1. Adaptation
Stefanie van Gerven

2. Adaptation = desecration?
Is adaptation ever a good thing?
What are some examples of “good” and “bad” adaptations?
Adaptation is larger than transferring novel to film

3. Before judging an adaptation
Ask first:
Whether each work succeeds in its own terms
Why authors and directors choose the things they do….
After that, start worrying about:
What’s different and why
What’s effective and why
and how did they do that?

4. Fidelity Learn not to say this by reflex:
“Of course, the book was better than the film.”
“But they missed this important scene!”
“Books are superior to film”
“The actor they cast doesn’t match the character”
Does it need to reproduce the existing text?
There is no such thing as a “transferable core”

5. Fidelity Absolute fidelity is often impossible
If you want complete fidelity – why not reread the original text?

6. Written texts vs Film
Novels (especially) deal in “concepts”: rooted in the abstract
Films deal in “percepts”: rooted in the direct and literal representations of reality

7. Written text vs film Novels = single track – just written word
Film = multi-track – words both written and spoken, performance, sound effects, moving images, music etc.

8. Different media have different strengths
What makes a film exciting as a film may not be the same thing that makes a book exciting as a book
What do you enjoy about novels and films as separate mediums?

9. Intertextuality
What is the relationship between the book and the film and/or other sources?
Does the film rewrite your understanding of the original text?
Does it say something new about the original text?

10. The way in which things are adapted
Generic translation / transformation: maintaining thematic or structural elements i.e. tragic hero – example Star Wars vs Hamlet
Ideological translation / transformation: how does placing a text in a different social/historical context change it
Aesthetic translation / transformation: changing things stylistically to appeal to a mass audience e.g. Godzilla

11. Why study adaptations?
A huge percentage of movies made are adaptations
Adaptation = interpretation
There is no such thing as an “original” text

12. Adaptation example – Taming of the Shrew
Good morrow, Kate—for that’s your name, I hear.
KATHERINE Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing. They call me Katherine that do talk of me.
PETRUCHIO You lie, in faith, for you are called plain Kate. And bonny Kate, and sometimes Kate the curst, But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom, Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate—For dainties are all Kates—and therefore, Kate, Take this of me, Kate of my consolation: Hearing thy mildness praised in every town. Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded—Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs— Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife.
KATHERINE “Moved,” in good time. Let him that moved you hither. Remove you hence. I knew you at the first, You were a moveable. .
PETRUCHIO Why, what’s a moveable?
KATHERINE A joint stool.
PETRUCHIO Thou hast hit it. Come, sit on me.
KATHERINE Asses are made to bear, and so are you. .
PETRUCHIO Women are made to bear, and so are you.

13. Adaptation – 10 Things I Hate About You

14. Activity
Your task is to adapt a scene from a popular Shakespeare play. You will need create a modern interpretation. You will perform your adaptation in front of the class. Your skit should be around 4 minutes in length. You will need to consider changes to setting, characters, language and elements of the plot.
10 minutes = Research your scene. Understand it within the context of the play.
15 minutes = Translate your scene and delegate roles, including director. There can be non speaking roles.
15 minutes = Begin adapting your scene and practicing your skit
20 minutes = Watching the performances