Did you read the book?

Ever seen a great film, and wondered if it was based on a book? Well soon, you might not have to wonder. Variety reports that British film distributer Revolver Entertainment (Aqua Teen Hunger Force), recently signed a deal with publisher Pan Macmillan to work collaboratively on future marketing efforts where a film is based on a book. This is great news for film lovers and readers alike. I, for one, am surprised at how many films are actually based on a book, and I don't think that is recognized enough (the exceptions are the high profile books made into movies -- think, The DaVinci Code). Of course, because Revolver Entertainment is a fairly low profile distributor, this idea may not catch on with the bigger studios and distributors, but if it did, I think it would benefit not only the book industry, but the film industry as well.

If you need an example, look no further then how the major distributors currently market film soundtracks, which, surprisingly, can be a major stream of revenue for a film. Take a look at the iTunes current top 100 albums, where as of this post, 12 are either film or television soundtracks. This is a big number. It means not only are people buying the soundtracks, but they are buying them in very large numbers. The funny thing is, movie soundtracks used to be an afterthought, typically one wasn't released at all. Now, every film has a soundtrack, and often studios will sign high profile bands to create original songs for the soundtracks.

I think if co-marketing books with their respective films catches on, then the studios and distributors could turn the sale of books into a similar revenue stream. Right now, it's a missed opportunity in the marketplace, and one that is just dying to be taken advantage of.

Anyone got the number of a studio exec? I think I feel a sales pitch comin' on...