Movies before books

In most cases, it is the books that are written first which are then turned into movies. However, there are some rare occasions where the movie is created first and then a book is released telling the same story. 

One example of this is Billy Elliot which was originally a coming of age comedy drama released in 2000. The screen play was written by Lee Hall. However, in 2001, Melvin Burgess released a novel called Billy Elliot, capturing the same storyline as the film. 

Melvin Burgess had been asked by publishers, The Chicken House, to complete the novelisation of the film using the screenplay by Lee Hall. Even Burgess himself admitted to feeling confused as to why the film needed to become a book, but as he transferred the story, he found some answers. 

Why was it good for the film to be novelised?: 

• A novel can show the inner thoughts and feelings of characters which often can't be captured in depth on screen 
• A novel can explain and make certain motives clear 
• Whilst a films shows you the actions of the characters, the novel can explain them
• A novel can provide a more detailed history 
• It can tie up loose ends or plot holes if the film left any 

Burgess thought that Billy Elliot was worth turning into a book because it was an important story involving various male issues that often aren't discussed in the media or literature. Topics such as exploring sexuality or male lone parenthood are essential to discuss, but are often dismissed due to the multitude of problems facing society. Therefore, by turning the movie into a novel, it helps highlight the importance of these topics and allow a wider audience to learn about them and evaluate their views. 

Often novels are seen as more serious and permanent, whilst movies are entertaining and lighthearted. The storyline was valid and powerful enough to become a serious and permanent literature edition. 

 From a more practical perspective, releasing a book after such a successful film release would make a lot mote profit. The Billy Elliot film made $109.3 million worldwide from a $5 million budget. Therefore, due to its impressive commercial success, The Chicken House publishers saw it as an opportunity to feed off the existing audience and release a novel whilst the film was still new.