Eccho Rights’ Nicola Söderlund

With so many great series to watch across such a vast number of platforms, having a show stand out above the pack is harder than ever. Working with known IP, based on a popular book or a hidden gem in the literary world, is one way to rise above the fray. Nicola Söderlund, managing partner at Eccho Rights, talks to TV Drama about the value of IP and how to approach adaptations.

TV DRAMA: What’s driving the spate of book-based IP in the series landscape?
SÖDERLUND: In the commissioning process, the speed from interest to greenlight has shortened dramatically, especially since the arrival of the streamers. In order to get maximum safety, the easiest way forward is to rely on existing, well-known and also, in the dream scenario, hugely popular IP. Books provide safety but also an already existing story with characters, plot lines, opening and ending. Adapting is easier than inventing. And at the same time, you will get a fan base that will be eager to see the series.

TV DRAMA: What are some of the emerging trends in this space?
SÖDERLUND: Very often, a book has room for a lot of inner thoughts, reactions and impressions. This could prove to be tricky to convert into a scene; that is very often the challenge in dramatizing scenes out of books. The more plot-driven the book is, the easier to make it work.

TV DRAMA: Tell us about some of Eccho Rights’ IP.
SÖDERLUND: We are developing a series based on the Jackman and Evans books by Joy Ellis set in the very filmic and mysterious English region of the Fens. Richard Armitage will star as Rowan Jackman. Another series is based on the graphic novel Ezequiel Himes by Víctor Santos and Alberto Hernández. In an apocalyptic world, Ezequiel Himes leads the uprising against a zombie elite that has taken over the world. It is a very compelling series with smart twists and turns and fantastic characters. We are expecting to greenlight both of these series this year.

For many years, we have successfully been licensing the Maria Wern franchise, which is based on a series of books by the Swedish crime writer Anna Jansson. The TV series has overtaken the number of books, and the producers are now writing the scripts without the underlying IP.

TV DRAMA: How closely, in general, should a TV adaptation stick to the original source material?
SÖDERLUND: The best result is achieved if you regard the TV version of the IP as an independent work of art.

TV DRAMA: When possible, is it best to have the author/estate involved in the adaptation process, or is it better to let the TV producers have pure freedom to adapt?
SÖDERLUND: It’s a process basically in two parts. In the initial part, it’s absolutely essential to fully understand the storyline and the behavior of the characters, but once that is achieved, I strongly believe that the scriptwriter should have full freedom to make the best adaptation for the screen. After all, storytelling in a book and on-screen are two very different ways of communication and very much based on different craftsman’s skills.

TV DRAMA: How is the company working to scout and secure the best book-based IP?
SÖDERLUND: Mostly, the producers reach out to us with an idea or if they have optioned a book, and we take it from there.

TV DRAMA: Is it more of a challenge or an opportunity to have a piece of television that comes with a base of consumers who already know (and love) the story?
SÖDERLUND: It’s definitely an opportunity. Do you think the Harry Potter franchise would have been so successful without the books paving the way? Having said that, it’s also easy to disappoint the fans of a book series, as they very often have a clear picture of the world in their head. And there are almost as many images as there are readers, so it could be a challenge to please those. But on the other hand, I personally think it’s very interesting to see an adaptation of a book; you could compare it to a cover version of a pop song—a new version of a story or song you like.