Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
I never intended to spend so much of my time ushering books into movies. Oh, I know that most authors pine to see their books turned into film. But I also know what an arduous journey it is. Thus rendering my enthusiasm lukewarm.
Knowing this is true of me, you may be surprised to learn that I’ve had a hand in the following:
- This year marks the third Christmas season in a row in which Robin Jones Gunn’s Father Christmas movies set new records for viewership on Hallmark’s Movies and Mysteries channel. Each year the latest iteration of Father Christmas exceeds the viewership of the film released the year before.
- I’m one contract addendum away from being able to announce a client’s novel series being turned into a Netflix TV series.
- Another project is close to being put into production by Reese Witherspoon’s film company, Hello Sunshine.
So here’s a peek behind the scenes of turning books into movies. I’ve learned the following lessons:
Patience is Imperative
Just because interest is expressed in your work, don’t expect quick results.
My client with the potential Netflix deal signed a shopping agreement with a production company in 2013. All parties involved hope shooting will begin on the TV series spring of 2019.
The Father Christmas films began when I sent a copy of the novella Finding Father Christmas to a producer who worked regularly on Hallmark Christmas films. It took ten years to move from writing the novella to sending in that book to a movie being shot.
Get Rich Quick?
Considering the long haul to even reach the point of a film being produced, both the author and the agent have to keep a big picture perspective on not only the timing of a movie but also seeing financial gain. The largest payments tend to come when actual shooting takes place. Waiting five years or more for the book to be turned into a movie isn’t exactly a get-rich-quick scheme.
And sometimes even when the book does reach the point of being made into a movie, the payout may not be what a writer would think. Depending on how the film is distributed, if a major film studio becomes involved, or a major actor attached to the work, the author’s payoff varies wildly. Ultimately, the possibility of getting rich at all is very slim.
Holding It All Loosely
An author must be prepared to hold his creative efforts loosely when it comes to turning books into movies. Once a scriptwriter is unleashed on your book, it’s his imagination and intent that lead the way. Details an author would view sacrosanct must be released.
When Robin and I had our first conversation with the producers about changes to expect in the Finding Father Christmas story, our jaws dropped. The novella takes place in England, with the Father Christmas character and the setting playing a significant role in the story.
But in the film, the story was set to take place in Vermont.
And Santa Claus would be the Christmas character, not Father Christmas.
After that phone call, Robin and I wondered why the producers had even bothered to option the novella only to cut the core out of the story.
Truth Shines Through
But eventually we came to see that the essence of the story was left in tact. The concepts of longing to belong, the search for identity, and the willingness to forgive survived to shine brightly when the film was done.
The scriptwriter, we noted, surgically removed all the faith elements. But the concepts of loving unconditionally, opening our hearts to others, and having the courage to ask hard questions were so embedded in the story that they remained through the script’s iterations.
But the author must accept that she is releasing her story wholeheartedly to be fashioned into a film that others envision based on the book.
Look for the Blessings
When Robin and I visited the set for the filming of Finding Father Christmas, we didn’t know what to expect. We were prepared to be viewed as always in the way, as the crew rushed about to meet the aggressive filming schedule.
Instead, we were given directors’ chairs and headsets, and positioned right behind the director, as we watched the monitors that displayed what each camera was capturing.
Then one of the actors found her lines in a scene not true to whom she thought her character was. The director, listening to her concerns, cast his eyes about and asked, “Where are the writers? They need to change the lines.” Just like that, Robin and I found ourselves offering suggested changes to the script. (The director didn’t always remember we weren’t really the writers of the script, but we decided not to correct him.)
Much to our surprise, when the climactic scene was filmed, Robin and I both cried–as if we had no idea what the scene contained. In actuality, we were overcome to see that powerful moment come to life before our very eyes. It’s one thing to read (or write) a novel. It’s another to see actors take words written by the author and make them their own.
Maybe This Isn’t Such a Bad Gig After All…
So, yeah, the road to a film is long, arduous. And full of moments when the author needs to let her creative work fly away to a land the writer never envisioned. But the joy of watching a book turn into a movie is unparalleled.
Which of your books do you most long to see made into a movie? Do you think you could hold your creative work loosely enough to see others transform it into what they envision? What do you wonder most about how the book-into-a-movie works?
TWEETABLES
What’s it like to have your book turned into a movie? Click to tweet.
Books into movies. Is it as glamorous as it sounds? Click to tweet.
Well, I guess my blog and life are turning into an action replay of Tuesdays With Morrie, except that there’s no Mitch Albom, I’m in Tourette’s mode on permanent send, and I’ve sure got no wisdom to impart, but otherwise, bring on the silver screen!
* Or, yeah, the TV screen. Or Youtube with a hand-held camera. Whatever.
I would watch. Gladly!
Shirlee, thank you so much…and in a spooky example of life imitating art, you can watch…
* This afternoon, being far too ill to do anything else, I watched ‘Creed’, the penultimate film in Stallone’s ‘Rocky’ series. And part of it shook me to the core, for in the film, Rocky Balboa is diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma (one of my uninvited guests), and refuses treatment.
* To hear a beloved film character saying almost word for word what I have said, including the dismissal of one’s own value in relationship, was excruciatingly hard to endure. Film, perhaps even more than books, can compellingly force one to come alongside oneself. It’s not always a pleasant experience, but for me this was a necessary one.
* My ending will not be as happy as that portrayed in the film; there are no resources beyond my own will to help me fight this. But it placed my flippancy and ‘hard’ attitude in full focus, and showed them for the puerile things they truly are. ‘Creed’ helped me grow up, just a little.
* Janet, I hope you will excuse this digression from the post’s direction, but I hope that it might underscore the real value cinematic portrayals can assume.
This was such a fascinating read! I love Robin Jones Gunns’ stories, but I haven’t watched any of the movies. I think this needs to change. 🙂 I imagine it must be kind of hard to let another writer take your story and do what they think will work best for a movie. I love how, though the screenwriter took all the Christian elements from the story, he (?) left in the essence of the story and the themes. And can I just admit that I laughed out loud about you and Robin not correcting the director? 😉
Robin has been very fortunate that the screenwriter for her Father Christmas scripts is so talented. He’s excellent at taking an existing novel and knowing how to keep the essence of it yet make the pacing of the script work beautifully. We haven’t agreed with all of his choices, but we’ve come to appreciate how good he is at what he does. He consistently captures who the characters are and the elements of the story that make up the heart of the saga. We’re thankful he’s been selected to write all three of the Father Christmas scripts, since we have no say in such matters.
I would pick Faithful for making into a move because it is a quest involving cross-Empire travel on horseback that includes crossing the Alps and riding along the Italian coast, action scenes because one of the male characters is kidnapped and sold as a gladiator, a growing friendship between male and female MCs who are trying to rescue his friend, where both desire more than friendship but there are cultural and faith differences that make that difficult. Top it off with a father who has to face who he’s been and what he’s willing to become as he seeks reconciliation with the son he disowned for his faith.
*But a reviewer at Amazon said The Legacy would make a great movie. She posted before Faithful came out, so maybe she’d think both would.
*As long as the spiritual struggles and victories remained intact, I’d love to see what a screen writer would do with any of the series.
This is so so fascinating! Thank you for pulling back the curtain for us and congratulations, Robin! Right now, most of my dreams and longings go toward book publishing … but now that you’ve put the thought into my head … yes, I would love to see the angry teen heroine of my current WIP discover that the God she has been pretending to serve is actually out there. Wouldn’t it be amazing to see that moment?
That sounds like a fine, dramatic moment, as long as it isn’t too internal. The visual arts require a whole new way of looking at one’s story.
Yes, that is the problem isn’t it? Film shows through scenes and all of that internalization that can be beautiful if well done in a book, certainly would not work in film. So interesting to think on. Not that it would ever happen, but strangely enough, I did make it very visual, even though it is an internal moment. A summer hurricane and a lost frenenemy and of course an attack by Humboldt squids to wrap things up!
You had me hooked at the squid attack, Kristen.
Carol … every good book should have a squid attack!!!! Or at the very least, a squirrel attack.
This is all quite interesting. Wow! Thanks for sharing.
That sounds like the experience of a lifetime for both of you. And, just think how many more people will be influenced by seeing the movie. What a legacy!
I enjoyed this post as a core part of our ministry is setting up local/regional ministries to promote Christian films. While I don’t see my writing projects becoming films, my writing / platform will likely develop from the growth of Christian Movie Centrals.
I’ve enjoyed seeing some books make the transition to screen, and others I cringe. Regarding the cutting out the Christian aspects of the story, the one I cringe at MOST is from the film “The Vow.” The book is an incredible true story of how a couple met over athletic equipment phone orders, and after their wedding she forgot about even meeting him. her family and he worked through the aftermath not knowing if her memory would ever return.
The film? The family sought to end the marriage and the ex-boyfriend came back into the picture and they hooked up.
Bottom line, if they’re going to make a film to market as “inspired by” a true story, why should we expect them to not mess with a fictional story.
As I wrote in my blog post, the film is other people’s vision of what the story should be. Sometimes the way the story is re-angled seems downright odd, but we all have known it to happen when we’ve watched a film based on a favorite book we’ve read.
This was so fun to read about. Such an interesting journey. That would be hard to release your hard work I to and a screenwriter’s hands. I’d be praying and keeping myself involved somehow to make sure the core remained. So glad that happened with all three of Robin’s books to movies.
For myself, I think I would love to see a series about Great Aunt Lizzie’s Letters, and writing them to her young friend, showing both lives and the effects of the letters in the lives of both.
I would also like to see my memoir in a dramatic heartfelt movie, “Losing My Mind, Finding God’s ” about a woman who lives the Lord comes to a point when her mind breaks under the devastating effects, and overwhelming pain of having to deal with the abuse of her young son, her only child, as she also is challenged by the flashbacks and pain from her own childhood abuse that created her fifty plus years of PTSD, rarely known about by others because of her accomplishments and faith.
Thirdly, I would live to see the world I created in my own effort to produce a way in which children that have been mistreated come to find freedom, meaning, and value in their lives in The Chronicles of the Chrysalis Kingdom. I drew up the earth and the world, created costumes, and even a lifesize Chrysalis with wire and mixed media. Only few know of this endeavor–my dear friend April and her three daughters who all call me Auntie Betsy.
When I was a child living through the terrifying physical abuse, I coped by losing myself in books and creating. It was a gift then, and also now.
There are others, but these are most definitely the ones I could see being interesting enough to be on film of some sort. I believe it would change lives.
Sorry for the typos. I’m exhausted from working overnight and all Black Friday weekend. Until then I had never seen a clothing store look like an explosion of clothes, hats, and accessories took place. It was quite the experience. For future reference just know I am like a chef who needs plenty of work space to make sure my meal or dish comes together well with nothing like bones (errors to choke on). If I had my kitchen and it’s gadgets (my laptop and ability to edit as neede) my plate would rarely have bones. But, also it seem like I’m making a meal of fish, probably walleye known for difficulty in bone removal, most times. So please know this, every time I hit submit, if I see an error I am chagrined. My phone, autotext a mind that moves too quickly and a crooked arthritic right index finger that is off center by about a quarter inch serve to make it a challenge to get the bones completely out before the dish is removed from this rolling table. So, I am asking you all to know that I am still coming to the table of the Books and Such blog because I love what is served and I enjoy the company and all I glean from the table conversation. I bring my dishes because like my mother who cooked up my father’s fresh caught fish, I know there is something of value for all who consume it. Like she told us, I now tell you. The fish is fresh and delicious. There might be bones, so just push the bones to the side so you don’t choke on them. I sincerely am sorry for bones, but how can I get any better if I let the bones keep me from the table?
Two of my books would make good movies, I think, my two baseball novels. “In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People” and “Headshots” are about Mafia influence in Major League baseball. In my dreams I can see scenes from the completed movies. _dreaming_
Both of those sound like gripping stories!
You gave me goose bumps, Janet. It’s been so sweet to see Robin’s work turned into film. I loved watching them on Hallmark, just knowing her connection to you. And yeah, some things are definitely not about the money … it’s the accomplishment, the joy, the journey. To have that opportunity would be unbelievably shocking and so thrilling.
What a fun backstage peek at the process! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been researching this topic for the past several months (and been on the journey vicariously with a best selling author acquaintance whose books are now a Starz production into its fourth season) for no reason other than I’m deeply intrigued by the process of book to film. And I’m amazed it ever happens at all, there being so many reasons why such a project can stall. For my books, I think I’d most like to see The Pathfinders (The Wood’s Edge and A Flight of Arrows) made into a mini-series, though I’d be thrilled (alarmed, excited, pleased, nervous, and many other adjectives) for any of my books to be filmed. Thanks for the bts look at Robin’s experience! I find it endlessly fascinating, and interesting that I keep running into this subject every time I turn around these days. Something in the water?
I’ve always thought Burning Sky begged to be made into a film. But what do I know?
Thank you, Janet, for the behind-the-scenes peek. I’ve been wondering a lot about the process. As I craft my novels, I not only visualize a lot, but incorporate symbols and themes from the settings into other visuals in the story. So I’d love to see all of them made into movies. Likely won’t happen in the real world, but they are all movies in my mind.
A girl can dream, can’t she?
Ahh, yes she can.
Thank you for giving us a little glimpse into the world of film — especially Hallmark movies, which I love!
With that in mind, I was wondering if you have any tips for screenwriters? I love writing scripts and have a few ideas, including several I’ve already started working on that I hope to pitch to Hallmark at an upcoming conference.
I’ve written scripts for the stage and Focus on the Family radio and, in many ways, prefer that to novel-length prose. But, of course, breaking into a market — especially one as competitive as screenwriting — is always tough. So, just wondering if you have any thoughts for someone who wants to go directly to writing screenplays.
Thank you!
I’ve loved following Robin’s emails and posts on line and the movie was super! It is inspiring to think of a story going to movie. I believe that the essence of what she’s written is preserved and gently encouraging in very hopeful ways that work so well. The idea of watching your characters come to life is very fun to dream about. Thank you for the inside peek!