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This is usually easy. If you are a book publisher, then look on the manuscript or at the cover letter. It should state who owns copyright. Authors also reserve film and TV rights to their works, so if you want to turn a book into a movie or television show, then the owner of the copyright should own those rights. An author might already have been approached by a producer to turn a book in a movie. If so, the author might already have assigned those rights to someone. You can check with the U.S. Copyright Office.</ref>https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/how-to-option-the-film-rights-for-a-book/</ref> You can search the U.S. Copyright Office online at http://www.copyright.gov/records/. Search for both pre-1978 and post-1978 records. You will be able to find more post-1978 records, but it's important to search both time frames. If you see that the author has already assigned the rights to someone else, then you are out of luck. You should call the author to confirm that they own the rights and that the rights are available. There's no point negotiating for the rights with someone if they are not available. If you are a producer, then you will need to find a telephone number. Look at the copyright registration. If you can't find a phone number, then contact the book's publisher.

Summary:
Find out who owns the copyright. Check that copyright hasn't been assigned. Call the author.