Shipwrecks with good stories

OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
I heartily agree with Darren. The Central America story has everything, including an almost unkown American hero in Captain Herndon. A most remarkable man...I personally found the most interesting part of Kinzer's Ship of Gold in the Deep, Blue Sea, to be the story of the original shipwreck

Odyssey and the original investors may have rights on it. If so, it could turn out out into a long legal battle.
 

Jolly Mon

Hero Member
Sep 3, 2012
868
631
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Odyssey and the original investors may have rights on it. If so, it could turn out out into a long legal battle.

A historical event cannot be copyrighted. There are an abundance of stories and articles available in the public domain relating to the Central America. Are you looking for a story or are you looking for a ship?
 

OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
A historical event cannot be copyrighted. There are an abundance of stories and articles available in the public domain relating to the Central America. Are you looking for a story or are you looking for a ship?

Agreed on the historical event. History belongs to everybody.
A shipwreck often has an owner. He may agree or disagree to let you use his property. I am not a lawyer, but I remember that I used to sign contracts about shipwrecks, where there were specific clauses about ancillary rights.

Most pictures and written stories have a copy right. We can not just use them without asking the owner of the copy right for permission.
Now, if the ownership is in litigation, the one party might agree with letting us use the material, but the other one might not. It might turn into a big waste of time.
But, as I said before. I am not a lawyer. I leave the legal matters to them to resolve.
 

Oceanscience

Full Member
May 23, 2010
207
201
The pirate theme is still very popular. With the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" underway, any pirate shipwreck story falls on fertile ground.
Pirate and privateers carry only moderate amounts of treasure at best. This is the reason why no great effort has been made to locate such shipwrecks.

In recent times we have seen growing interest in pirate shipwrecks, like Captain Kidd's wreck. Captain Kidd is probably the best known example of a privateer becoming a pirate, but this actually happened quite often.
 

Last edited:

Darren in NC

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2004
2,780
1,574
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Sand Shark, Homebuilt pulse loop
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
That will depend a lot on the completeness of the story. For example, is all the research there, is there a book or story line to build the script on? Is there already a script and complete documentation etc. All this does not need to be there, but it needs to be done and will cost. It is a matter of who will bear that cost.
These things are pretty standard procedures and contracts in the industry.

So for those who are not in the industry...apart from a ready-made script, but all the other documentation in place (archival documentation, survivor reports, crew testimonies, back stories, etc), what kind of ball-park figure could one expect if there was a particular story of interest?
 

OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
So for those who are not in the industry...apart from a ready-made script, but all the other documentation in place (archival documentation, survivor reports, crew testimonies, back stories, etc), what kind of ball-park figure could one expect if there was a particular story of interest?

We are still negotiating with several producers. The offers vary a bit and there is a lot of fine print to analyse carefully. I am not a lawyer, so I better leave this part to the lawyers to check out, but here are some numbers:

Accepted script: = 200,000
If the movie does reasonably well: another 400,000
Episodic: 55,000 plus additional for each initial airing

These numbers are for the script only. Any additional material like pictures, movies etc. used in the production, are negotiated separately for their use of copy right or you can sell the copy right. Exclusive footage or pictures can obtain quite high prices.

At this point I don't know yet what the ancillary rights are or how they are distributed. For example: gamification and merchandising. The gamification industry is growing at a tremendous pace. With the right subject, there might be some real money in it. I would certainly make sure to have these rights well defined in the agreement.
 

Last edited:

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,714
40,793
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Pick a shipwreck, and the best way is to write your own script (or hire someone to write one). If there are people still living who were on the ship, it gets a little more complicated. The new script writing software is awesome. Sounds like you're trying to do a docudrama.
 

OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
Pick a shipwreck, and the best way is to write your own script (or hire someone to write one). If there are people still living who were on the ship, it gets a little more complicated. The new script writing software is awesome. Sounds like you're trying to do a docudrama.

Thanks for the input.
I am not a writer and too old to still learn how to write. Please tell me about this new script writing software. If I find a writer for my own stories maybe he can use it.
I would like to set something straight. I happen to know a little bit something about shipwrecks, this is why I am doing consulting work for this group. However, this is only until they find somebody better qualified.
So if there is somebody out there who would like to offer his or her services, please get in touch and I will forward the job application.
 

grossmusic

Sr. Member
Jul 19, 2013
348
445
Cape Canaveral
Detector(s) used
I detect the history: I've visited archives up & down the entire US East Coast, Bahamas, Jamaica, Kew, The Hague, etc. Have yet to go to Seville or S.American archives.
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
There's lots of screenwriting software. Best is Final Draft.

FYI - I'm a screenewriter & my latest script about the 1715 shipwrecks in Florida has won a few awards.
TheTreasureGalleons.com

My bio is linked there if you want to check it out. My expertise is script editing, and my niche is researching/writing stories from 1650s to 1870s.

But my guess is you're looking for more recent tales with strong archival documentation &/or living survivors. You'll probably find a few tales to be told here with all the true adventurers on this forum.

Whatever direction you go with your TV series, I wish you well in the endeavor. Sounds fun. Keep me in mind if writing & researching skills are needed.
 

old man

Bronze Member
Aug 12, 2003
1,773
1,709
East Coast
Colombiapictures, another person that had found sunken treasure, including Mayan artifacts is CaptBilly in the Dominican Republic. Since you are also looking for people that wrote books. CaptBilly also wrote one.
You may want to contact him.

CaptBilly, if you read this. Post some pictures of your finds and PM this guy.
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
A lot of good shipwreck stories have come together. In fact, so many, that it becomes difficult to choose.

At present the trend seems to be something in the line of "The wreckers of the Florida straight", starting with the early times, 1500's, there is the book from Fontaneda, later is the salvage of the Margarita 1622, then 1715 fleet, 1733, and many later stories.
There are the stories of the ships getting wrecked and the stories of the survivors. Then the people who were the "Wreckers", the ones who did salvage whatever could be saved from the shipwrecks.
There are the salvers of old and there are the salvers of modern times who, with the help of modern technology manage to recover what the salvers of old left behind. The accent is on the people. These people were an important part of the history of Florida.
Intermingled, we have stories of pirates, like on the 1715 fleet.

We would like to find more stories of pirates that are connected with the salvage efforts.

One possible way to tell these stories, would be a bit similar as the TV series "The Men Who Built America"

Any opinions, even critical ones are welcome.
 

Darren in NC

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2004
2,780
1,574
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Sand Shark, Homebuilt pulse loop
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Check out Henry Jennings' act of piracy on the 1715 fleet.

Always try to include the words "treasure" and/or "pirate," as both draw primordial curiosity and excitement among the public. The modern guys consider themselves pirates, too. Here's a suggested title with a little help from a recent X-Men movie..."The Florida Treasure Pirates of the Future Past."
 

ropesfish

Bronze Member
Jun 3, 2007
1,190
1,998
Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
A sharp eye, an AquaPulse and a finely tuned shrimp fork.
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
There are some threads on this forum that i would recommend:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/shipwrecks/142141-list-treasure-wrecks.html
This is/was a great list of book suggestions-it will not load for me this morning, perhaps it will for you: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/s...ired-reading-maritime-treasure-salvage-2.html
Bahamas wrecks: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/shipwrecks/106016-bahamas-list.html
There is a good book on wrecker captains by Dennis M Powers called "Taking the Sea" Amacom 2009.
 

old man

Bronze Member
Aug 12, 2003
1,773
1,709
East Coast
Colombia pictures, you mentioned that a company in Europe wants to film this.

Could you post the name of the Company that wants to do the film? The Company isn't from Spain by any ch, is it?
 

OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
Colombia pictures, you mentioned that a company in Europe wants to film this.

Could you post the name of the Company that wants to do the film? The Company isn't from Spain by any ch, is it?

Do you want me to loose my job? When I am told to keep it confidential, I will do that. But I can tell you: not from Spain.
And it is going to be produced by an American Company.
 

old man

Bronze Member
Aug 12, 2003
1,773
1,709
East Coast
Do you want me to loose my job? When I am told to keep it confidential, I will do that. But I can tell you: not from Spain.
And it is going to be produced by an American Company.
Sure is different then film producers that have contacted me in the past.
The first thing they all wanted me to do is sign a contract. They also were upfront about how they would have to have a major network see if they approved footage for TV. ( am I missing something )
 

OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
Check out Henry Jennings' act of piracy on the 1715 fleet.

Always try to include the words "treasure" and/or "pirate," as both draw primordial curiosity and excitement among the public. The modern guys consider themselves pirates, too. Here's a suggested title with a little help from a recent X-Men movie..."The Florida Treasure Pirates of the Future Past."

Thanks for the help.

Does anybody have any details about Jennings raid. Is the exact location of the salver camp that he attacked known?
There must be many other occurrences of pirate attacks connected to shipwrecks. I think I read some court cases mentioning it.
Talking about court. Were the salvaged good not divided and adjudicated by a judge?
Where could one find more information on that?
 

OP
OP
C

Colombiapictures

Full Member
May 7, 2010
123
71
Sure is different then film producers that have contacted me in the past.
The first thing they all wanted me to do is sign a contract. They also were upfront about how they would have to have a major network see if they approved footage for TV. ( am I missing something )

I thought I had mentioned it before, I am only a consultant that got the job because he knew something about treasure hunting and shipwrecks. Somebody to do the running around and getting the data together for a pre-feasibility study. Come on, help me out. If I loose my job because of my work not being sufficient, I will have to move in with you or crash at your door step. Do you snore?
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top