sci fi books that are optioned into movies

tonight at the hampshire i get in a long conversation with a fellow who worked in animated films. I wait there for some fellah i met online, who stands me up to his peril.

we talk about optioning sci-fi movies. he describes to me how it works:

it used to be the studio system funded the movie one hundred percent. now it's never more than 60 percent funding, and the director and producer rarely work for the studio themselves. the studio merely owns the means of production and distribution, while these days the director invests his own money into the project, gathering the writers' screeplay, the actors, the crew, all together in anticipation of a successful project.

As a result, there are more unique movies coming out now than ever before. Storyboarding is now used in association with on-screen animated versions of the films, which are then shown to actors to tell them what to do.

When a book is optioned, it is usually only the context of the book that is purchased, and the filmmaker is free to alter the content how he wants.

I ask how to write a sci-fi book that will become a movie:

Focus on the book. If it's a unique idea and a good story well told, then you may have a hit. Focus on the best book, and let the movie makers do their job with your work once it's published. It is best not to worry about whether or not it will fit a film, and concentrate on creating a book that entertains YOU.

Good advice.

Later on he comes on to me:

"There are two options I want to present," he says. "In the first, we meet up for coffee and make friends. In the second we go home and have sex. Which one are you interested in with me?"

"Number one," I mumble, bemused.

I am glad my online acquaintence does not turn up. I had felt obliged to agree to meeting anyway, and had no interest in him. But this fellah is much more interesting, and it is just possible that he is lying and is the person I had originally agreed online two nites ago to meet.