The house builds
Mystery Film Books
Mystery asks for particular handling. Drakenscroll builds mystery film books and audio books with that handling written into the plan before a line is recorded.
A mystery manuscript is a plot that must stay legible while it hides things. A film book takes the whole work — not an excerpt, not a trailer — and performs it to picture and score, so the story arrives with everything the page had to imply. What that means for mystery in practice is picture that never accidentally shows the answer early.
The rate does not change by genre: twelve percent of the word count for a film book, seven percent for an audio book, one percent per two voices, one percent per five sound effects, fifteen hundred for score selection, cutting and licensing. What changes is the plan — the cast, the pacing, the sound bed and the restraint.
If the work is a series, the house keeps a series bible so a voice, a name and a pronunciation hold across every volume. If the work suits it, a third vessel exists: the Novel-Game, where the reader walks the book a gate at a time.
What authors ask
Can you make a film book from a mystery manuscript?
Yes. Mystery is regular work for this house. The plan accounts for picture that never accidentally shows the answer early, agreed with you before recording starts.
How much does a mystery film book cost?
Twelve percent of the word count, plus chosen voices, effects and score. Genre never changes the rate. Price your own manuscript at the Forge and the figure is yours in the open.
Does the film book come with an audio edition?
A matching audio book edition rides with every film book at thirty-three percent of the film book production. An audio book on its own is seven percent of the word count.