Ally Carter

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On movies…

by 8 Comments

Hey gang,

 

This morning I found the following comment waiting in the comments section, and I realized that it’s probably time to address this issue.  Again.

i really think that you should make “Id tell you I love but then I’d
have to kill you” into a movie once with a good company then if people
like it just make the rest of them with that company. if you dont like
it just make it with a different company later. its all very simple.
scincerly,
the gallager girls fan club of Xxxxxxxx,Xxxx.(id tell you where it is
but you know what id have to do)

First, I should say how I can understand how many of you might think this movie thing is just this easy.  I’m an author.  I have a book.  A lot of people think that book would be a good movie, so…why hasn’t it happened?!?!

But let me say that, well, it isn’t.  Easy, that is.  It also isn’t cheap.

In short, it’s sort of like going up to someone and saying “You’re tall.  You should find a professional basketball team and play for them.”  Maybe that tall person can’t dribble.  Maybe he or she can’t shoot.  Maybe he or she can shoot and dribble and run like the wind but they had a really bad experience and swore to never play sports again ever.

The point is that, in this world, things are very, very rarely as simple as they appear when you don’t know the whole story.  So that’s the theme of this post: the story behind the movies.

 

1.  Who makes movies

Ninety percent of the time when people ask authors (this isn’t just me I’m talking about, by the way.  I write this today on behalf of authors everywhere), they phrase the question just like this: “you should make “Id tell you I love but then I’d
have to kill you” into a movie”

Okay.  But let’s really think about this.  First, how much money does the average movie cost to make?  Millions.  Sometimes hundreds of millions.  Saying “you should make your book into a movie” assumes that we, the authors, have hundreds of millions of dollars lying around that we can put to this purpose.

Recently, I saw an announcement that James Patterson was going to personally finance a film based on one of his novels, but folks, James Patterson can afford that.  With the exception of maybe ten writers IN THE WORLD that just doesn’t happen.

So there’s that.

The second thing most people don’t think about is that most writers don’t know how to make movies.  I can barely work my little Flip video camera, much less produce, write, film, edit, or direct feature films.  So, nope.  Sorry.  Most authors won’t be making any of our books into movies anytime soon because, frankly, we don’t know how.

 

2.  Who CAN make novels into movies?

Hollywood is a fickle, crazy, and highly confusing place.  Trust me.  I have been trying to understand it

Comments

  1. I was wondering if you have started the movie process and have already done all of the casting? If you have not already done this, when will it happen? And where could I try out?

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  2. i would love to see this series in a movie!! Also, i would so love to audition for the role of Cammie if this was ever made into a movie! I think Cammie is the best!!!

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  3. i am sorry people but ally never said they were going to make GG on to a movie she just dosnt have millions of dollars sitting areound… who does??? but i am not putting aaly down that would be the best thing ever if it happens though!!!

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  4. Hi, ally this is my first time e-mailing u so i HOPE really really HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!! that u can respond to my question.
    IS THEIR GOING TO BE A GG #6? IF SO JUST NAME IT AND I’LL WAIT FOR YEARS FOR IT TO COME OUT, BUT PLEASE DON’T LEAVE US HANGING! IT’S SERIOUSLY KILLING (LITERIALLY) KILLING ME!
    I’m a HUGE FAN! and i no u don’t have all the time in the world to email me because ur probably busy making another GG book but i i hope u can reply<3 <3 <3 <3

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  5. When I was told about GG1 my class and teacher were in the library going over books with big awards (which I ironically can’t remember) and it got brought up. My friend Kaylee, a huge book worm, pretty much shoved it into my hands when I asked for a good book. I took one look at the book and said “whatever” later I went home with the book and my sister and I got into a huge fight so to calm myself down I went into my bedroom and started reading… and reading. and reading. The next thing I know I ten pages left and suddenly my mom is coming into the bedroom to wake me up for school :/ . I turned the book in and checked out the next one. After I finished that book I went to check the next one out… and it wasn’t there. Turns out the book had been missing since August and it was February. The librarian bought a knew book and i was the first to read it but it was the fourth one, not the third one like I needed. So here I am going “What’s going on here?” Then i figured out if was the wrong book. I finished reading it anywasy becasue it was that good. I checked the third one out that monday. I’m still trying to get my hands onto the fifth one but I will be soon and when I seen the book trail I was even more excited than when Breaking Dawn PT2 came out in theaters. And thats saying something. I love the series and I’ll be waiting anxiously with the rest of your loyal fans for the next one… Heist society or GG… Either one. Thank you so much for writing these book becasue they keep me out of trouble (away from my sister) and throw me into a world of creativity and amazingness. Love the books..
    -Sincerely, the secret operative

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  6. Hey when will the 6th book be out?Also if your making movies I sugust that u make them like the books not saying there bad because there amazing and it would make sense

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