I have written a science fiction trilogy that is selling like crazy. The last book in the saga is with my editor now and the audio edition of the second volume was just released on Amazon, Audible and iTunes. I never expected this kind of success. I get tons of email from fans demanding the story be made into a movie. I am totally clueless where to even start considering it. I am working on my first script, based on one of my short stories, just to figure out that process. That's my first step. Any advice?
On Writing : My second novel was just released in an audio edition by Martin Wilsey
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I have Save the Cat! I will check out the Syd F.!
For hands on knowledge feedback, enroll in a S32's screenwriting class(es) as well. See Happy Writers.
That's the disconnected part. How does one get a script agent if I have no script? Both my Novels were Indie Published. Both hit number 1 in the Hard Science Category. I am figuring all this out as I go. I frankly can't believe any of it. I just drink coffee and make stuff up. Suddenly I have to get accounts and lawyers? My plan is to write an original science fiction script using Scrivener templates. I am good at the writing part. I am convinced all new authors just have to make it up as they stumble through!
My suggestions. First finish the script based on your short story. Then, I'd consider the following issue. Which makes more sense to you? Write another novel which may sell well or instead, invest the time and effort in writing a script based on one of your current novels. Personally, I think the former might make, emphasize might, more sense to me, but we're all masters of our own fates and you obviously know your own stories the best. Further, you might consider that while it's nice to have fans, I don't think it's necessarily the best career choice to listen to them. But let's say you choose to write a script based on one or more, or some portion of one, of your novels. Someone once said that 'novels are about what people think, plays are about what people say, and movies are about what people do'. My interpretation of that, and I think it's crucial to screenwriting, both original screenplays and adaptations, is that when you move into screenwriting, you must learn to think visually. To the degree possible, you must learn to convert a character's thoughts into a visual. A crudely simple example of what I'm suggesting would be that if a character is shocked by some news or event, you, the screenwriter, render the character carrying something and as the event occurs or the character gets the news, they drop whatever it is they're carrying. If it shatters on the floor with a loud bang, that's even more fun. :) So I ask. Is this something you want to do? Is this a direction in which you want to go? And in choosing, be aware that all that great prose which novelists strive so hard to master, lyrical descriptions of scenes, a character's inner thoughts, while possibly applicable in screenwriting, will often be unnecessary and may be actually interfere. So, your call. I hope the comments were helpful
Hi Martin, I'm writing not to discourage you, but to encourage you to find a distinct angle into your sci fi movie. Since I don't know your story, this advice may not apply much to your situation. A lot of sci fi stories feel familiar (e.g. that's just another "flying around in a space ship" story among a glut of similar stories). In movies, sci fi can be tough because it requires a big budget and almost always must be financed by big studios with resources, many stories feel similar/familiar, and the genre is often "cold" in tone. When the book THE MARTIAN emerged on the Hollywood scene, every producer could easily see why it took a different angle into a sci fi story. It was a no-brainer. Here's another sci fi book that has a different angle and a great concept. http://deadline.com/2015/02/david-koepp-the-themis-files-sony-science-fi... I haven't read the book, but it's crystal clear that this story has a unique angle or hook. You're in a genre in which a lot of stories sound similar to each other, not unlike war movies sound similar to each other or mafia movies sound similar to each other, so it's typically important to find your own unique angle into the movie. Break a leg!!
The originality of my book STILL FALLING is the most often cited reason for fans desire to see it on film. It is an epic story that that I would be reluctant to do it as a screen as my first project. I'm thinking an original story as a screenplay first. Write the novelization AFTER the screenplay maybe.
Well...if you're going to try to write it yourself, then you should start with some basic screenwriting books. There are even books about turning novels into screenplays, and a lot of great articles on scriptmag.com, too. You might also want to approach a top-level agency for representation, since you have a track record as a writer, a successful intellectual property, and some distinct credibility ("number 1 in hard..."), even if it was indie. Maybe you just want to keep focusing on writing novels? There are a lot of movies based on novels, you know, and a lot of great writers who specialize in that craft, and in the sci-fi genre. Good luck, you mad man!
If there are in fact "tons of fans demanding the story be made into a movie" then you may have the perfect recipe for crowdfunding a feature. Have a look at this: www.stage32.com/webinars/How-To-Use-Crowfundfunding-To-Turn-Your-Film-Pr...
Congratulations, Martin, on all your success. I certainly second the webinar that Brad pointed out - and thank you for that, Brad. I would also suggest reading some scripts based off of short stories and see how they were adapted. STAND BY ME and some other Stephen King novellas and short stories come to mind.