Any author will tell you that in the back of their head lies a secret. It’s a secret that one day their book will become a huge hit and attract Hollywood producers who are willing to put a huge investment in something that they created.
For one such author, that dream will come true. Douglas Carlton Abrams, author of the bestselling book, The Diary of Don Juan, has done something all authors dream of—writing a book and having it turn into a movie. But, how does that happen? What steps does the author need to take for it to happen to them, too?
We interviewed Douglas to give us the lowdown on how an author can turn their book into a movie, which I believe will help authors in their quest for their books to end up on the silver screen.
Q. Thank you for this interview, Douglas. Can you tell us a little bit about what your book is about?
A.In a time of discovery and decadence, when the gold that poured endlessly into the port of Sevilla devalued money, marriage, and love itself, young Juan Tenorio was abandoned and raised by nuns. He grew up loving and worshipping all women, but a clandestine affair with one of the sisters forces him to leave the Church—and his plans for the priesthood—forever. Juan becomes a spy, as well as the world’s greatest libertine. But far from the heartless seducer that legend recounts, he seeks liberation and redemption as much as personal pleasure and gratification. He begins to keep a diary of his greatest adventures and the arts of passion he has mastered. The most dangerous adventure of all—the irresistible fall into the madness of love with the only woman who could ever make him forget all others—finally compels him to confess everything.
Q. Why did you decide to write it?
A.One night I went to bed asking myself a question that I believe every married man or woman asks eventually: how could I stay happily and passionately married for the rest of my life? The next morning I awoke as if I had been shaken. It was then that I first thought of Don Juan, the universal symbol of passion. I wondered what if he had kept a diary. What secrets would it contain? What could we learn from him about the nature of passion? And ultimately, what might cause the world’s greatest seducer to forsake all women for one woman? I left my wife’s warm sleeping body, walked past our three sleeping children, and sat down at the dining room table. It was as if a voice was whispering the story in my ear.
Q. While you were writing it, did you ever envision a Hollywood producer picking it up?
A.I think most authors hope that their book will be made into a movie, but it wasn’t something I thought about as I wrote The Lost Diary.
Q. Backing up, what happened? To help aspiring authors, what steps did you take for this to happen?
A.Once The Lost Diary was sold to a publisher, a Hollywood film agent contacted my agent about the possibility of making my book into a film. It was one of those “pinch me am I awake” conversations, the type that you can’t really believe you’ve had even after you hang up the phone.
After being approached by several producers (the first one told me he’d heard about the book because there was some buzz about it in Hollywood), I ultimately met J. Todd Harris and Marc Marcum of Branded Entertainment. They clearly shared my vision and passion for The Lost Diary, and had an exciting proposal for bringing it to the big screen.
I didn’t really take any steps to purposely get the movie rights sold, but my literary agent suggested I get a film agent and I followed her advice. It might the negotiating process go smoothly, I’m sure.
Q. What stage are you in now? How soon will you see production?
A.We are now in the process of finding a director and creating the screenplay.
Q. Will you be able to give your input throughout production?
A.I’m sure I will have some advisory capacity, but it’s really in the producers’ and director’s hands and I’m very happy with my production company, Branded Entertainment.
Q. Who in your mind would make a great Don Juan in your movie?
A.I think the obvious choice would be Antonio Banderas, but I don’t really have any choice in who ultimately gets the role.
Q. What advice can you give aspiring authors to achieve success?
A.First, learn your craft well. The best thing I ever did for my writing was to read Robert McKee’s book, Story. Also, find a good agent—you can find one that suits your work at www.publishersmarketplace.com. Your agent is ideally the next closest person to you after your spouse. They are guide, confidante, and taskmaster, so make sure you find the right match.
Q. Thank you for this interview, Douglas. Can you tell us where we might learn more about you and your book?
A.You are very welcome. If you would like to read a few chapters of the book, you can read them at Don Juan Sample. For more on Don Juan, you can visit the Lost Diary Web site.