question - adapting novels, directing films

Somehow I don't think it's that easy...

There's no easy answer, just a whole bunch of possible what-ifs and long shots.

If your novels have sold well and you have a guaranteed fanbase that would wish to see the books made into movies, then perhaps you may have a bargaining position. Your agent may be able to sell the film rights. At which point, perhaps you can offer your adaptations plus your filmmaking experience.

On which note, consider entering your shorts into film festivals where you can earn recognition as a filmmaker. A prodco or studio might be more willing to take a chance if you can prove yourself. I'm thinking that maybe recognized film school qualifications might be more valuable than workshops, but who knows, if you've accumulated enough experience and credits, this could get a toe in the door.

-Derek

Norma Jean said:

I have a question, let's say you've written two or three books, and you decide you want to turn those books into films, and you have already taken SEVERAL Hands-on workshops on filmmaking and have actually made a few films yourself with your own video camera, and you want to be the director of the films or scripts that you are writing. Can you demand or, tell or ask an agent or studio, I'll sell you my script if I can be the director of the film? Especially if you have TONS of hands-on filmamking experince and have made some films of your own?

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People do this all the time. It's called Independant Film.

The difference is, YOU do all the work. You line up the actors, the locations, the funds and the insurance. You can't make demands at a large studio--they'll laugh you off the lot. Instead you will take all that experience and make the best film you can on whatever budget you can scrounge together. Then you enter it in as many film festivals as you can. That's where the distributors and such will be, and that's where you will either secure a distribution deal or sign with a company like Troma so that your film will appear in a catalog of DVDs. Even if you don't get a screening of your film you will go to the festivals because you may be able to interest a distributor in your work.

FWIW: I live in a neighborhood infested with production people. The families on the corner do lighting & sound. I've done my share of costuming. Around the corner is a small-time film producer/director/writer who makes a solid living creating straight-to-DVD movies.

Norma Jean said:

I have a question, let's say you've written two or three books, and you decide you want to turn those books into films, and you have already taken SEVERAL Hands-on workshops on filmmaking and have actually made a few films yourself with your own video camera, and you want to be the director of the films or scripts that you are writing. Can you demand or, tell or ask an agent or studio, I'll sell you my script if I can be the director of the film? Especially if you have TONS of hands-on filmamking experince and have made some films of your own?

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I hate to say it, but you sound like a film rights agent's worst nightmare. In terms of novels to film, there are two main scenarios: 1) routine pickup of a film rights option when a novel publishes. Typically this might be a matter of a few thousand dollars that the studio will lay out "just in case." It may be for a limited period, like a year, and you get a bunch more money if they ever decide to make a film; 2) on the other hand, if you've held off on selling rights and you're lucky enough to have a blockbuster novel, you are probably looking at six or even seven figures in film rights, maybe even a percentage of revenue. Rest assured the studio will be paying very close attention to the issue of who and how when laying out that level of money. Generally in the last case, they don't want your screenplay; they will hand it off to someone in their stable. They might pay you the lip service of looking at it, but that's about it.

If you're talking about unpublished novels that you've turned into screenplays, then nobody cares if they started as novels or not. Why should they? It's all about the screenplay. So you're on a level with a gazillion other screenwriters trying to ply their trade, and most of them aren't asking to direct their own films. Even if you've published a blockbuster, about the best you might be able to do is push to get a certain director or actor you admire, particularly if your agent can get him/her to read your script. Otherwise, you are pretty much at their mercy unless you're willing to kiss a lot of money goodbye.

Remember, even as successful an author as Thomas Harris (creator of Hannibal Lecter) got manhandled by Dino DiLaurentis, who threatened to do a Hannibal-type movie not based on one of Harris' books because of an obscure clause in Harris' contract. Harris ended up writing a book he didn't want to, Hannibal Rising, just to control the content of the movie.

But far more important, you could very well overestimate your own abilities in something like this. You probably have little or no experience with anything remotely big-budget. You probably haven't got a clue how to manage the colossal egos of actors, cinematographers, sound guys, special effects wizards, film music composers and the like. You have no idea how to deal with the conflicting wants of actors, producers, accountants, and so on. There are probably fifty pieces of equipment on a Warner Brothers sound stage that you would barely even recognize. The minute a studio starts listening to your answers to questions about how you'd approach turning your novel into film, you'd probably see about fifty raised eyebrows and a hearty "We'll get back to you."

Sounds like you don't want to go the indie route and make your own film then seek a distributor. Have you been querying prodcos?

...You want me to move this thread over to Screen Writing forum? You might get more answers there.

-Derek

Norma Jean said:

well how does one become a filmmaker? How??? If I write a script and want to be the director of the script and I have TONS of filmmaking experince, how can I get the studio to let me direct that film?

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Did you go to film school? That's where they're looking. That & music videos, although that's a dying breed.

You got to start in the trenches. I was an entertainment lawyer for 10 years, and although it was all in the documentary business, I can tell you somethings are the same - you start at the bottom and work your way up. If you are in LA, you want to start looking for a job working at the bottom of the rungs in production companies. You are definitely young and have time to move up, you start at a reader, or a Production assistant, etc., then work your way up the ladder. Or you write a killer script and shop it - much harder. And you need to read the trades - read Variety or Hollywood Reporter - find out as much as you can about the business. Go to film school if you haven't already. And don't tell anyone you have lots of film making experience, because the only kind of experience that means anything to them is professional - amatuer stuff doesn't count - unless it wins awards. The only other option to you is to go the independent route. Write it, and raise the funding yourself. Depending upon the type of movie (no expensive action sequences or animation) you could conceivably film it for $10,000. I believe El Mariachi was filmed for $7,000 and now Rodriquez is huge and can command $100 million film budgets.


Good luck to you.

Workshops and film school will help get you connections to - be a Production Assistant.

As far as the studio world is concerned, you have zero experience, not 'tons'. How many major festivals have you placed at? Large budget films have you worked on, and in what capacity?

There are some indie producers who will take on autuers(writer/directors). Show up with a novel, and they'll probably giggle, pass the query around the office, throw it away, and forget about you. Multiply that for a vanity or unpublished novel.

Write your screenplay. And write it properly, and well. Writing novels and screenplays have as much to do with each other as jet engines do to sardines.

Then do the research on those little companies who might take a chance on you. Keep revising as you introduce yourself.

While you're doing that, keep making shorts. Study the craft.