J.C. Lane's "Tag, You’re Dead"

J.C. Lane’s favorite movies are Raiders of the Lost Ark, Enchanted April, and How to Train Your Dragon, which proves that she can’t settle on any one genre (or demographic). She is currently binge-watching Lost, which she never got around to before, and has spent many hours of her life with the LOTR movies, as well as the BBC Jane Austen films.

Here Lane dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, Tag, You're Dead:

Just thinking about this makes me crazy with excitement. I would so love to see this book as a movie. As millions of other people have thought about their own books (right?), Tag, You’re Dead would lend itself very well to the big screen!

Tag, You’re Dead has six protagonists – all teenagers. I scoured the web and my brain for teenage actors who would fit the parts, and came up short. All of the actors I considered were too old, or just not quite right for some other reason. Perhaps the best way to cast this movie would be to find six people who are unknown, so that casting would be even throughout the story. Plus, I would feel so great if this book could be a launching pad for six great young actors. But I’ll give my own casting a shot.

Race and body type are important for several of the characters, as those characteristics play parts in the story. For instance, Tyrese Broadstreet is a big, athletic African-American basketball player (described as “glorious”). I think of him as a younger Michael B. Jordan (or the other Michael Jordan, for that matter). His counterpart, Robert Matthews, is equally as big, also a basketball player, but white. Someone like a teenage Charlie Hunnam would be great, although Robert is not supposed to be quite that awesome looking!

Amanda Paniagua is of Peruvian descent. She is small and agile, but not necessarily athletic. She likes a few piercings and colored strips in her hair, and is very independent and smart. Aimee Carrero would have a good look for Amanda. Charles Akida, Amanda’s opponent, comes from Japanese ancestors, and could be any size, really. He is incredibly intelligent, and the actor has to be able to pull that off! Kenichi Matsuyama has a fantastic look for Charles, but alas, is too old.

Laura Wingfield has the traditional pretty blonde look, like Olivia Holt. It would be easy to cast her by looks in Hollywood, I would think, but she also needs to be believable as the Girl Next Door, with a welcoming demeanor and an aura of kindness. Laura’s It, Brandy Inkrott, would be interesting to cast. I couldn’t find anyone with her type of look, because no one really wants to look like a Botox experiment gone wrong (I hope). Perhaps with some special effects make-up casting could find someone appropriate!

As for the director of the movie, I would be thrilled with Joss Whedon, because I’m a huge fan of Buffy, and I appreciate his views on women in the movie industry. I’d also love to see Kathryn Bigelow direct it, because of her experience and success with action movies, such as The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty.

But you know, when it comes down to it, I’d love to see this book as a movie however it would be cast! Go, Hollywood!

Visit J.C. Lane's website and tell her what movies and TV shows are your favorites.

--Marshal Zeringue

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