Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

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  • Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

    We’ve been background-building Aisle Seat Books for a while and now we’re going to launch it wide, starting with this Kickstarter.

    As you’ll see in the two short videos, we’re all screenwriters. We range from produced WGA members and high-profile contest winners to talented unknowns. What we’ve got in common -- and what we want to find and publish widely -- are great scripts that will never otherwise gain the traction that they should.

    We all know the numbers. This year alone there were 379 Nicholl QF’s and 1,000 Austin Second Rounders. Add in the great scripts that weren't even entered there, and then figure it across the last -- what? four years? five? ten? What’s the half life of an unsold script? -- and there’s no doubt that there are many hundreds, probably thousands, of well-crafted, entertaining, unproduced feature-length scripts out there.

    And right now each of them has a paid audience of one person. Right?

    We think finding those great scripts and publishing them as short consumer-friendly books is a win/win for everybody involved. The reader gets to “see” a movie in their head that they couldn’t otherwise experience. The writer gets a paying audience and earns book royalties. And if enough readers like and buy the book version, the screenplay’s chances of getting picked up by a prodco increase exponentially.

    All good, right?

    But first things first. First we've got to get it off the ground. The Kickstarter is where it has to start. So please help us spread the word. Better yet... well, you know.

    Thanks.

    EDIT: Re-read this after it was approved and went live. I should have made clear: We are an old-school, mainstream trade book publisher. We are not a vanity press, self-pub mill or anything like those. We select our authors; they don't select us. We pay standard -- and very high -- royalties.
    Thanks.
    Last edited by graybooks; 09-11-2014, 03:11 PM. Reason: To clarify:

  • #2
    Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

    Just wanted to agree that Ed's company is legit. Aisle Seat Books is putting out great books by screenwriters whose scripts deserve to get noticed.

    Ambrose

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    • #3
      Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

      Hey Everyone. My name is Kenan and I am proud to say that I'm one of the authors at Aisle Seat Books.

      I've been a screenwriter for a few years and my first screenplay Eiko was the one that I originally entered into the Amazon Studios contest, where it made it to the semi's three times. Not bad for a first screenplay from an amateur.

      Let me clarify what this meant. During the run of the Amazon Studios Screenplay Contest, my screenplay, my first ever completed screenplay was selected out of say several hundred or more. Eiko never made it further, but someone noticed that it was at least a contender. That someone was Ed Gray. He made me an offer and I vetted it with the best of my ability. His offer was to turn Eiko into a new sort of book; not a novel or even a traditional novelization. Instead it was a sort of see the movie as you read it; written as the writer intended.

      The terms he offered were fair and there were no promises of overwhelming success. I'd get back what I put in but I'd never had to pony up any sort of fee. Ed helped me with all the editing for Eiko and never once was too busy for a message or a question.

      Ed has been a true gentleman in a relatively ruthless business. So much so, that I've written about him in my blog.

      http://carvingapathtosuccess.blogspo...itor-gray.html

      You won't find any negative experiences from anyone associated with Aisle Seat Books because while we are all different in our goals and desires, we are all united in support for the company and the person behind it who saw our potential and gave it an outlet.

      This Kickstarter is a way for ASB to extend it's reach. ASB isn't like traditional crowd funding campaigns where they are just trying to get it built. The books produced by ASB have already been created with more on the way. They already exist in both physical and digital formats. We have the product, but lack the marketing and frankly the sheer amount of money to get the products noticed.

      ASB helped me accomplish one of my goals in life; to become an author. Now there is a chance for others who may have that same goal to get their chance. This isn't a paid advertisement, this is legitimate testimonial from someone who is willing to follow ASB and Ed into this new endeavor.
      Last edited by nytmaer; 09-11-2014, 06:43 PM.

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      • #4
        Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

        Like Kenan, I was selected when my script when up on Amazon. It's a great opportunity for writers if we can sell this to those within the center of the Ven diagram of movie fans and readers.

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        • #5
          Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

          I am a writer/screenwriter who has won several competitions and seen my work produced on the screen in the past. But rarely have I come across anything that merges the world of books and film as this publishing house has done.

          Aisle Seat Books represents a completely new form of publishing. Neither a novel or a script, more a combination of both, it is a way to carry with you all the excitement and drama of a full length movie in the palm of your hand. Just imagine, no batteries, no speakers, a private viewing of your own, played out in your own mind.

          Your investment will help Aisle Seat Books to publish more authors and push to have these immensely entertaining books included in bookstore around the world.

          This is a unique chance to invest in a legitimate publisher from the ground up.

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          • #6
            Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

            Beautiful, Kenan. And you are right on about Ed. He's the real deal.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

              Fascinating the number of new users in this thread.
              Free Script Tips:
              http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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              • #8
                Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                We've worked with him long enough and I'm not afraid to admit that I think highly of Ed and that's why I want this to work. Ed's given me a wealth of knowledge, and I'm certain he's given it to other authors such as yourself Michael. A successful Kickstarter doesn't guarantee anything, but it at least gives Ed a better chance to help us and to help others like us. I'd like to think I'm a good judge of character and Ed is good guy. I implore you out there. Don't believe in me or what I say, just look at what is being offered and how it can help others. Maybe you can self publish your own book. MAybe you have your own goal, but not everyone can. I couldn't. Just look at what is being offered and judge for yourself. You'll see a grand opportunity that many of us saw.

                I'm not going to beg for money on behalf of the Kickstarter but I will say this. Every link, every share, every tweet helps and that help goes to help a great guy who seems to have more time to help a dozen authors than most of us have to get things done.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                  Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
                  Fascinating the number of new users in this thread.
                  I'll admit that I'm new here, but there are others who aren't.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                    Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
                    Fascinating the number of new users in this thread.
                    I think that may be an artifact of how DDP computes "new user." In my case, as you'll see, I've been registered and logging on since 2011. Listening mostly, and learning. Do I have 5,800 posts? Not even close. Have I read 5,800 posts. Don't know. Close anyway. Most of them before adding any of my own.

                    An aside on that. Here in small-town New Hampshire I live in a town of 1,800 residents that's been here since 1761. I've been here since 1989. My kids grew up here. Though pretty much everyone in town knows who I am, I'm still a "new guy" in town. It's all relative. But possibly misleading on its face.

                    But your instinctive reaction is right. Yes, I told my fellow screenwriters in this venture that I'd be mentioning our Kickstarter in the proper category of this forum and asked them if they were regulars here. Most weren't. Some of them have registered and weighed in as a result.

                    Is that a negative? To get some more good screenwriters involve in these boards? I hope not.

                    Here's hoping we all agree with that.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                      Hi Graybooks,

                      Apologies in advance for the scepticism .. we've all seen plenty of small publishers set up that achieve so little, so it is a little natural that people are cautious.

                      The good news, though, is that you don't have to convince people just be describing a rosy future - you've been doing this for a couple of years now (eg: This one with a publication date of May 2012 : http://www.amazon.com/National-Secur.../dp/1935655647 ) so you can announce your sales figures to eliminate any sceptism.

                      How has sales been over the past 2 years?

                      -- Mac
                      Last edited by Mac H.; 09-26-2014, 12:51 AM.
                      New blogposts:
                      *Followup - Seeking Investors in all the wrong places
                      *Preselling your film - Learning from the Experts
                      *Getting your indie film onto iTunes
                      *Case Study - Estimating Film profits

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                      • #12
                        Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                        Originally posted by Mac H. View Post
                        Apologies in advance for the scepticism .. we've all seen plenty of small publishers set up that achieve so little, so it is a little natural that people are cautious.
                        -- Mac
                        No need to apologize, Mac. It's a fair question. And the answer is that sales haven't been as high as we would like. Yes, everyone's earned some royalties, but none of us is quitting a day job just yet.

                        That's one of the reasons we've launched the Kickstarter. To make ourselves known and sell more of our Movie Length TalesTM. Publishing is cacophonous these days. It's harder than ever to gain attention.

                        Kickstarter is a megaphone.

                        Remember: A Kickstarter campaign is an awareness and sales tool, not a prospectus. Backers are advance purchasers, not investors*. Their money is not at risk: If we don't reach our goal their credit cards are not charged; if we do, Kickstarter sends us their pledged amount and we send them their selected "reward" (read "the book[s] they ordered from us"). Our backers will receive ebooks and paperbacks of their choosing, selected either from the few we've already published or from the many we'll publish if the Kickstarter is successful.

                        So, actually, there's no need for caution. There is no risk.

                        But there is, let me humbly suggest here, every good reason for screenwriters to support this initiative. It's a genuine win/win: Movie-loving consumers will get to "see" good films that may never get made, and writers of the published books could see an increased chance of that movie getting made.

                        Thanks.

                        *I've addressed your question on this point in answer to your Reddit post here.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                          UPDATE:

                          The Kickstarter has now surpassed its $10K goal and is still growing with 13 more days till it's over. We're pumped, primed, and ready.

                          You'll all be hearing more about this. It's going to be fun. And creative. And productive.

                          Till then...

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                            I think this is an interesting concept. I have two questions. The first in regard to the following:

                            Originally posted by graybooks View Post

                            .... and writers of the published books could see an increased chance of that movie getting made.
                            Re: Boldface -- how do you see this working?

                            Also, where are the hard copies of the books sold? Online? In bricks-and-mortar stores?
                            Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Movie Length Tales by Aisle Seat Books

                              Originally posted by sc111 View Post
                              I think this is an interesting concept. I have two questions. The first in regard to the following:

                              Re: Boldface -- how do you see this working?

                              Also, where are the hard copies of the books sold? Online? In bricks-and-mortar stores?
                              Fair questions both.

                              1. As to the increased chances, it's the same as with any any book: If it sells well and generates an audience, the chances of it getting developed as a movie are increased. We have a NY literary agent with strong LA sub-agents working directly on this.

                              2. The books -- both hard copies and eBooks -- are sold everywhere books are old: Online at all the usual sites: Amazon, B&N, Powell's -- literally all of them. As for bricks and mortar, the paperbacks are available to every bookstore in the English-speaking world via Ingram. But it's up to the individual bookstore to stock them.

                              One of the many things we'll be doing with the Kickstarter funding will be pushing hard to get both the traditional bookstores and the nontraditional outlets (coffee shops, hospital gift shops, convenience stores, airports, etc.) to carry the paperbacks. We'll be working on incentives for those outlets.

                              But the main thing we'll be doing is turning more good scripts into Movie Length TalesTM. This concept will really take off when we have a good number of them available in every genre.

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