As a screenwriter who has adapted a few books, as well as a published book author, you're right that the two forms of storytelling are indeed different. Very few books have been adapted directly to screen as they were written, and very few of those that were are successful adaptations. That's because the story in a book is told with words, while the story on screen is told with pictures. Particularly with mystery novels, lots of the dialogue is "internal," which obviously cannot be recreated on-screen without using a boring voice-over. Also, since a book is "tell me" and a show is "show me", the events have to be told in a way that is visually interesting. Rather than an internal dialogue, if the dialogue is to be used, two characters can interact; if there isn't a character in the book that can be used, one has to be created.
A good example of this is Scorsese's recent "Killers of the Flower Moon." The book it's based on is excellent, but the story it tells is of the "white saviors" (the agents of the soon-to-be FBI) who solve the crimes. That could be done - and Scorsese and his collaborator wrote an initial screenplay that did that. But the real story is about how the leading white people of Oklahoma acted to steal the oil wealth of the Osage. So instead, the story was told through the relationship of the two people at the center of the events - the white man who married the Native American woman, intending work with his uncle to steal the wealth of Molly's family. One way to tell the story was a "police procedural," the other was a crime against the heart. Either would have worked, but emotionally the second worked far better on the screen. Same story.
Wow! Mind blown 🤯, thank you so much for your comment and insight. I have to confess I had no idea about it, but now, having read your comment I have a better understanding of how they work, together or apart. 💐
I love Midsomer Murders and watch them over and over. I have found that books are often ‘adapted’ for screen. Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights (the Laurence Olivier version) and Gone With The Wind, some of my early huge change discoveries. It used to feel upsetting that the book was not followed but I later realised that it really doesn’t matter. I enjoy both book and film, so that is all I need 😊 I have wondered how it feels to be a screen writer, changing someone else’s work to ‘fit’. I have read/heard writers talk about how they feel when changes are suggested to their very precious story. Have you seen the film Saving Mr Banks? It really brings that struggle home. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it 😊 Net xx
Thank you so much for your comment Net! I did not see Saving Mr Banks, but I will for sure! Sounds like a movie I would really like! Thank you for the suggestion!
Hemingway had a definite opinion about selling books to people in Hollywood, to be made into movies. He said, the way you handle it is this: Arrange to meet the producers at the California/Nevada state line. They toss you the money. You toss them the book. Then you hop in a car, and drive east as fast as possible. And pretend it never happened.
As a screenwriter who has adapted a few books, as well as a published book author, you're right that the two forms of storytelling are indeed different. Very few books have been adapted directly to screen as they were written, and very few of those that were are successful adaptations. That's because the story in a book is told with words, while the story on screen is told with pictures. Particularly with mystery novels, lots of the dialogue is "internal," which obviously cannot be recreated on-screen without using a boring voice-over. Also, since a book is "tell me" and a show is "show me", the events have to be told in a way that is visually interesting. Rather than an internal dialogue, if the dialogue is to be used, two characters can interact; if there isn't a character in the book that can be used, one has to be created.
A good example of this is Scorsese's recent "Killers of the Flower Moon." The book it's based on is excellent, but the story it tells is of the "white saviors" (the agents of the soon-to-be FBI) who solve the crimes. That could be done - and Scorsese and his collaborator wrote an initial screenplay that did that. But the real story is about how the leading white people of Oklahoma acted to steal the oil wealth of the Osage. So instead, the story was told through the relationship of the two people at the center of the events - the white man who married the Native American woman, intending work with his uncle to steal the wealth of Molly's family. One way to tell the story was a "police procedural," the other was a crime against the heart. Either would have worked, but emotionally the second worked far better on the screen. Same story.
Wow! Mind blown 🤯, thank you so much for your comment and insight. I have to confess I had no idea about it, but now, having read your comment I have a better understanding of how they work, together or apart. 💐
I love Midsomer Murders and watch them over and over. I have found that books are often ‘adapted’ for screen. Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights (the Laurence Olivier version) and Gone With The Wind, some of my early huge change discoveries. It used to feel upsetting that the book was not followed but I later realised that it really doesn’t matter. I enjoy both book and film, so that is all I need 😊 I have wondered how it feels to be a screen writer, changing someone else’s work to ‘fit’. I have read/heard writers talk about how they feel when changes are suggested to their very precious story. Have you seen the film Saving Mr Banks? It really brings that struggle home. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it 😊 Net xx
Thank you so much for your comment Net! I did not see Saving Mr Banks, but I will for sure! Sounds like a movie I would really like! Thank you for the suggestion!
Great actors too (my opinion obvs 😂) Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks 😊
Hemingway had a definite opinion about selling books to people in Hollywood, to be made into movies. He said, the way you handle it is this: Arrange to meet the producers at the California/Nevada state line. They toss you the money. You toss them the book. Then you hop in a car, and drive east as fast as possible. And pretend it never happened.
That is so funny! Love it! Thank you so much for sharing Ray!