Ingram Content Group has officially launched MediaScout, a new database designed to facilitate book-to-screen adaptations. The tool, which aims to connect film and television industry professionals with books available for screen adaptation, was initially introduced at the Frankfurt Book Fair where Ingram was showing a beta version of the platform.
According to the Ingram announcement, MediaScout offers search capabilities across 2.5 million titles and authors, featuring rights information on available works. Margaret Hepp Harrison, VP of digital services at Ingram, said MediaScout is another way Ingram is using technology to connect different parts of the book industry, in this case connecting film and TV studios with screen-ready books.
In addition to providing search capabilities, MediaScout can serve as a centralized resource for managing and updating rights information for publishers, Ingram said. For studios and production companies, MediaScout provides efficient discovery and access to a vast range of titles, along with comprehensive rights information in one centralized resource.
Ingram is charging a $149 monthly fee to use MediaScout and takes no part in any transaction that might come from using the database.
MediaScout was first unveiled in October, one month after the Black List, the web platform and database for screenplay development and discovery, launched its novel manuscript program. Through the Black List's new manuscript database, industry professionals such as book editors, literary and film agents, and film studio executives can discover unpublished and self-published works of fiction, made searchable by genre, subgenre, and theme.
With MediaScout now live, Ingram is encouraging publishers and agents to upload rights information for studios and production companies to access and discover.
