On Writing : What makes a good book to film prospect? by D.E. White

I can tell you what _doesn't_ make a good book LOL A screenwriting friend once wrote a book, and while the characters were interesting, the world was unique, and the action was packed, the pacing was off. A screenplay has to have action, but a novel should have a reflection.

huge volume of book sales. Show biz execs can hire pro screenwriters to adapt anything

Interesting ;-) What about openings? With a bang or set the scene?

I've been pitching a mixed genre sci-fi script (it's my magnum opus -- #1 passion project) here at Stage 32 for a while now. As my S32 pitching has improved, it has received glowing feedback, but the number of requests for the script hasn't been as high as I would've hoped. Due to the massive world-building and complex ideas of my script, I have started actively thinking about turning the script into a novel. Maybe it would be more attractive, if it would be an existing IP. Any ideas or suggestions about the novel transformation? I find it highly ironic, that I keep on getting these laudatory compliments (I also have Weta Workshop attached to the project) but so few dare to get their hands dirty with it. Your advice, comments and suggests are highly appreciated - many thanks in advance!

I think it often has a lot to do with popularity. A popular book means people will go to see it in the theater or buy it on a streaming platform.

The Goldfinch, and, On Chesil Beach, were both successful books and they both crashed and burned as movies. Eleanor Oliphant hasn't been turned into a movie yet and with good reason - it'll be very difficult to capture the appeal of that character on screen.

Meg Stone -- Many thanks for your kind thoughts and suggestions. I'll have to try to find that webinar! Cheers a bunch, stay well and inspired!

Is Your Script Not Getting Noticed? Turn It Into IP: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Is-Your-Script-Not-Getting-Noticed-Turn...

in real world of high stakes corporate funded movies and IP buying, comic writer Bryan Hill did it. He and his team parlayed an original comic book series to a studio purchase and has the Top Gun 2 Director signed to direct.

https://deadline.com/2021/07/top-gun-maverick-joseph-kosinski-direct-cha...

So maybe the answer to the question, what makes a good book to film prospect?

is simple - it's pictures. Picture books make good movie prospects, and books full of words are not so good.

With you on the James Bond books Meg ;-) A couple of friends have recently had their crime novels optioned for film and one thing I have noticed is a lot of dialogue in their books (in no way a bad thing), the pace is really sharp and they are super twisted. Can totally see your point Richard, but are we not trying to drawn pictures and set scenes, create emotions etc with our words in books? I do love a book that makes me cry lol, and a film that makes me go WTF happened! Or for fun I really liked White Lines on Netflix (I know I'm late to the party), which is similar to a recent book British Girl Found Dead.

Love all the thoughtful feedback. As far as internal dialogue on screen and POV it can be best translated by getting to the root emotion you're having your character go through and showing us that in emotion in an artistic way. And it all comes down to finding that person or team of people who resonate with your book/project! =)

As for the: "bottom of the rankings on Amazon" - part, I came to think about The Godfather novel. When it was released it got bad reviews, didn't sell all that well and was seen as a piece of cheap pulp literature. As a movie, it is regarded as a cult classic and a masterpiece. All because it was adapted well and fit the cinematic format

It’s all about the pitch.

If you place at least as a q-finalist in a writing contest, it's worth trying, but you'll need a registered copyright first, and afterwards, you'll need an agent.

Placing QF (Quarterfinalist) or SF (Semifinalist) these days is not a problem. It's more of a challenge to place as F (Finalist) or W (Winner). Also, I have had great pitches lately, where the exec requests the script. More often than not. But to get them committed enough to sign up the writer (me) and to option the material (my script) is the really tricky part. More and more often I'm getting the feeling that placing well in these competitions or getting optioned, it's not about how good you are as a writer and how good your script is ... it's more about how well you fit into a certain demographic, alas. And if you don't (like myself - I'm both a foreigner and old) ... gosh, well ... then it's your funeral. That whole plain demographic issue is just wrong. It should be about talent and great story material ... NOT politics.

Totally agree Juhani that contests should be about great writing, unfortunately as you say it often isn't. I've entered a couple of book to film contests and been quite surprised to see the judging is done by getting the public to vote (I think this was Taleflick a couple of years back), so it becomes a popularity contest. Safe to say, I don't have that many friends lol, and I also wasted the entry fee money...

I hope that Jason Mirch and Richard "RB" Botto will take a closer and harder look at the Stage 32 competition mandates, when it comes to participating writers. If a writer branded "difficult" like myself (I'm pretty affable but not exactly known for having a patience of a saint) places well regularly in competitions, but is always passed over for someone, who fits the American young demographic better, well that's just plain demoralizing. I'm not whining or complaining here, just stating the facts as I see them ... just saying that it should be a fair game -- not demographic or age biased, but based on bold, brash and original ideas (regardless of their "budget range") and the talent of the writer. Agreed?