This enlightening piece is part of
a series of articles examining the future of film, and where the film industry
is headed based on current trends. This article in particular focused on
examining the rise of the "novel adaptation" film, such as The
Fault in Our Stars, Harry Potter, and The Hunger
Games. From the authors of these books, to their presence in social media,
the successes of the films really depend on the fanbases of the novels. This
article also includes an interesting aside- attempting to define the
"Young Adult" demographic.
"The Young Adult adaptation
business is booming- much to the relief of publishers and filmmakers
alike." Why is this? Recent trends in both the publishing and the film
making industry are seeing both once invulnerable businesses threatened- in the
publishing world by the successes of self-publishers and in the film industry,
the failing ticket sales, the problem with piracy, and the competition from
streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime. However, this new trifecta of
writer, publisher, and film studios are helping each other out, and are making
a LOT of money doing it. This revolution of YA novel-to-film adaptations
started with the blockbuster series of Harry Potter, and continues
to be incredibly successful in both box office and in bookstores. Essentially,
the benefits can be summed up with a quote- "With the combined might of publishing house and studio in lockstep, each
film or book essentially gets two marketing departments for the price of
one."
The fact that the marketing
departments benefit both the film and the novel is, in my opinion, genius, and
it also can almost guarantee that loyal readers will watch the film, and
curious movie goers will read the book, a symbiotic relationship between the
two. What makes this winning combination even more powerful? The third
component- the Writer. The role of the writer is now more crucial than ever,
and it is all thanks to social media. It seems strange until you examine the
successes of recent adaptations, then it makes perfect sense. Take The Fault in
our Stars for example. John Green is a powerhouse on social media, thanks to
his Youtube channel VlogBrothers and his work with Mental Floss. His massive
Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter (over three million!) followings along with his
presence on social media has made him a force to be reckoned with, and a dream
for publishers and film makers alike. "When
the author of the source material is the biggest star of the movie, the book
cannot help but stand out."
The last aspect
is the one that is always given the least credit for the successes of these
huge projects, and isn't even a part of the trifecta. However, the demographic
of these films may be the most important factor to a movie/books success. Young
Adults encompass the age group of 13-25, yet a recent study revealed that 55%
of readers of Young Adult fiction are actually Regular Adults. Lionsgate
Studios was even proud to announce that The Hunger Games: Catching Fire had an
audience that was 50% over 25. In the end, the young adult demographic is hard
to put a label on, but it can best be described as "largely a convenient
catch-all term for stories with young protagonists, caught at an inherently
dramatic moment in their lives, whether those are sci-fi, fantasy, or simple
drama."
Citation:
Plumb, A. (n.d.). NOVELISTS WILL BE THE NEW MOVIE STARS. Retrieved November 27, 2014, from http://www.empireonline.com/features/future-of-film-young-adult
On one hand I am ecstatic that more young adults are reading. On the other hand, I find it disconcerting that a movie is the next step in the reading process. Do young readers now expect for their favorite novels to be translated to the visual world?
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