What would you do if someone paid you $4 billion for your ideas?

[Leif Notae]

The theme today is the idea of selling ideas/selling yourself/selling out.

While the topic isn't fantasy (Disney buying Lucasfilms), the concept behind it is very real in a capitalist society. We all want the big score, the one deal that will set us up for life.

So, where do you draw the line? How easy is it to go from selling an idea to selling out?

And, if the money gun was pointed to your head, would you sell an idea (your baby project, your novel idea, whatever) to someone else?

 

[Steerpike]

For $4 billion dollars, I'd sell someone every idea I've ever had up until now. Think about it - for the rest of your life you'd have absolute artistic and personal freedom to do whatever you wanted.

 

[Leif Notae]

True, but then there is the concept behind what happened to Lucas. He is a majority stock holder in Disney and only a "creative consultant" for the films.

I am sure there is a non-compete clause in the contract.

So, would you do it with a non-compete clause? You couldn't create anything other than works that will never see the light of day until far after you passed for $4 billion right now?

 

[Steerpike]

I live in California, where non-compete clauses are presumed to be void as a matter of law. They might be able to have a little more effect re: Lucas, though I doubt they could prevent him from making any movies at all (say if he wanted to start a new company).

I wouldn't do it if nothing I did could see the light of day, but I don't see a company being able to reach that broadly, at least in the U.S.

 

[Leif Notae]

I live in California as well. Hello fellow left coast sibling.

There are some contracts that give specific times for non-compete, so it wouldn't be a "forever" thing. However, this is more for a "what price is too high for your creative decision" more than a valid statement on law.

Good to know about the clause though!

 

[Steerpike]

I live in California as well. Hello fellow left coast sibling.

There are some contracts that give specific times for non-compete, so it wouldn't be a "forever" thing. However, this is more for a "what price is too high for your creative decision" more than a valid statement on law.

Good to know about the clause though!

Yeah in most places if you have a reasonably time and geographic limitation, courts will enforce non-competes. In California, they're presumed void even with those. Companies still use them because employees don't know they're void and might still abide by them.

I don't know where the price is, exactly. Anything that would enable me to be completely free of a need for income for life so I could do what I wanted would be very tempting indeed!

 

[Zero Angel]

I'd sell out and be miserable about selling out, but I think that I might have different socioeconomic conditions than others.

Any amount of money that would mean that I would never have to worry about having enough money to have a house, make bills on time, get married, not have to worry about what groceries to buy. It would be immoral to NOT sell out.

However, I think of Star Wars relatively the same way I think of my epic. I have other stories that I want to write, but I have about 50 stories that I want to write with Star Wars. That said, didn't Lucas already write the three trilogies of Star Wars twenty years ago? The second trilogy was the first set of films, the first trilogy was the second set of films, and ostensibly the third trilogy will be the next set of films.

Also, no offense to Mr. Lucas, I enjoyed his stories, but his writing in these last three was quite bad. Removing him as the writer could mean that the films would be even better. And if he still is a creative-consultant, then that means that he will be able to have input, just not be in charge of everything. That kind of seems like he can sit back and watch his imagination come to life. Sounds pretty awesome really.

 

[Leif Notae]

Also, no offense to Mr. Lucas, I enjoyed his stories, but his writing in these last three was quite bad. Removing him as the writer could mean that the films would be even better. And if he still is a creative-consultant, then that means that he will be able to have input, just not be in charge of everything. That kind of seems like he can sit back and watch his imagination come to life. Sounds pretty awesome really.

You haven't read his fantasy book... Yeesh.

The caveat here is that he is already wealthy beyond his imagination because of the franchise and the other houses that Lucas built. I agree he can let others do the work and see what they do with the world he created since he loves to see what people do with Star Wars anyway.

So then let's kick it up a notch here and say you CAN'T consult at all with any aspect. They bought it lock, stock, and barrel.

 

[Shockley]

Absolutely. Hell, I'd sell out for substantially south of that. Seeing as how I'm a poor student living on my own, every idea (fantasy or no, related to writing or not) that crossed my mind to this point is on the block for, oh, 100k.

Now, twenty years down the line I'll probably have a very different answer to 100k - but 4 billion? Take my future wife and kids while you're at it.

 

[Saigonnus]

I think Timothy Zahn did a better job at the post "Return of the Jedi" Star Wars universe in his books than George Lucas did and perhaps those should be the basis for the new films. The basic ideas are probably similar to what George Lucas outlined... Luke becomes a jedi master, Han and Leia have jedi twins and the remnants of the empire struggles to recover from their defeat at Endor.

To answer the question though: I would easily take 4 billion for every idea I have had to this point as it could potentially lead to other projects that could be worth even more.

 

[Sheriff Woody]

There's not much I wouldn't do for $4 billion.

 

[Anders Ämting]

What are you kidding? I think I'd sell my ideas for a lot less than that.

Goodness, imagine all the swords I could buy for that kind of money!

True, but then there is the concept behind what happened to Lucas. He is a majority stock holder in Disney and only a "creative consultant" for the films.

I am sure there is a non-compete clause in the contract.

I don't see what the point of that would be. Isn't part of this that Lucas basically decided to retire? Dude is almost seventy years old and made more money than God. It's impressive he's bothered to stay in the game this long.

Also, what has the man created otherwise that could possibly compare to Star Wars? It's his life's work, he's not just going to churn out another one.

 

[Sparkie]

What an interesting thread.

Fact is, I have no idea what I'd do. I've thought about it while reading these posts, and I really don't know.

On the one hand, you have the money. Money money money. We'd all love more money. Money makes life better, or at least easier, right?

On the other hand you have... Well what do you have? More self-respect for not 'selling out?' More principle? More credit as an artist? Well, do you?

I dunno. And I doubt I'll ever know, seeing as wealthy people aren't lining up to buy any of my ideas.

I do know this though. As a single man with no dependents, I currently have the luxury of doing as I choose. If, however, I had someone who relied on me, who needed resources I could provide, then I might not be able to do as I wished. Rather, I would do what I had to do in order to care for my family.

 

[Chilari]

I know what I'd do with $4bn. And yes I'd sell whatever I've come up with so far in my life for it.

Hell, I'd do it for $4m. I can build a nice ecohome with a massive library and a vegetable garden and nice views for that, what, £2.6m in real money? I've got more ideas in me, and if the stipulation is that the stories I've begun so far can't be used (even the ones that never saw the light of day) then fine, I'll have more ideas, I'll create new worlds and new characters, and if I can't I'll just paint all I like in a massive studio instead of writing. But with that kind of money I'll be set for life.

 

[CupofJoe]

We all want the big score, the one deal that will set us up for life.

Not personally - give me a small quiet farm somewhere with trees and I'd say goodbye to the rest of the world very happily... If it wasn't that pesky "being Xtian" and praying all the time I'd be a monk.

And, if the money gun was pointed to your head, would you sell an idea (your baby project, your novel idea, whatever) to someone else?

In a second - and it wouldn't have to be a gun, just money...

 

[WyrdMystic]

Of course I'd sell. Especially if I was Lucas's age - he can retire now, if he wanted, safe in the knowledge that he had chosen the company to carry on his legacy long after he pops it.

Though, I couldn't justify keeping $4 billion to myself. I'd have to off-load half of it.

 

[Chime85]

If someone offered me $4mil for my novel ideas, I'd call them a liar before searching for the candid camera!

x

 

[SeverinR]

Of course I'd sell. Especially if I was Lucas's age - he can retire now, if he wanted, safe in the knowledge that he had chosen the company to carry on his legacy long after he pops it.

Though, I couldn't justify keeping $4 billion to myself. I'd have to off-load half of it.

In the US, goverment expects at least half. So 4b becomes 2b. Share the wealth, you know.

 

[WyrdMystic]

In the US, goverment expects at least half. So 4b becomes 2b. Share the wealth, you know.

Same here, though that half becomes less than that seeing as half is taken in shares so isn't cashed in and isn't taxed in the same way. So $2 bill is 'safe' and $2 bill is halved, so the package ends up with $1 bill cash and a $2 bill stake in Disney which will generate more than that over time - eventually $4 bill becomes $10 bill even after tax.

Still with $1 bill cash and no shares I'd still have to splash AT LEAST half out to charities or something.....having that much money would just make me feel sick, don't think I could cope with it.

 

[Leif Notae]

Thanks everyone for responding, this is great.

I think the problem here is that he will forever be tied into the films, even after he's gone. Sure, we all look at I, II, and III and think they're garbage, but it might look like Casablanca after what Disney could do to them if they are looking to get more family friendly with the IP.

Now, they haven't done it yet. They're hands off with Marvel and Pixar, so I don't see it happening with Lucas either.

However, that might be the next price you pay. It might not apply to single people like myself, but could you imagine the hell your children or grandchildren will pay if someone else destroyed the IP you were known for? Sure, rational people might see it, but there are some pretty irrational people out there as well.

So are you willing to trade that in for this money? Yes, your children and maybe your grandchildren wouldn't have to want for anything, but they would have to suffer "rage hatred" for your villain sporting mouse ears throughout the film or having a singing weapon teaching the virtues of goodness and light.