Film & TV
We handle film, television and stage adaptation rights in our clients’ books and pride ourselves on our ability to match material with the best producers around the world. Unusually for a boutique size agency, we also specialise in helping our authors write for screen and the screenwriters we represent reflect the high calibre of our literary client list. We usually have over 100 projects in active development across TV, film and stage
2024 has been a very good year for our clients. Hat Trick Mercurio’s 3-part production of Rachel Clarke’s memoir Breathtaking (which Rachel co-wrote and exec produced) starring Joanna Frogatt was broadcast on ITV1 in February; Hera Pictures’ production of Mary and George, a limited TV series based on Ben Woolley’s biography The King’s Assassin starring Julianne Moore was broadcast in March; Element Pictures’ September Says, written and directed by Ariane Labed, a feature adaptation of Daisy Johnson’s novel Sisters was in competition at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard category in May and will be released by MUBI in UK and Ireland early in 2025.
The following feature film adaptations were shot this year: Max Porter’s Grief is the Thing with Feathers adapted and directed by Dylan Southern, produced by Lobo Films, Sunnymarch Films and Film4 starring Benedict Cumberbatch; Steve, Max’s own feature adaptation/reimagining of his novel Shy for Cillian Murphy’s company Big Things for Netflix UK, starring Cillian and directed by Tim Mielants; and Willy Vlautin’s third feature film based on his novels… The Night Always Comes shot in Portland, Oregon, and was adapted by Sarah Conradt, directed by Ben Caron and stars Vanessa Kirby and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Produced by H2L Media and Kirby’s own company Aluna Entertainment for Netflix US.
In other news, the BBC have greenlit a 6-part TV drama adaptation of Kaliane Bradley’s bestselling debut The Ministry of Time, being adapted by Alice Birch with A24 producing; and from Mammoth Pictures, a greenlit five part drama serial based on Liz Jensen’s novel The Rapture.
And, this Autumn sees the BBC1 release of Fable Pictures’ 8 part adaptation of Booker winning and bestselling author Bernardine Evaristo’s Mr Loverman
If you are enquiring about the availability of dramatic rights in any of our title or have an enquiry about stage licensing, please e-mail Alice de Abaitua in the first instance Alice@aitkenalexander.co.uk
Enquiries regarding Lesley’s clients can be directed to Lesley Lesley@aitkenalexander.co.uk and a list of Lesley’s screenwriting clients can be found here.
Assistant to Lesley Thorne
I joined Aitken Alexander Associates’ Film and Television Department in 2023, as Lesley Thorne’s assistant. More recently, I have also been working with Harriet Moore on the editorial side. I graduated with an English Literature BA from Cambridge in 2023 where I was the recipient of the Bundy Scholarship and the I A Richards Prize for English.
In my final year at university, I specialised in visual culture. I wrote on William Hogarth’s The Analysis of Beauty and the nature of taste. I am interested in fiction that explores the intersections between different media. For example, the focus on art and creation in Rachel Cusk’s Second Place and playwriting in Sheila Heti’s How Should a Person Be? I especially admire the work of Zadie Smith, Martin Amis and Karl Ove Knausgaard.
I am interested in the relationship between text and screen and the decisions made by directors when adapting. I am particularly fond of Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzer, Eyes Wide Shut, as well as his adaptation of Lolita. Recently, I was struck by the innovation of Jonathan Glazer’s adaptation of Martin Amis’ The Zone of Interest. My favourite films include Don’t Look Now, Rosemary’s Baby and The Shining. Incidentally, these films are all based on texts.