Develop the critical and creative skills to 'translate' a story from page to screen with this step-by-step guide to the process of screen adaptation you'll learn to:- interrogate a novel or short story to release its 'inner film'- convert fictional prose into visual drama- overcome the obstacles presented by different media 'languages'- approach key strategic decisions - both technical and interpretive- draft and re-draft your plot, characters and dialogue- professionally format and submit your finished scriptIn addition to examples taken from 'literary classics', contemporary novels, genre fiction, short stories, and biographical material, Marland and Edgar embrace the wider phenomenon of re-telling and updating existing stories, such as the 'appropriation' of popular figures, inter-film adaptation (sequels and 'reboots'), and development into other visual forms including graphic fiction and video games.Whether you are producing a faithful adaptation of Tolstoy's War and Peace, or planning to pair up the crime-fighting duo of Sherlock Holmes and Batman, Adaptation for Screenwriters will be your guide.

IntroductionPART 1 - THEORY1. Different LanguagesApproaching AdaptationIssues of FormChannels of CommunicationCase Study: Enduring Love, High-RiseExercises2. The Challenge of TranslationBeing FaithfulFinding the Film in the BookDramatizing the PageCase Study: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Fight ClubExercisesPART 2 - ADAPTATION3. Narrative Re/ConstructionStory and StructureCulture and ContextAdapting to GenreCase Study: The English Patient, No Country for Old MenExercises4. Faithful InventionActs of InterpretationReframing - Prologues and CodasExpanding the Short StoryCase Study: Don't Look Now, The Shawshank RedemptionExercises5. The Human SubjectCharacter - Surface and DepthScreening PsychologyCapturing ConflictCase Study: The Great Gatsby, The Talented Mr RipleyExercisesPART 3 - APPROPRIATION6. Texts UnboundIntertextualityCustomizing the Classic TextWeaving Fact and FictionCase Study: Regeneration, The HoursExercises7. Textual PlayHypotextualityTwelve StrategiesFan FilmCase Study: Dr Frankenstein, Sherlock HolmesExercises8. Other FormsStage to ScreenThe Graphic NovelVideo Game to FilmCase Study: Alan Moore, Alien vs. PredatorExercisesPART 4 - PRACTICE9. ProcessAssessing the MaterialCentre and CircumferenceConcept, Treatment and PitchCase Study: Original MaterialExercises10. The ScriptFirst Draft - DialogueRedrafting - From Scene to SceneFinal Draft - Self-ReflectionCase Study: Original MaterialExercises