As a film student, you’ve likely encountered adaptations—films that bring novels, plays, or real-life stories to life on the screen. Whether it’s a classic literary work, a contemporary play, or a captivating biography, adaptation is a creative challenge that involves translating a story from one medium to another. The goal is to preserve the essence of the original while tailoring it to the unique language of cinema. But how do you successfully adapt a book, play, or real-life story into a screenplay? Let’s break it down.
Understanding the Core of the Source Material
The first step in any adaptation is to fully understand the source material. Whether it’s a novel, play, or real-life story, you need to grasp its themes, characters, and emotional beats. Ask yourself: What makes this story compelling? What is its essence?
For example, when adapting a novel, you may have to decide which parts of the story are essential to its heart. Some plotlines might be less crucial in a visual medium, while others might need to be expanded or reinterpreted. In the case of a play, the focus might be on dialogue and characters, but how can you make that dynamic visually interesting? Real-life stories, on the other hand, often require careful handling to maintain respect for the truth while also crafting a compelling narrative.
The Challenge of Maintaining the Original Spirit
One of the primary challenges in adaptation is staying true to the spirit of the original material while recognising the differences between mediums. A book offers internal monologues, intricate descriptions, and layered narrative structures that may not always work in a screenplay. A film, however, is a visual and auditory medium—it relies on images, sound, and performance to communicate its story.
The key is to focus on the emotional truth of the source. Consider how you can translate the feeling or mood of the book or play into a visual form. A scene in a novel might use detailed prose to convey a character’s inner turmoil, but on screen, that might translate to a quiet, lingering shot of the character’s face, or a scene with visual cues that hint at their emotional state without explicit dialogue.
For instance, in an adaptation of a novel like The Great Gatsby, a director might use elaborate visual motifs—such as the green light across the bay—to reflect the themes of desire and the American Dream. The spirit of the book remains intact, but the medium has evolved to communicate these ideas visually.
Creative Interpretation and Structural Changes
Adapting a story often requires making changes—sometimes substantial ones—due to the different constraints of the screenplay format. Not everything from a novel or play can fit into a feature-length film, and some details may need to be condensed or omitted. However, that doesn’t mean you should simply “cut” parts of the story. Instead, think about how you can reframe or reinterpret these elements to create a more cinematic experience.
For example, in adapting a play, you might need to find ways to open up the setting. The stage is usually confined to a limited space, but film offers the opportunity to expand the world. A single scene that takes place in one room on stage could become a multi-location sequence in a film. You might also need to trim dialogue-heavy scenes and incorporate more visual storytelling—something that plays often rely on, but that can seem clunky on screen.
When adapting real-life stories, the challenge is twofold: you must stay true to the events, while also creating a narrative that engages the audience. Real life isn’t always neatly structured or dramatic, so you may need to take creative liberties with the timeline or structure in order to tell a more coherent or emotionally impactful story. This doesn’t mean you should fictionalise key facts, but rather find a narrative arc that resonates.
Maintaining Pacing and Flow
One of the main differences between a book, a play, and a film is pacing. Books often unfold slowly, with time for reflection and description, while films need to keep the audience engaged with a tighter, faster pace. As a screenwriter, you’ll need to translate the key moments of the story into scenes that maintain tension and drive the narrative forward. This often means compressing time, cutting subplots, and honing in on the most impactful scenes.
For example, in a novel, a character’s development might span several chapters, but in a film, you need to convey that growth through action, dialogue, and performance in a shorter period. Make sure to focus on the central emotional arc of your characters and streamline the narrative to keep the story moving.
Balancing Fidelity with Innovation
Finally, remember that while it’s important to honour the source material, adaptation gives you the freedom to innovate. A successful adaptation doesn’t simply translate the original work—it transforms it. Whether you’re adapting a beloved book, a stage play, or a real-life event, you have the opportunity to breathe new life into the story, adding layers and nuances that weren’t possible in the original medium.
Sometimes, this means rethinking iconic scenes, modernising a historical story, or reimagining characters in new ways. The key is to ensure that the new version resonates with both fans of the original and newcomers, all while staying faithful to the emotional core of the material.
Conclusion
Adapting books, plays, or real-life stories into screenplays is an art form that requires both creativity and technical skill. It’s a balance between staying true to the original material while embracing the cinematic medium’s strengths. By understanding the core themes of the source, maintaining the emotional essence, and making necessary structural changes, you can create an adaptation that both honours its roots and works as a compelling film in its own right. As you tackle adaptations in your own screenwriting projects, remember: it’s not about simply transposing a story—it’s about reinventing it for the screen, creating something new while respecting the past.