 | 29 Oct 07 |
I have accepted an editing position with the Sundance Film Festival, and it’s got me in the “movie” mode. I’ve worked for Sundance before, in 2001 and 2002, and it’s a great time. The atmosphere is artsy and creative, if slightly frantic. The outcome is always great, and you get to see awesome movies…. Last time I worked, in addition to editing, I also served as a filmmaker liaison and met quite a few celebrities. I sat next to Roger Ebert at the screening of Christine Lahti’s film, and later she asked me about his responses, and high fived me when I told her he seemed impressed (he gave it a good review). I met Albert Brooks and his ever-present manager, and Lee Lee Sobieski, who is very tall.
I also calmed down two very nervous young filmmakers when the second reel of their movie began to run upside down and backwards. Yup, it really did. For quite a while, cast members from the movie DONNY DARKO did Q&A’s up front, while we attempted to get the problem fixed. I sat through a film directly behind Danny Glover, and found it hard to focus on the movie, because I was watching him. Poor guy. I have more “celeb” stories, but you are probably bored at this point.
The first two times I worked the festival, I was only self-published, and I thought that every New York published book got a film option. I had a lot to learn. (In many, many things, but this is the one we are talking about today. Okay? Tomorrow we’ll talk about the little myth that all authors are well-to-do and can make a living writing books.)
I’m sometimes surprised at what gets made into film, and what does not. I’ve always felt that WIVES AND SISTERS would make a good film, but no one else seems to agree.
I think that just like getting published, you have to hit the right person, on the right day. Except in the film business, you have to hit the right person, on the right day, when they have the right funding and the right contacts.
Two books I’ve read recently that I think would make good movies are: CHILL FACTOR by Sandra Brown and TRACELESS by Debra Webb.
How about you? Any books you’ve read that would make good movies?
© 2007 – 2009, Natalie R. Collins. All rights reserved.
Natalie R. Collins was born in Logan, Utah and attended the University of Utah. She worked for eleven years at The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah's largest daily newspaper, before leaving to devote more time to her family. During the ensuing years, she wrote five novels. She also worked for the 2001 and 2002 Sundance Film Festivals as an editor. Natalie is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America.
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I had an inquiry on DATING CAN BE MURDER from Sony….but never heard anything after that, darn it. CHILL FACTOR would make a great movie! I’ve read many books I thought would make great movies, but I haven’t had enough coffee yet to remember the titles
by Jen October 30th, 2007 at 6:47 amWell, if you’re lookin’ for a good time, any one of my books…
by Karin October 30th, 2007 at 7:24 amOkay, I’ll be serious for a minute. But first I need a fresh cup of coffee. I’ll be baaack.
Okay, I’m back. Books I’ve read that I think would make good movies?
by Karin October 30th, 2007 at 7:36 amToni’s book, Bobbie Faye’s very very very very Bad Day would be a hoot.
Jen, how cool. DATING CAN BE MURDER would make a great movie!! Too bad they were too, uh, shortsighted not to buy it.
Hey Karin, didn’t Toni even do a little film for her trailer? For the book? They were WONDERFULLY done. Toni, where are you? What are those links?
And Karin, of COURSE any of your books… but in particular, Good Girl Gone Bad. That one had HUGE potential for movies.
by Natalie October 30th, 2007 at 11:41 amAnd since we are talking MSW’s ladies, I think Deb’s A HOUSE DIVIDED would be an INCREDIBLE movie, as would Allison’s THE HUNT. Very visual books.
by Natalie October 30th, 2007 at 11:50 amYes, I would LOVE one of my books to be made into a movie. But to be perfectly honest, the best story I’ve written that could be translated to film is the novella in WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE called “Deliver Us From Evil.” Hands down, when I read the page proofs, I thought “movie! movie movie!” Novellas sometimes work best because they are shorter and you don’t lose the depth of the story because there are not a gazillion subplots or whatnot like in the longer books. But more than that, it has the hook, it has supernatural elements, it has two really good special effects scenes, and I could SEE it unfold more than anything else I’ve written. It also has location, location, location.
I agree with Karin, BOBBIE FAYE needs to be a movie. Toni originally wrote it as a script, so it has that seemless, linear feel to it.
Karin’s REDEMPTION would make a GREAT movie as well. I can totally picture the scene where the hero, Zach, talks to “Michael” after Zach dies. Will it be Hell . . . or a chance at redemption? Great stuff.
Rocki’s story could be a television series, with Arianna having a new “case” every week where she picks up something from the studio audience and it gets her into trouble and whatnot, or helps people with “closure.” Hey, that’s a great title to the series, too! And Chase is there to help her clean up the mess and protect her pretty ass.
by Allison October 30th, 2007 at 1:43 pmI’m back for a moment, Off the top of my head, I’d say Karen Rose’s COUNT TO TEN, and for humor, Maureen Child’s MORE THAN FIENDS
There are so many,many books I could name! All the MSW gals, of course.
I always thought it was stupid to make Da Vinci Code into a movie. It’s not an action plot, I couldn’t see how it would translate. And yeah, I know many people disliked the book. I’m just talking strictly what seems to translate from book to movie.
John Grishams books seem to do really well as movies.
by Jen October 30th, 2007 at 1:51 pmOkay, Allison, now I can’t WAIT to read the Novella!! When is it out?
Oh great, Jen. Two MORE books I need to read!
I didn’t watch the Da Vinci Code movie. I found the plot premise interesting, but the writing pedantic, and I just didn’t SEE it as a movie.
I would like to go see GONE BABY GONE, which is based on the book by Dennis Lehane, one of my very favorite mystery writers.
by Natalie October 30th, 2007 at 2:26 pmSounds like fun, Natalie! Congratulations.
I hope The Blade Itself gets made into a movie–a dark, gritty, movie filmed with the director who did Mystic River.
by spyscribbler October 30th, 2007 at 2:29 pmsuzanne enoch rick and sam;s book
by kim h October 30th, 2007 at 2:38 pmHey spy, yeah, and then we can all watch interviews on television with Marcus Sakey, who is just TOO DAMN CUTE. Did I say that out loud? Well, he is.
And kim, I’m not familiar with that one.
by Natalie October 30th, 2007 at 3:11 pmWow, you all, THANK YOU. What a terrific thing to see today. (It’s been a crazy day. Good crazy, but crazy.)
The videos: http://www.tonimcgeecausey.com/video/
I’m lucky in that there’s some interest going on. I can’t say any more than that, mostly because everything in this business takes forever, and there’s about to be a writer’s strike, which will in all likelihood affect book options greatly. (One theory I’ve heard, though, is that without scripts to develop and bid on, the studios may be turning to look at more books for the next couple of months.)
FEAR NO EVIL by Allison screamed movie to me. When she first told me the premise, I got that tingly, “damnit, I wish I’d have thought of that” sensation, followed immediately by, “that’s a movie.” The book reinforces that, in every good page-turning way.
Books are so different, though, it’s very hard to translate one form into the other. (I do agree that novellas are easier.) There’s usually so much internal stuff going on in books, and there’s not a lot of ways to show that introspection, unless there’ a voice-over, and those often don’t work.
Karin, if yours were made into movies? The surge of lust coming out of the theaters would probably kill most mortal men.
Woman, you write *hot.*
(Now here’s a different thing–I think several books from this group would make excellent TV series, which is actually very lucrative in the long run, if a pilot gets on the air. TV can play with form and has longer to build to information, which can offset that whole ‘introspective’ issue that movies have to combat.)
by toni mcgee causey October 30th, 2007 at 4:37 pmStephen White’s BLINDED. Heckuva book. Nicci French’s SECRET SMILE. (For all I know, it may be a movie already.) I agree on CHILL FACTOR.
P.J. Parrish’s AN UNQUIET GRAVE. I would love to see that one! Joseph Finder’s KILLER INSTINCT.
by J. Carson Black October 31st, 2007 at 7:11 amOh, yes, Jake. BLINDED was AWESOME! I have AN UNQUIET GRAVE in my TBR file. And I’ll have to KILLER INSTINCT to add to it, as well.
In my trip to Seattle I picked up DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER, which is now the HBO (or Showtime, can’t remember which) series. I haven’t watched it before, which is probably obvious. But I can’t wait to read the book.
Toni, interesting comment about TV. I think I’d love to see Jenny’s book on television!
by Natalie October 31st, 2007 at 10:00 amOur endless, endless TBR piles! But it’s the best kind of pile there is.
by J. Carson Black October 31st, 2007 at 11:49 amI have always thought Wives and Sisters would make an excellent movie, it is so full of texture. I agree with Jake about PJ Parrish’s An Unquiet Grave. I just finished reading Lee Child’s One Shot the one you just finished reading alway should be a movie…well okay not always, but the good ones.
by Cele October 31st, 2007 at 2:22 pm[...] Jere wrote an interesting post today on Permanent Link to Let’s Talk MoviesHere’s a quick excerptLet’s Talk Movies Posted by Natalie on October 29th, 2007 I have accepted an editing position with the Sundance Film Festival, and it’s got me in the “movie†mode. I’ve worked for Sundance … , and high fived me when I told her he seemed impressed (he gave it a good review). I met Albert Brooks [...]
by Movie Reviews » Blog Archive » Permanent Link to Let’s Talk Movies October 31st, 2007 at 7:37 pm