Books turned into Movies.

Gak!
Vin would never massaqure my masterpiece.
(spelling optional)

k_obsessed said:

Do the writers have a choice whether to sell their novel, their work, to a film company and then have screenwriters dissect it?

Click to expand...

Writers always have a choice over whether or not to option their novel. Options range from a few dollars to well into the six digits (or more). And you keep the money, whether a movie gets made or not.

For me? I'm going to give you the "sell out" answer and say that if selling the film rights to my novel paid off my accumlated debt and left me some with which to take a nice vacation, I don't care if the movie is "The Godfather" or "Dreamcatcher."

Sometimes novels are improved by the film; sometimes they are ruined. It's a crapshoot.

I liked Absolute Power by David Baldacci and he sold the screen rights to Clint Eastwood for something like 3.5 million. So much of the book was cut out that the main character wasn't even in the movie, first time I ever saw that happen.

Several years later, David Baldacci had a book signing at the Printer’s Row Book Fair and someone asked him what he thought about the movie. The person wanted to know if he was disappointed in it. David flew to Hollywood for preliminaries and input, but for the most part, it was Clint’s movie. He said that a movie couldn’t possibly match a book verbatim, if it did, then the book wasn’t any good. I bet he didn’t care after getting 3.5 million.

I’m sure selling your book to Hollywood depends on the author and stipulations in the contract. I think Anne Rice was involved in casting for Interview with a Vampire, because I read she didn’t want Tom Cruise to play the part. My two cents.

I'll be the one to bring up the Rowling example, because I recently read about this in an interview. Originally, Rowling turned down the offers to make the Potter books into films. It wasn't until she spoke with the screenwriters and others that she agreed to the films. They promised her they wanted to follow her storylines, even though the end to that storyline was unseen at the time.

Raise the Titanic was nothing like the Clive Cussler book, and he was not happy with what they did to his story. When they did Sahara, it was also a nightmare. He tried to maintain creative control and did have a hand in selecting cast, etc., but he was not happy with the movie. Sahara again did not do the book justice, but there is always so much lost in translation. That said, hell yes, I would be doing a happy dance if someone wanted to make my books into a movie

I'm pretty sure I'd be okay with it. James Ellroy once said...before he saw how good LA Confidential was...that it was their movie but it was his book. The book, he said, was inviolate. I sortof think along the same lines.

As much as I love what I've written, if they want to give me money and turn it into a movie, have at it. I'm a sellout and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

No matter what, a movie is going to be good for you as an author (book sales, name recognition, etc.) and if the movie is good, it's a bonus. I'd go for it -- it would definitely be a dream come true, even if I end up hating/being upset with the movie -- well, I just won't watch it, then.

I'd be happy to see mine turned into a movie. Especially if the money was good. And as long as Uwe Boll didn't direct it.

I also agree with the Absolute Power reference. It read great, would have made a great movie. Then when my mom and I went to see it, we were stunned at how bad it was.

kristie911 said:

As much as I love what I've written, if they want to give me money and turn it into a movie, have at it. I'm a sellout and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Click to expand...

This is how I feel. I got babies to feed, goddamnit!

When I signed on with CAA, the agent briefly talked money. The numbers this guy threw out were just astounding. I check my e-mail every day in hopes that he's got good news for me. (Nothing yet, BTW.)

I feel like every story has multiple versions. The version I chose for Obedience is just one of them. The narrative is a prism, and everybody looks through it and sees a different image. That's what narratives are; that's what makes human beings so drawn to storytelling in the first place. We can shape our lives, our experiences onto any story we read. If my novel is bumbled by Hollywood, so be it. That will not be my story. It will be just a version somebody came up with using my paradigm.

Hemingway said that he drove to the California border, rolled down his car window and threw out the book. The movie exec tossed him a check, and they both squealed away into the night. This is exactly what I'll do should I ever be so lucky.

I have a friend whose novel was turned into a movie (he helped a great deal by rewriting it to be more movie-friendly)... but he says all he ever does when he sees it playing on USA is to wait until the "Story by" credit, and then turn the channel. The sale of the movie rights paid his mortgage and made his career, but it doesn't mean he likes the movie.

I don't think I could do it. This is mainly because I am an aspiring filmmaker (well, kinda) as well as a writer. I can see how my books would look as movies, and I'm afraid I'd want to direct them.
On the other hand...
A couple million dollars from Hollywood for a book would let me actually start my own independent film company, which makes it tempting.

If anybody wants to option anything I write, they're welcome to it. Maybe someday, if my wildest dreams come true and I have the kind of power that a Rowling or a King might have, I could allow myself to have opinions about the best kind of adaptation available and who I'd ideally want to be involved. But the reality at this stage of my career, and probably for every stage of my career, is that I have no power save the ability to say yes or no, and saying yes means money in the bank, and money in the bank brings me closer to being able to become a full-time writer, so ANY option/adaptation is a good option.

If I got enough to pay off my mortgage and put a little in the bank, then, yeah, I would do it. I don't really see it as selling out either. I see it as making a positive step for my career.

After seeing what they did to Eragon, if a movie studio came to me and asked to turn my work into a movie, I would permit it only if they agreed not to chang or cut-out anything, not to add anything without my approval, and I was able to look over the script and the art work. I want my dragons to look as I envisioned them.

Only after they agree to that in writing, would I allow them to make a movie out of my work.

Well, since at this point it doesn't look like my novel will ever be published, I can be self-righteous and say, I would not sell out and allow my novel to become a movie.

k_obsessed said:

What's the name of the movie/book?

Click to expand...

Simple Simon.

You may remember it by its "movie" name:

Mercury Rising.

k_obsessed said:

One of my favorite romances was made into a movie, and I was deeply sad by it... The books always better.

Click to expand...

Whenever people say that about a movie I like, it makes me not want to read the book.

Depends. I'm not published yet so it's all speculating anyway, but I can imagine these scenarios:

I have one or two books out, I'm sort of trying to get my career started OR I'm midlist and doing badly enough that I'm having problems with my publisher, they want to drop me: Oh yes. Absolutely. Even having sold the rights would probably get me some extra publicity, even if the thing never gets done at all.

I'm midlist, but starting to do ok: Depends a bit on the money they're offering. But probably yes.

I'm selling steadily and doing well: only if I get lots of money for the rights.

Bestseller status: only if I get paid really well AND get some rights to oversee the project to make sure that the movie will at least resemble the novel.