Time to read!

What to Expect in 2015

     Film adaptations are always highly anticipated. Books have such a strong fan base that is dying to see the words on the pages come to life on the big screen. Production companies release the new film-adaptations in advance to their releases to market the books and create anticipation. When people see a new film coming out that is based on a book, they want to be ahead of everyone else with the plot line so they go out and buy the book to read before the film.

     One of the biggest releases in 2015 is going to be the first book in the Fifty Shades trilogy by E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey. This film is highly anticipated due to the massive fan base that the books picked up a few years ago. Advertising the release of this film so far in advance will only cause the book sales to sky-rocket which would then lead to the sky-rocket of the film in the box-office. 

"Odds are you'll know what you're in for when you go to see this tale of erotic exploits and romantic intrigue in theaters."

     A book-based film that I am anticipating is Miss Peregrin's Home for Peculiar Children. I enjoyed this book when I was younger and I can't wait to see it on screen. It is also being directed by my FAVORITE director, Tim Burton.

"This eccentric bestseller seems to have been ready-made for Tim Burton, who is set to direct the screen adaptation for release on July 31."

Williams, W. (2014, June 14). 15 book-to-film adaptations coming in 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2014, from http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/2014/0604/15-book-to-film-adaptations-coming-in-2015/Miss-Peregrine-s-Home-for-Peculiar-Children-by-Ransom-Riggs

Which comes first: Best-Seller or Film Adaptation?

Box-Office Hits to Best Sellers

"So how do movie adaptations tie into marketing strategies to sell books?"

     Generally, we assume that if a book is being made into a film, obviously it is a best seller. Rachel Coun expresses through a series of Q&A the marketing strategies for books that become blockbusters. She expresses how promoting a film that is based on a book allows the author to expand their audience. When promoting a book-based film that is the first of the series, it also promotes the following books. Rachel Coun brings up their strategy for The Hunger Games, their most popular publishing, and how they started off with the advertisement of "It started with a Book," and followed it with "And the story continues," to promote the purchase and reading of the next books in the trilogy. Not only do the book-based films market for their book, but they also market for books in the same genre or similar story lines. To market these films and books, Scholastic launched a series of social media blasts to reach their most popular audience of young adults.

"With the popularity of certain themes at the movies-such as vampires, crime dramas, or futuristic fantasies-publishers can tie books with similar themes into the pop culture theme-of-the-moment by target marketing to key demographics or consumers composing the fan base."

     When I see that a new film is coming out that is based on a book, I immediately assume, "Oh, that book must be really popular, I've just never seen it before." This is an inaccurate assumption. Production companies have been trained to notice a book that has the potential to create a massive fan base. In these situations, the movie production creates the book's fan base. After the movie is produced and blasted through the media, the book becomes that talk of the entertainment world. Everyone wants to know: What happens? In the luckiest of scenarios, the book is a part of a series of books, which is then the authors dream come true: a fan base that will now be mass purchasing the following books to know what happens next. 

Urbach, R. (2013, June 27). Box-Office Hits to Best-Sellers: Scholastic Inc. Shares Marketing Strategies Around Film Adaptations. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from http://www.madisonaveinsights.com/2013/06/27/box-office-hits-to-best-sellers-scholastic-inc-shares-marketing-strategies-around-film-adaptations/ 

Book-Based Films Beneficial to Both Sides

Films Fuel Reading Hunger

     When producing a book-based film, the production and marketing not only benefits the success of the film itself, but it increases book sales tenfold. The books being adapted into movies has almost doubled the market for these novels. Popular series, such as the Twilight saga and the Hunger Games trilogy, increase the desire to read a book amongst young-adults. Not only does the marketing of these films increase the sales of the books, but it also increases the audience. 

     "Blockbuster films such as The Hunger Games and The Twilight Saga are helping to fuel a resurgence in teenagers' reading, research shows."

"'Twilight and The Hunger Games are the obvious examples, but even this year we have seen the first Beautiful Creatures film lift sales of the corresponding novel some twentyfold at Waterstones.'"

     This article is something I can relate to. I myself have been inspired to read the corresponding books in a series after seeing the film of the first book. If the preview for a book-based film is made just right, I will instantly go out and get the book to read it just in time for the opening of the film. 

Harris, S. (2013, June 26). Films Fuel Huge Rise in Teenagers Reading: Movies including The Hunger Games help increase book sales by 11%. Mail Online. Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2349145/Films-fuel-huge-rise-teenagers-reading-Movies-including-The-Hunger-Games-help-increase-book-sales-11.html

Produce a book-based film? That's easy!

How to Option a Book for Film Adaptation  

    

"Hollywood has loved books ever since the days of silent films."

     Not only do film adaptations of books allow the reader's to see words come to life, but they bring along fan bases that will be rushing to the box office. It is not that simple to claim the rights of producing an adaptation of a film. It is far more extensive than one might think.

     In order to reserve the motion picture rights to a book, you must communicate with either the author, or the author's agent. You MUST do your research! You have to search the registrations and recorded rights transfers for the book in the database of the U.S. Copyright office to make sure there is a copyright registered in the author's name, and that there are not conflicting registrations for productions on this book. 

     The author will generally reserve all book punlishing, radio, live stage, and author-written sequel rights. Generally, the major point of negotiation is the purchase price. Also, it is customary that the author reseive a net profit participation for the picture. "Net profits" is a very broad term that can be defined in many ways. 

     Reserving the rights to produce remakes and sequels based on the picture come as a cost to the producer towards the author. There are general prices and percentages on how to pay the authors. 

"Hollywood's love for books will endure for two simple reasons: First, books offer built-in wonderfully developed stories with fascinationg plots and compelling characters; second, popular books have throngs of rabid fans who will be rushing to the box office to see th moton picture based on their beloved book."

     This article provided me with an indepth description on the steps that an independent filmmaker must take in order to produce an adaptation film. I did not understand the extensive steps and fine details that are involved with turning a book into a film. In my eyes, it was a simple process. A producer sees a book they like and BOOM! The author is honored to be asked and is more than willing to help in the process of producing the film. However, it is not this easy. As a simple viewer, we do not go into deep thought about the crucial process that was gone through in order to produce our beloved book-based films. 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I

(Popular and recently produced film adaptation of the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy)

Zipser, R. (2013, August 8). How to Option a Book for Film Adaptation. FILMMAKER.