Random House plan gives authors more say

NEW YORK-- Peter Gethers got the idea for Random House Films several years ago when the veteran book editor, novelist and screenwriter began thinking there had to be a way for publishers to participate in the production of movies based on their books. He brought the idea of a book-filmmaker partnership to Peter Olson, Random House's chief executive, who approved the idea but told him to find a partner.
When a mutual friend introduced him to James Schamus, co-president of Focus Features, Gethers said, it was a perfect fit. He was particularly struck by the filmmaker's desire to bring high-quality literary work to the screen, and to give authors a greater say in the adaptations of their books.
The partners hope to green-light at least two or three movies a year, splitting the profits 50-50. They will also share the expenses 50-50, aiming for an initial slate of 10 films over the next few years.
But with none of these movies exceeding $20 million in production costs, the venture will be steering clear of blockbuster properties like "The Da Vinci Code" and concentrating on high-quality, less visible books that otherwise might not get turned into films.
If Random House authors and their agents do not want to sign up for a movie deal with the publisher and Focus Features, they will not be pressured to do so, Gethers said.
The venture announced its first three film projects: Dean Koontz's "The Husband;" "Curveball," by Los Angeles Times staff writer Bob Drogin; and "The Attack" by Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra.
All these book-to-movie projects are still in development, but Gethers said the films are "very likely" to be made because of Focus Features' distribution arrangements with Universal Pictures, of which it is a part.
At the very least, the plan could give Random House an opportunity to compete for deals that were off limits before -- like "The Devil Wears Prada."