The Art and Business of
Adaptation
How to successfully option books, get your book optioned
**Everything you've been afraid to ask** about the adaptation process (including why it doesn't always work out)!
Book Adaptation: The business, the art
Everyone knows IP is hot, hot, hot. But adapting a book isn't always as straightforward as it sounds. In this workshop, we get into the nitty gritty of the adaptation process with featured guest, Jessica Friedman of Sterling Lord Literistic agency. This workshop is for screenwriters, authors, and filmmakers. You will learn practical steps for a successful optioning and adaptation process.
Everything you always wanted to know about option agreements
Who owns the rights and how to locate the rights owner
Book scouts vs literary agents (books) vs film agents (books) vs film agents (film and TV): who are all these folks and what do they do?
Pitching authors direct and how to respond to a pitch if you are the author
Which books make for successful adaptations and why?
Tips for successfully adapting fiction--and nonfiction too
Author priorities and screenwriter priorities--how to create a successful working relationship
Beyond adaptation: input into the packaging process
A note for authors who want to adapt themselves--when it's a good idea, when it isn't. What you can do to strengthen your case.
Exiting development hell; how and when to move on if it isn't working out
When to seek legal help and why
Adaptation beyond books
The Art and Business of Adaptation Workshop
RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE
NOW AVAILABLE!
Full Recording
Instructor:
Jessica Friedman
Jessica joined Sterling Lord Literistic in 2020, having worked previously as an agent at The Wylie Agency. She represents literary fiction and nonfiction, and is interested in distinctive voices and writing that challenges the expected -- stylistically, formally, or otherwise. She is particularly drawn to incisive, voice-driven writing and underrepresented narratives. Jessica graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in English and an MA in the humanities.
Instructor:
Dedi Felman
Dedi Felman is a writer/director born and raised in the wilds of NJ. A member of the inaugural class of the HBO Access Writing Fellowship, she attended the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting and has taught TV writing for eight years, helping many students win fellowships and start their careers. Previously, Dedi worked in publishing as a senior editor at Simon & Schuster and an executive editor at Oxford University Press. Titles she’s developed have been New York Times and Washington Post bestsellers and have won the Bancroft Prize, the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize, and the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism prize, and been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. She continues to freelance consult on book projects at Book Doctor West. Her espionage drama short, "Allegiance", was a finalist at the USA Film Festival and voted a Kickstarter "Project We Love."
Instructor:
Hollie Overton
Hollie Overton is an established screenwriter and novelist. She is currently a Co-Executive Producer on the CW/Netflix hit “All: American: Homecoming." Previous credits include, “Tell me a Story," “Shadowhunters,” and "Cold Case." She’s also the author of three crime novels, including the international bestseller, Baby Doll, which was translated into eleven languages. Hollie has written two standalone thrillers, The Walls and The Runaway and is hard at work on her fourth novel. As a screenwriting teacher and coach, Hollie has helped countless screenwriters hone their craft and break into the business. An identical twin, Hollie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, David, their identical triplets and rescue dog, Stevie.
