Having publish my first book re living with an, (at times)harrowing phobia 13 years ago, I felt it had run its course. This week out fo the blue I received an email explaining that a 'company' felt the content was worthy of turning it into a film. I responded and agreed there hasn't been a film that has, as far as I am aware, exposed this topic and the devastation it can cause. I received a further email as t'hey' were excited I was willing to collaborate........But now comes the deadly silence....Nothing since. Is this normal or possibly a scam ? ..Just feeling a little let down of maybe I am too impatient ......In the meantime I am completeing my trilogy which is great fun and even make myself laugh out loud when writing ..
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Hi, Caroline Dowdall. I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know I moved your post from the Acting Lounge to the Authoring & Playwriting Lounge since your post is about book adaptations. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Hey Caroline.
For the most part, studios think a movie based on your novel will equate to ticket sales if you have good circulation numbers and depending on the genre of the book. Action stories, while more costly, are better sellers than dramas, but there is a market for well produced dramas in the market. Ultimately, it comes down to the cost of the film and the strength of the story. In a theatrical release sense, it's all about getting asses in seats which is very difficult these days. Streaming, it's all about minutes watching the finished product. I'm still not sure how it all relates to revenue, but it has to be substantial for some of the deals to exist these days. The budget deal for the Road House remake was very strange for a film that was horribly lacking in anything remarkable.However, be wary of the contract if there is one. There is a lot of legal jargon that equates to you getting nothing. Every contract offered to anyone has 2 major functions: 1) is to rip you off as much as possible and 2) TO COMPLETELY OWN THE WORK YOU CREATED BECAUSE IN THEIR MINDS, THEY ARE MORE CREATIVE THAN YOU COULD EVER BE.
Tread lightly or you'll fall into a trap where you may never escape from.
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You're right to be superdy duper cautious here Caroline Dowdall. Lots of scammers out there these days trying this crap, preying on writers' hopes and dreams and then duping them into paying some kind of "producing" fee, only to never be heard from again. As is often the case, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I wouldn't stress about it too much and pour that energy into your next books!
Hi Caroline Dowdall ! Developing a book into a film is a very lengthy process that takes years to pull off. I would be suspicious of any unsolicited company offering to turn your book into a film. Just the scriptwriting process itself is extensive. Everyone else's advice here is very valuable, they're all listing good points especially in regards to retaining your rights as the creator.