Book Into A Movie - How To Adapt Your Book Into A Screenplay

Okay, you've finished your novel or true story book and you'd like to have it made into a movie.

Maybe you've taken some classes on screenwriting or read some books and you're thinking about writing the screenplay based on your book.

Here is something to keep in mind. You will have to cut much of the content of your book that took you months, perhaps years to write. You may balk at the notion but you must do it.

A book can average 200 - 500 pages and contain 60,000 - 200,000 words. An average screenplay runs 90 - 120 pages, much of it white space, and has about 20,000 - 25,000 words. That's quite a vast difference.

How do you manage to get all of your story into a screenplay? In most cases, you don't. It's a sad but true fact.

So what do you cut out?

One approach is to keep most of the major scenes and cut out those smaller, less important ones. Study your book and look at it with an eye to what is critical and what is not.

Do the same thing with dialogue. Keep only what moves the story forward.

You can eliminate subplots and stick to the main story.

You can eliminate some characters or combine several of them into one and let that person serve in the role of what those varying characters did in your book.

And while you're at it, get rid of any lengthy character descriptions. In a screenplay they are not only unnecessary, they are counterproductive. In screenplays, character descriptions should be purposely vague to give more casting options.

Do not describe height, unless it is critical to the story, hair color, eye color, flesh tones, etc. The more specific your description is in the screenplay, the harder it will be to find a leading acting to play the role.

And finally, don't tell us the race of the character, unless it is an essential part of the story. For example, a police detective can be of any race, unless the detective's race is an essential part of the story. For true stories, of course, we need to know the race of each person to make it closer to reality.

If you want to turn a book into a movie, these ideas will get your off to a great start.

Danek S. Kaus is a produced writer of an award-winning feature film. A movie production company recently hired him to adapt a book for them. The film is now in development. Two of his other screenplays have been optioned by producers. If you would like to have him adapt your book into a movie or have a professional analysis of your script visit http://yourbookintoamovie.com or write dkaus@sbcglobal.net

How to Turn Your Book Into a Movie Part 2 - How to Format a Screenplay

If you want to be successful at screenwriting, you must first master screenplay format. Screenplays look very different on the page than novels do, and they have length requirements. If your script doesn't look right, it won't get read. Period.

It must also be the proper length. Newbies to screenwriting often make their scripts too short or long. They need to be between 90 and 120 pages. If a script is too short or too long, it will get thrown away without further consideration. Period, end of story. It may seem unfair and petty, but you must behave as a professional to be treated as one.

The left hand margin should be 1.5 inches, which allows room to punch holes for brass brads that hold the script together. Right hand margin is one inch. One inch margins at the top and bottom.

Use only Courier or Courier New 12-point font. The reason for this is that movie makers use a rule-of-thumb that one page of a screenplay equals one page on screen time. Using different fonts would make that rule unreliable.

Begin your script with the words FADE IN: in the left-hand margin, one inch from the top of the page.

Scripts are written in scenes, not chapters. Every scene begins with what is called a slugline that states where and when the scene takes place. Sluglines begin with either INT. (interior) or EXT. (exterior). Next you indicate the specific location followed by a dash and the time of day. Here is how the slugline looks:

INT. A CLASSROOM - DAY

Then drop down two lines and describe who is in the scene and what they are doing. The first time you introduce a character in your story, their name should be ALL CAPS. After that, use traditional capitalization. For example:

ALICE WALKER, early 20's, wearing an inexpensive suit stands, at the blackboard, writing out math problems in the empty classroom.

Begin dialogue at 2.5 inches and end at about 6 inches. Character names in dialogue are in ALL CAPS and set at 3.5 inches.

If dialogue jumps to the next page, put (CONT'D) below it. Begin the next page with the name of the character followed by (CONT'D) on the same line.

There are more rules for screenwriting format, but these will give you a good start.

If you're really serious about a career in screenwriting, consider investing in screenwriting software. The two industry standards are Movie Magic Screenwriter and Final Draft.

Danek S. Kaus ia a produced screenwriter with two films in development. Three more of his screenplays have been optioned. To learn how he can help you turn your book into a movie, visit his screenwriting site