Turning a Book into a Motion Picture? - Writers Forum

MikeKovich · 03-14-2006, 10:34 PM

I could not ponder a better fit place to post this question, but I believe the novel I am writing, would be a good Motion Picture (Movie). Now, let us say that I decided upon proposing this idea to a Motion Picture Company, what steps would be involved in this process? Would having the book published make a difference? If so, what? I appreciate any help you can offer.

Michael

character1_Caitlin · 03-14-2006, 11:24 PM

Most books made from movies came from the following

1-- Best seller at least for a while
2-- Important book about something by a famous author
3-- Oprah liked it and had it in her book club.

Perhaps your getting a little ahead of yourself?

My opinion is you would have a better case if you had the book published and you had an agent.

MikeKovich · 03-14-2006, 11:34 PM

Oh, I have no intention of submitting my novel to a Motion Picture Company, I was simply curious as to how to go about doing so.

character1_Caitlin · 03-14-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeKovich

Oh, I have no intention of submitting my novel to a Motion Picture Company, I was simply curious as to how to go about doing so.

OH ok, I apologize if I sounded glib

I think script writers that can't come come up with an original movie idea go after the books for the rights.

Then you have the ones where books are written almost like they know that a screenplay can be easily created and adapted from their work.

I am a little cynical I know.

MikeKovich · 03-15-2006, 12:02 AM

It's quite alright. Anyway, I appreciate your help

mammamaia · 03-15-2006, 06:42 PM

Quote:

I could not ponder a better fit place to post this question, but I believe the novel I am writing, would be a good Motion Picture (Movie). Now, let us say that I decided upon proposing this idea to a Motion Picture Company, what steps would be involved in this process? Would having the book published make a difference? If so, what? I appreciate any help you can offer.

film industry facts...

nobody in the biz buys 'ideas'... at least not from unknown, unpublished/unproduced newbies...

no 'studio' [or prodco] will even look at an 'idea' from an unagented writer... their legal departments won't even let unsolicited mail be opened!... it's customarily returned to sender under a stern cover letter from the legal dept....

movie rights are generally offered by the publisher of a book, not the writer... and/or through the writer's agent... such stuff will be spelled out in the contracts you sign with both entities...

so, the bottom line is that you can't offer your book idea to a motion picture studio... if you think it will make a good film, then you need to write the screenplay and see if you can find an agent to take it on... but it takes years to get good enough at this most specialized of all the written arts, to be able to turn out a marketable script... so, my best advice to you is to write the best book you can, get it published by a paying publisher, and hope it will sell well enough to interest the guys and gals in la-la-land...

best of luck to you... if you want any more details on either process, feel free to drop me an email any time...

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com

tbs21 · 04-28-2006, 05:03 PM

Mike,
Don't get your hopes up. Everyone who writes a novel thinks it would be a great motion picture. Think about the last time you went into a big bookstore like Barnes & Noble. There were literally millions of books in there, right? Well, I'm sure they would be great movies too. But the truth is, Hollywood just doesn't have the money to turn every book into a movie!

mammamaia · 04-28-2006, 07:34 PM

yup!... that's the bottom line, alright... well-put, scooby... m

alex de las casas · 05-06-2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeKovich

I could not ponder a better fit place to post this question, but I believe the novel I am writing, would be a good Motion Picture (Movie). Now, let us say that I decided upon proposing this idea to a Motion Picture Company, what steps would be involved in this process? Would having the book published make a difference? If so, what? I appreciate any help you can offer.

Michael

turn it into a script. find a mate with a silver tongue [producer] find a mate with a camera [director]

rock and roll

fnbpublica · 05-09-2006, 04:11 PM

Film projects to film production companies must be submitted via a literary agent who specializes in this area. First a book must be published. The following agency has a book-to-film submissions project. Their submissions query form asks of the book you're interested in submitting: published? self-published? not yet published? Perhaps they'll consider a not-yet-published book for representation. You can also self-publish your book easily at Lulu Press, http://www.lulu.com.

http://www.thescreenplayagency.com

Julianne · 05-10-2006, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnbpublica

The following agency has a book-to-film submissions project. Their submissions query form asks of the book you're interested in submitting: published? self-published? not yet published? Perhaps they'll consider a not-yet-published book for representation. You can also self-publish your book easily at Lulu Press, http://www.lulu.com.

http://www.thescreenplayagency.com

The Screenplay Agency is a scam. See this for more details: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20359

JP Wagner · 06-15-2006, 02:51 AM

this is something that I have been wondering for awhile.

The author maintains movie right right?

So what if the author of a good novel also writes the screenplay version of the novel after it's published and tries to submit that? Is that legal? And would there be better chanes of that?

mammamaia · 06-15-2006, 09:21 PM

Quote:

The author maintains movie right right?

...only if s/he hasn't sold them to the publisher, along with the book...

Quote:

So what if the author of a good novel also writes the screenplay version of the novel after it's published and tries to submit that? Is that legal?

...of course it is, if the author still owns the film adaptation rights... you'd have to check the publishing contract to be sure... but usually, the publisher is the one to negotiate with a studio/prodco to adapt the book and the latter will assign a screenwriter...

Quote:

And would there be better chanes of that?

...better what kind of chances?... to sell the screenplay version?... not really, unless the writer is a seasoned screenwriter, s/he's not likely to turn out a marketable script... and the publisher can negotiate a much better deal than the author can on his/her own...