A Picture Says a 1000 Words!

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Congratulations!  You’ve written your book!  Applause!  Applause!!  That’s a big deal and you’re a star!!  Now, you want to make that book into a movie so we have to adapt to movie rules.

The first thing you have to realize is that movies are visual.   Books are about what people are thinking and feeling.  Many words and often pages are used to describe the visuals.  The reader “sees” the book in their own way. 

Movies are about what you’re seeing.  Literally, a picture says a thousand words.  Example: The word “Mansion” is vague.  “Haunted Mansion” is a completely different picture! (Notice what you are thinking and feeling now.)

Next, scripts have to be in the correct format.  Bottom line, your work won’t even be considered if it is in the wrong format.  Final Draft is the software industry standard.  However, there are constantly new free versions you can use.  

A basic rule for a new screenwriter: For a feature, 90-120 pages.  No longer than 120 pages EVER and preferably around 112 pages.  (SLAM DUNK is 114 pages).  A page in the correct format is about a minute of screen time.  Your movie cannot be longer that two hours.  Why?  The theater owners want to have as many showings a day as possible because they are in the business of renting seats for each movie screening.   The more screenings, the more seat rentals, the more money they make.  With a 90-minute feature, an extra screening can be added. They will love you!!…

Making Your Book into a Movie

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I know you!  You’ve got a great book that would make a fantastic movie.  I agree.  I have one, too.  So let’s do this together.  You and me.  We can save ourselves a lot of time if we share the adventure.  I’ll be posting once a week with what I think will help you.  This relieves my need to serve and I get to hang out with people like us.  

The name of my book is SLAM DUNK – The True Story of Basketball’s First Olympic Gold Medal Team.  When I was eight years old, my father took me to see our 6’8” cousin, the GREAAAAT Joe Fortenberry, who had invented the Slam Dunk and won an Olympic Gold Medal in Basketball at the 1936 Hitler Olympics.  That day changed my life forever and the book is the result.   

I’ll give you a weekly report and answer questions.  This week I created our blog, joined Women in Film and added to my website, www.BethFortenberry.com.   A question that I’m often asked is, “Do you have to live in LA to have a career in Hollywood?”  No, you don’t.  Not to get started.  Especially now with Zoom calls and Facetime.   Stay home and save your money.  Because eventually you’ll have to meet the Hollywood people…