The new branding strategy for non-film celebrities suggests that a movie role is key. But not in any old film. Film is more important than ever for brand equity because the currency of celebrity books is getting, well, de-valued. Author Whitney Otto in The L.A. Times today lays it all out.

RAPPER 50 Cent has just signed a publishing deal with MTV in which he will head his own imprint, G-Unit Books. The books will be a series of novellas with the action and pace of "a fast video game or movie," all depicting "the truth about The Life: the sex, guns and cash." (Someone should tell him to stop being coy and just say My Life. Not a secret, 50.) He won't actually write anything but will "have creative control.".....With this recent spate of celebrity authors, the question asked in a recent New York Times article was: Does writing a book "legitimize" stardom? Jon Liebman, chief executive of the outrageously successful management and production company Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, said, "I don't think people will take you more seriously if you put your name on top of a book." He suggested that, if being taken more seriously is your goal, you should get a role in an independent film.

With that piece of excellent advice, I've decided to forget this literature racket, head off to Sundance and angle for an independent film role. I even have a few ideas of my own about the movie — I mean, film — that I'm looking for. I'm thinking gritty, unsparing, very street; something with Hong Kong wire work; something ironic, with sex (but never in the bedroom, preferably in a public restroom). Something with puking, and someone sitting on the throne, or someone sitting on the throne engaged in casual conversation. Something that lets me smoke, and I don't say a lot because I'm older, so I have to stare into space, endlessly ruing the day. Then I have an encounter with a younger man, get high with the younger man, or my daughter (whichever), and have some kind of liberating life lesson that allows me to see menopause as "a good thing." You know, like a choice. And, if at all possible, I'd like the whole story to be told in reverse.

You could take a screenwriting course, but really, there you go.

TECHNORATI TAGS: 50 CENT, CELEBRITY BOOKS, WHITNEY OTTO, FILM

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at December 26, 2005 02:33 PM

---