Movie VS comic

Dec 3, 2018

WELCOME TO A VERY CINEMATOGRAPHIC NEWSLETTER THIS WEEK

Today I´ll tell you some things about the movie productions and how they iteract with the original source. This is: My book.
Now I´m promoting the 4th Polar volumen: The Kaiser falls, different people are asking me “Are you adapting the movie?” or “There will be connections with the books?”. I think those interactions are an interesting subject, and thanks to my experience following the process I learnt a couple of things.

The always necessary Polar: The Kaiser falls links first:

DARK HORSE SITE
https://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/2798/nycc-2018-victor-santos-delivers-epic-finale-his-p
AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/Polar-Kaiser-Falls-Victor-Santos/dp/1506711170/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1541772063&sr=1-1
DIAMOND PREVIEWS
https://previewsworld.com/Catalog/NOV180252

And now some questions…

"IS POLAR 4 A MOVIE ADAPTATION OF POLAR: THE MOVIE?"

No, the movie adapts the first volumen of the series, Came from the cold. So adapting a movie adapting my book would be strange… and redundant.

Obviously, adapting is taking decissions, cut, re-order, to create a new structure and expand it. But the inspiration cames from the plot book. And you will find scenes from the book there, I promise, my dear readers.

"ARE THE NEW BOOKS LINKED TO THE MOVIE?"

The content of the movie is a separated world from the books. I´m not speaking about transmedia universes of fiction. People watch the Marvel or DC movies and how the characters jump from comics to movies and from movies to comics without problem. But this is because a corporation (Disney or Warner) is movie producer and publisher, they have complete creative and economical explotation rights. All the golden coins go the same crate at the end of the day.
But Polar movie and Polar books are LEGALLY SEPARATED. I can do wathever I want with the characters. Creatively speaking, they are my toys. Constantin Films bought the script based on my book, so the script -and only the script- is their property. I cannot use elements created in the script without their permission.

One example: Black Kaiser´s real name never was mentioned in the books but writer Jason Rothwell created the identity of Duncan Vizla. I found funny using that name in the new book as a sign to the movie but the people from Dark Horse warned me: It could be a problem. So I eliminated the reference. Less problems for everyone. And I respect it: Even my work was the source of the movie story, the script itself has its independence and value.

"COULD YOU DRAW MADS MIKKELSEN IN THE BOOK?"

Like the script, Mads Mikkelsen is an individual being with his rights and the property of his own image. I can´t transform him in the Kaiser in my books (and I don´t want to do it). Other of my projected signs to the movie was using the Mikkelsen´s look for the character of James Sallis, the young killer hunting the old Kaiser. It was a really funny joke, the new “Kaiser” trying to kill the old character (I remember the creator of Death Wish novel made something similar with the Charles Bronson´s movie character in the novel sequels). But again, it was a problem for everyone. I dissmissed the idea.

But just imagine if Constantin and Mads himselfs commissions me a comic short story to promote the movie. I could do it surely (maybe I would consult with Dark Horse first). But it will be something separated to the book.

"HOW FUTURE SEQUELS WOULD WORK?"

Movie producers can use my books as inspiration or simply to continue the plot of the first movie, using the characters but with new ideas (yes, the money is the same, and the end the movie script is basically their problem). They can inspire by any book titled Polar of my Dark Horse production and take characters or plot ideas. But the characters created by me, still mine. Creator-owned, baby.

"BUT I SAW THE NETFLIX LOGO IN THE BOOK ADS"

The movie adaptations are a great incentive to new readers. “The character who inspired the new movie” or the “Now a Netflix original film” rocks. Movie rights give me media attention an economical independency, it lets me work on the series I love in the way I love, and this is the most important to me.

See you next week (I hope). If you have more questions about the process you can reply this newsletter or using my social network, and I´ll chat about it here.
Bye!

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