30 Comments
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Cole Haddon's avatar

This is a ridiculously fun article. Well done.

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

Thanks Cole!

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Lin's avatar

Loved this. Thanks for shining a spotlight on this often overlooked role! Graphic design for film & tv is what I do for work. Book covers are one of my favourite things to do. With all the endless hospital paperwork, police files, signage, phone screens etc etc, book covers are a special treat.

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

Oh that’s so cool. Thanks for commenting! I love designing books but I love the idea of designing for film and TV. What have you worked on with books?

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Lin's avatar

Well, I'm Australian and work mostly on local projects, so the ones I've worked on might not be shows you've come across. But almost every gig I've done has needed a book cover or two - usually in a non-hero usage. I was briefly part of the graphics team for the upcoming Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar though - got to make lots of books for that one. And when the NBC series All Her Fault comes out, there'll be a few to look out for there as well!

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

Very, very cool! Thanks for sharing.

For what it’s worth, my wife has watched My Life is Murder and Darby and Joan 🙂

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Anne Thomas's avatar

Very fun! Here’s another one: Through the Looking Glass: Senescence in Retrograde by Tess Coleman, from Freaky Friday (with Jamie Lee Curtis) 😆

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

Ha! Terrific. Did you know they’re filming a sequel?

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Anne Thomas's avatar

I did hear that! I rewatched FF recently and it really holds up 😁 hopefully the sequel is good!

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JB Minton 📺's avatar

Excellent and fun!

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

Thank you, sir!

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Sakari's avatar

The book The Steps of Ostia Antica in the movie Two Scoops of Italy

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Chris Neuhahn's avatar

Electronics for Dogs. :)

In animation we get to put fake products and books in things a lot.

in LEGO Dreamzzz i came up with a book called "Dreams and Other Conspiracies"

In Monsters vs Aliens (Nickelodeon TV Series) one of the writers made the character Susan read a YA Romance series call "Sparkle Vampires" The episode was funny, there was a werewolf, but his human form was the nightmare.

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

I love love love this!

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Auzin Ahmadi's avatar

This is such a cool exploration!

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Mike Rohde's avatar

Apple Books has released the first 8 chapters of The You You Are in an ebook and audiobook on Friday! https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-you-you-are/id6738364141

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

Incredible! I had no idea

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Elisabeth Grace Foley's avatar

This is such a fun topic! The first example that came to my mind was the episode of "The Waltons" where John-Boy gets scammed by a vanity press—I have a screenshot of the book prop but I don't think you can attach picture to comments here?

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

No, I don’t think you can unfortunately! That renders me asking for examples a bit silly, doesn’t it.

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Pip L's avatar

Thoroughly fascinating, thank you 😊

Have you come across the literature equivalent…an exhibition at the Grolier Club…on imaginary books?…can be viewed online ( I was made aware of it via the I Hear of Sherlock podcast ) includes lots of literary imaginary book references.

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

I haven’t heard of that! Definitely going to check it out.

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Abra McAndrew's avatar

Goat Time in A Little White Lie, a straight-to-streaming film about a professor who invites the wrong guy (or is he the reclusive author after all?) to headline a literary festival. It’s hard to get a good look at the cover because it is always in someone’s hands but it seems very Dali-esque…

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Annotate With Sara's avatar

This is so fun!

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Chris L.'s avatar

I want to write a book review on The Frogs!

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

I’d read it!

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Chris L.'s avatar

Here ya go...

https://substack.com/home/post/p-156394337

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

This is great.

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Bill Cusano's avatar

Thanks for this. I have often wondered about the books in films and series.

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martha park's avatar

Thank you for reading & sharing my comic!

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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

You’re welcome! It’s great.

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