John Logan - screenwriter

John Logan, one of Hollywood's hottest screenwriters, with credits including Gladiator and The Aviator, is profiled in The New York Times.

As well as showing the rewards of movie writing success ("Once a struggling playwright who only a decade ago paid his bills by shelving books at Northwestern University, Mr. Logan drives a Lexus convertible, vacations around the world...and takes meetings with some of the biggest stars and directors in Hollywood") the article also highlights a common Hollywood theme: disputes about writing credits.

Mr. Logan's handlers at the Creative Artists Agency also enhanced his status before he began writing "The Aviator" by building into his deal an unusual provision guaranteeing him sole screenplay credit, Charles Evans Jr., one of the film's producers, said in an interview. The guarantee blocked the producers, who included the normally hands-on filmmaker Michael Mann, and even Mr. Scorsese from hiring writers to revise Mr. Logan's work or from professing any part in the screenplay's authorship, whatever they may have contributed.

Asked whether he had such protection, Mr. Logan smiled. "I don't know," he said.