way off, as in way too high. As for which and how much – that is my personal business. I have let IMDB know, as I have a subscription to that service, but for whatever reason, they keep it up there, incorrect.
In conclusion, all of the accusations made against me, by Larry Estavan, whether he was using his real name or posting as someone else, are false.
With the exception of the obvious mix up regarding “Wonderland” and “Wonderland Avenue” I will not confirm nor deny my involvement in any motion picture that I am asked about. It’s bad enough trying to find work in Hollywood as a Trump supporter. I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot by breaking the number one cardinal rule of Ghost Writing, which is to be essentially a ghost.
I hope the above clears up all of the attempts to smear me as taking credit for work I did not do, or otherwise trying to game the system, when it comes to how IMDB works. However, given the obsessive-compulsive patterns demonstrated over many years by my accuser, Larry Etavan, I doubt this will be put an end to this. After all, he has posted hundreds of character assassination attempts, on multiple websites, about me, since 2012.
- Eric Allen Bell
In the world of motion pictures, a “Ghost Writer” is a screenwriter who does not take a film credit. This could be for any number of reasons. In my personal experience, it is because either the original writer does not want to share credit and the production company is willing to pay a Ghost Writer more than usual, to basically sell them that screen credit. This typically means more money, less glory. And if the movie is crap, this arrangement is ideal.
The other common reason I have experienced for accepting a Ghost Writer arrangement is this; the Director wants to be perceived as something of an “auteur” and prefers that the screen credit reads something like, “Written and Directed” by so and so, or “A Film by” so and so. I’ve done a few of these and there is only one where I really wish I had taken the screen credit instead of the money.
Now, that said, “Bell Media” has never produced anything, ever. There are numerous companies called “Bell Media” so I am only referring to the one that I own bears my last name. When a motion picture is produced, one of the first thing that must happen is a “single purpose entity” must be formed, some kind of limited liability company, such as an LLC, or a Sub Chapter S Corporation. This way, if the movie is sued for some reason, the writer or studio or whomever is less likely to get sued.
If I were to write a screenplay I would send it to two places immediately: 1) I would register it with the Library of Congress to make sure I have copyrighted my material. I may or may not put that in the name of Bell Media, instead of my name, depending on several potential circumstances, and; 2) I would register my screenplay with the WGA, or the Writer’s Guild of America. Again, that intellectual property could belong to me personally, or could belong (at least temporarily) to Bell Media.
You average working screenwriter in Hollywood writes a lot of scripts, for which they are paid, that never see the light of day. This is of course disappointing and sort of soul crushing at times. However, it’s also a living. And if someone offers you a substantial amount more than you are used to being paid, to fix someone else’s work, or to work with a Director and give them all the credit, it’s kind of hard to say no, if the price is right.
The last time that I wrote a screenplay and received full screen credit was for “Bondage” in 2006. It’s been all Ghost Writing since then. As a Ghost Writer, you are in violation of a legal agreement if you go out and start boasting to people that you have a hand in writing something for which you are supposed to remain a Ghost Writer.
Therefore, I will handle this next part delicately…
I was never involved, in any capacity, with the production of the motion picture entitled, “Wonderland”. Here is why IMDB temporarily kept getting that wrong:
In 2001 I had adapted a novel by Danny Sugerman (best selling author) for John Battsek (Oscar winning producer) called “Wonderland Avenue”. This was so long ago, we were in talks with Toby McGuire to play the teenage lead. The studio that was involved was 20th Century Fox and the executive in charge of the project was Senior Vice President, Fred Chandler. IMDB showed me as the credited screenwriter and the project was shown, on their website, as “In Development” for a few years, as I recall. Anyway, the movie never got made. And, because I was not a Ghost Writer, I can post all of those names and details here, in a public forum.
As for the other motion pictures that Lawrence Estavan has mentioned here, questioning my involvement, all I can really legally say is this: IMDB should not be showing me as a credited or uncredited screenwriter. This means that I may have had nothing to do with any of those titles, or some, or all, or again none, I cannot and will not say. End of story.
With regard to television shows that my Bell Media has been wrongly credited as being attached to, in any capacity, again that Bell Media has never produced anything, including television shows.
Finally, as for the two documentaries, “Selling the Future” and “American Infidel” these are projects that are in production. That means, since documentaries often take years to produce, that a significant amount of footage has been shot, people have given permission to have their names listed as appearing in the projects, or some other criteria, that IMDB requires, has been satisfied to show these projects in their current status, “In Production”. If the status shows that they are already produced and distributed, that would be incorrect.
I think that should cover everything, with regard to IMDB, with the exception of my salary information. I will just say this, on that topic. Some of that is correct and some of what is listed is way, way off, as in way too high. As for which and how much – that is my personal business. I have let IMDB know, as I have a subscription to that service, but for whatever reason, they keep it up there, incorrect.
In conclusion, all of the accusations made against me, by Larry Estavan, whether he was using his real name or posting as someone else, are false.
With the exception of the obvious mix up regarding “Wonderland” and “Wonderland Avenue” I will not confirm nor deny my involvement in any motion picture that I am asked about. It’s bad enough trying to find work in Hollywood as a Trump supporter. I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot by breaking the number one cardinal rule of Ghost Writing, which is to be essentially a ghost.
I hope the above clears up all of the attempts to smear me as taking credit for work I did not do, or otherwise trying to game the system, when it comes to how IMDB works. However, given the obsessive-compulsive patterns demonstrated over many years by my accuser, Larry Etavan, I doubt this will be put an end to this. After all, he has posted hundreds of character assassination attempts, on multiple websites, about me, since 2012.
- Eric Allen Bell