Book to Film: What Hollywood Looks for in Children's Literature - podcast

Want to turn your book into a movie or television show? Production companies always look to books as a source of material. When you look at the history of the Oscars, about half of all Best Picture–winning movies have been based on books. There's a lot of growth in publishing in the young adult market and children's book markets, and Hollywood has turned to young adult and children’s books to find great projects. In this interview, Eddie Gamarra, literary manger and producer for The Gotham Group, discusses what Hollywood looks for in children's literature and young adult fiction when picking film projects, including unique world building, casting potential, a powerful concept, and a strong author platform.
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  • Yes, I need this advice... Thank you, Mr.Gamarra ... I have dreams that someday my books will be turning into a movies ... and, this my first step to reach the dreams... by listening your advice .. God bless U!
  • Thank you, Eddie Gamarra! I will listen to your video again and again. It was like a delicious, nutritious stew of information, full of meaty chunks and spicy nuances that have to be experienced again to catch everything. Well, enough hyperbole-- you get the picture. I've just published "The Girl Who Dreamed of Ships," a coming of age novel about a young girl who wants to go to sea--who has to go to sea! Unable to find a captain who'll hire a cabin girl, she masquerades as a boy, wangles the job, and makes the adventurous voyage to China and back, meeting people with different cultures, languages and religions. She struggles with the burden of her deceit and with the need to hide her identity from people she learns to care about. She is constantly being changed by the decisions she makes and the consequences she discovers must be lived with. By the end of the journey, the feisty but naive city girl has been transformed into a young woman who is thoughtful, enlightened, still adventurous, and a world traveler. I'm scheduled for the Xlibris Book to Screen program, so I'm especially interested in what you have to tell me. Thanks. Beverly "SilverBee" Scofield