SEMINAR MATERIALS ON FILM ADAPTATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Research presented toThe Languages Department

De La Salle University - DasmariñasDasmariñas, Cavite

 

  

 

 

 

As Partial Fulfillmentof the Requirements for the Subject

Communication Arts II  

 

 

 

 

Joselito BonillaYee Lam Chung

Eleonor MalabananCharina Margarita Fe Nola

  

 

  

October 2006

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

TITLE OF PAGE                                                                                                      1

 

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION

Background Study                                                                                                    3

Objectives of the Study                                                                                             5

Significance of the Study                                                                                         5

Scope and Limitation                                                                                               7

Methodology                                                                                                              8

Definition of Terms                                                                                                   9

1. DISCUSSION

Question number 1                                                                                                   10

3. CONCLUSION        

Summary and Conclusion                                                                                        28

Recommendation                                                                                                     29

BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                                                                         30

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

 

Background of the Study

            Numerous films are adaptations of literary works. The process of

adaptation actually amalgamates the interpretation of the spectators and the art

of film itself. Most adaptations are films based on novels but also make use of

non-fiction works such as journalistic materials, comics, scripts, autobiographies,

stageplays and previous films. Adaptation has proven to be one of the most

widespread practices in the evolution of fundamental ideas and scripts ever since

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_adaptation).

            Literature provides filmmakers with a rich source of materials for movies.

According to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Encyclopedia of

Philippine Art, "film is a voracoius medium that feeds on material from traditional

literary forms and recent media products to create narratives with which to

mesmerize its audience". Dudley Andrews, a film critic and theorist, states that

literary works are the basis of more than half of all commercial films (Phillips,

1999).

            Frequent sources of Filipino films are the different genres of literature

(plays, novels, poems, folk tales, legends) "capitalizing on the presumed

famliarity of the public with the events, characters and themes of these

traditional/popular narrative genres" (CCP Encyclopedia,1994). Some of the

influential elements that contribute to Philippine cinema are historical events in

the country, significant figures in the past and present generation, types of

theatre that like the komedya, sinakulo, sarswela, drama, and bodabil; oral

literature, dance, music and the visual arts; literary tradition as exemplified by the

awit and korido, novels and short stories in various languages; melodramas,

feature stories, radio dramas, television, with its drama anthologie, comedies,

musical contests, and numerous shows, and films, which initiate trends and fads

that the local industry follows.

            In the Philippines , film adaptation of novels dates back to the early years

of filmmaking. During the 19 th century, Jose Rizal's novels, Noli Me Tangere and

El Filibusterismo, were turned into films which gave "narratives and distinctive

character types" (CCP Encyclopedia,1994) to movies. In 1930s, novels published

in Liwayway Magazine such as Punyal na Ginto (Golden Dagger) by Antonio

Sempio, Sa Paanan ng Krus (At The Foot of the Cross) of Lazaro Francisco,

Sampaguitang Walang Bango (Jazmine Without Fragrance) of Iñigo Ed

Regalado, and others were adapted to films. One of the novelists who gave

significant contributions to film is Edgardo M. Reyes whose novels, for instance,

Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag was transformed into the movie and was celebrated

among the audiences and the critics.

            In spite of the difficulties in adapting a novel to a film, there is still a

proliferation of movies with this kind in the international screen. Among these are

the film adaptations of Da Vinci Code, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Trilogy of the

Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and others. Although at present, the Filipino film

production centers its attention on original screenplays, there are still movies

adapted from novels such as those written by Lualhati Bautista namely Bata,

Bata Pa'no Ka Ginawa and Dekada '70. Hence, these critically-acclaimed films

not only reflect the Filipino talent with regard to film production but also acquire

adulation for the original literary works on which such films are based.

           "Both for the serious student of film and the conscientious practitioner of

the art, it is instructive to know how film as art and entertainment has related to

literature, theatre and popular culture in exerting its own brand of witchery on

Filipnos it has captivated" (CCP Encyclopedia,1994).

There is a perception on some people that the enjoyment of a person in

watching a film will be hindered by his/her knowledge in the film concepts and

process. However, there are film enthusiasts who stressed that “studying films

increases their enjoyment … and appreciation of the effort and creativity involved

in making them.” (Phillips, 1999). Therefore, having background knowledge in

film will add to the viewers’ comprehension on why a film is produced the way it

is and in the case of adapted films, why the filmmaker came up with such

adaptation knowing each medium’s limitations and strengths. Instead of dealing

with the tedious process of film adaptation, the researchers decided to focus on

the fundamental considerations in adapting a novel into a film and prepare

instructional materials on film adaptation of novels.

 

Objectives of the Study

            The general objective of the study is to prepare instructional materials in

the process of film adaptation from a novel.

            Specifically, this study aims to achieve the following:

1. to discuss the fundamental considerations in adapting a novel to a

film

2. to prepare seminar materials on film adaption

Significance of the Study

College Students of Communication and Broadcast Journalism Courses.

This research paper would be able to help students in college who are taking up

courses such as Communication and Broadcast Journalism because adaptation

of film is within the bracket of their specialization. Moreover, the researchers

hope that in giving more emphasis to the local production of films adapted from

novels, more students in college, especially in the aforesaid fields, would be

interested to make similar studies with such an objective as to make positive

contributions in the local film setting.

Teachers and Professors of Film. Teachers and professors of film would

benefit from this study because they would be able to make use of the

information integrated within this research in preparing lesson plans and similar

instructional activities for interested students. Since this paper delves in the

preparation of seminar materials for more intensive discussion of the film

adaptation process, the more film teachers and professors would be able to

make effective lectures for the learning audience.

Film Makers. Knowledge of this study would help film makers facilitate

understanding within their production committees on the various trends of film

adaptation within the local setting. The researchers believe that in furnishing data

on how the process of adapting a film from a novel is in the local setting, film

makers would be able to make good use of such information in making exquisite

films through a more focused and learned effort along with their work group or

production board.

Future Researchers. This study is crucial for future researchers to make similar

studies on especially since there still seems to be a need for film studies in the

local setting in order for the locally-produced films to be augmented to the level of

foreign motion pictures. The Filipino talent lies in wait to be celebrated for its

depth and the researchers believe that if future studies would be made, utilizing

this paper as a source of valuable data, there might be an improvement in the

process of adapting films from local novels and catapult the Filipinos to the

international market as a success in their own right.

 

Scope and Delimitation

            This research will mainly focus on film adaptation of novels. It aims

primarily to come up with instructional materials about the said subject.

In this study, the researchers will also include the factors to be considered

in adapting the film and the problems encountered in film adaptation.

            Due to time constraints, this study will no longer discuss other genres of

literature such as comics, plays and short stories as sources of film adaptation.

This is also to give emphasis to novel as being primarily the main source of

literary form being adapted into film. Moreover, the researchers believe that

novels have been the main focus of the local scene over the years therefore this

study would be most relevant to the continuing trend. Aside from time constraint,

the researchers also consider the dearth of resources as one of the primary

elements of limitation in this study. This is due to the approximate number of

resources regarding local novels being adapted into film.

Methodology

            This research employs a descriptive method since the researchers aim to

describe and to discuss the process of film adaptation from a novel which is a

topic of modern concern in the field of film production. This method is defined as

"a process of gathering, analyzing, classifying and tabulating about prevailing

conditions, trends, processes… and then making adequate and accurate

interpretation about such data…" (Calderon and Sanchez, 1995).

            Information relevant to the study was gathered from various reference

materials such as books and journal articles from on-line sources.

            An e-mail interview with a film professor of DLSU-D, Mr. Elvin Valerio

provided the researchers with necessary background knowledge about the said

subject.

            The instructional materials such as PowerPoint and overhead projector

presentations as well as hand-outs will be prepared after the collection of data.

            The instructional materials will contain the following:

                a)      Introduction to film adaptation.

                b)      Factors influencing film adaptation of novels.

c)      Fundamental considerations in film adaptation of novel.

 

Definition of Terms

Character. A person featured in a drama or novel. It is one of the main elements

comprising works of fiction or similar literary forms.

Film Adaptation. The transfer of a written work to a feature film ( http://en.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_adaptation ).

Film Director. A person who oversees the production of a film or similar forms,

guiding the process through handing out instructions to the staff, crew,

production board and actors.

Filmmaker. A person that directs or produces films.

Media. A means of mass communication wherein information is disseminated to

the audience through the use of television, film, radio, or written forms of

communication.

Narrator. A person or character telling a story verbally or non-verbally,

oftentimes through the use of a series of images.

Novel. A fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot

that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters (

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/novel ).

Plot. It  is the structure of events which is featured in a drama or a story.

Point of View. It is a way or viewpoint of a narrator that may be included in the

very literature, film or art form which he recounts.

Screenplay. The literary material upon which  a film is based, including the

descriptions of scenes and angles.

Film, is a motion picture , also often called a movie (originally slang for moving

picture). Films, collectively, are often called cinema .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2

DISCUSSION

1. to discuss the fundamental considerations in a novel into a film

Definition and Types of Film Adaptation

Definitions of film adaptation include the transfer of one material to

another. Film adaptation is defined as "the process of changing or transforming

material from one medium (novel, stage play, short story, real-life story, etc.) into

another ( i.e. Film or TV)" (Frensham, 2003). In the same vein, Valerio (2006)

describe it as the process of adapting a piece of literature (short

story/novels/stage plays) into the audio-visual medium (film/tv).

However, Cattyse (1997) stated that film adaptation should not be viewed

exclusively on the process of adaptation and the final product since “film

adaptation is in the first place a film, made by filmmakers for a film public… a film

adaptation functions firstly as a film within a specific film context.”

             What poses as a challenge in the process of adaptation is actually how

close the adapted material must resemble the information from the chosen

source. In actuality, the precise reproduction of the novel's content comes near to

impossible. "This degree of fidelity is what determines the three types of

adaptations: the loose, the faithful and the literal" (Giannetti, 1982).

            With regard to loose adaptations, the general idea, figure, or plot

structure is taken into account. Afterwards it is developed relative to the film

makers' own interpretation of the story. Giannetti (1982) stated that "loose

adaptations can be likened to Shakespeare's treatment of a story from Plutarch

or Bandello, or to the ancient Greek dramatists who often drew upon a common

mythology" ( p.329)

            "Faithful adaptations, as the phrase implies, attempt to recreate the

literary source in filmic terms, keeping as close to the spirit of the original as

possible" (Giannetti, 1982).   These are the screenplays that consider the main

plot of the novel and its main characters and retain such elements in the film.

  The literal adaptation of a novel was done in 1924 by Erich von Stroheim

in his film Greed based in Frank Norris's novel McTeague. It has a length of

sixteen hours but was reduced into two hours which ended up with a final product

that is totally incoherent. From that time on, "few directors are foolish enough to

attempt to put everything in a novel into a film.”)http://en.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_adaptation)

Factors influencing the adaptation of novels

A. Commercial Consideration

          The popularity of a novel and the public's familiarity of it affect the decision

of a filmmaker in choosing to adapt a novel or not. It is more profitable for the

producer to transform into film a best-selling novel regardless of its "cinematic

potential".

            However, filmmakers must be mindful of the changes they will make in

the story. "Creative tampering with the basic plot should be kept to a minimum,

and the most important characters should be left unchanged and carefully cast"

(Boggs and Petrie, 2000).

            On the other hand, Hollywood scriptwriter John Hill asserts that

Hollywood invests more on the mediocre, not very well established and written

novel because "the studio execs and producers decide things for careerist

reasons- which in a tough, corporate world, means for defensive reasons, not for

bold instinctive pro-active reasons like creative vision."

            Film adaptation of novels is motivated by "corporate business-type

decisions" not by the creative and aesthetic factors of the source. Producers or

studio execs would argue that it is safer to invest in a movie that is adapted from

a novel since there will be initial potential audience who also patronized the

original source or the novel. There will be "pre-sold tickets and pre-audience

awareness" of the adapted movie since it was already marketed before as a

literary piece. Therefore, it is not that risky to invest in a movie which story was

being gambled on first by other business entity unlike the case of the original

screenplay, which will be released for the first time, "where there's no business

precedent and no pre-sold tickets or pre-audience awareness."

           

 

B. Cinematic potential of Novels

           The degree of "adaptability" of a novel to film depends upon the novelistic

style of the writer. For instance, Ernest Heming Way and Henry James differ in

their style of writing, which influences the potential of their novels to be

transformed into films. Randall Stewart and Dorothy Bethurun give a comparative

analysis of their styles wherein Heming Way's style is more adaptable to film than

James' since Iteming way uses "rhythms of speech and aims to give a sensuous

and emotional rendering of experience": while James focuses mainly on "literary

convolutions as well as intellectual analysis of experience"(Boggs and Petrie,

2000).

 

 Change in medium

           Adapting into a film involves two media which have their own "distinctive

techniques, conventions, consciousness and viewpoint" (Boggs and Petrie,

2000). Every medium possesses its unique strong and weak elements, thus,

adjustments in the story and subject matter are required (Boggs and Petrie,

2000; Phillips, 1999). Hence, it is necessary to the understanding of film

adaptation of a novel that one would have an idea of the distinction between the

two media.

            In terms of what novels and films offer their audiences, the former

appeals to the imagination while the latter comes directly to our senses. Phillips

(1999) points out that since novels are printed, the readers need to "visualize and

sub vocalize" what they see in the pages while films directly feed the visuals and

sounds in the story. According to Naremore (1997 ), the dependence of novels to

words make it a "single-track" medium. On the other hand, films offer more than

the written and verbal aspect and include "theatrical performance, music, sound

effects, and moving photographic images". While reading a novel requires the

reader to mentally picture for him/herself what he/she is reading, watching a film

helps us to see and hear the story through the moving objects and sound effects

( http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/learningresources/fic_adaptation.html).

 

Change in creative talents

           Aside from changes in medium, a change in creative artists usually

happens in adaptation – from the novelist to screenwriter/director. Due to the

limitations of the new medium, the alteration in the emphasis of the story or in the

characters cannot be avoided. Therefore, the novelist has to give up his/her

control over the story to the director or the actor (Boggs and Petrie, 2000).

  Films are usually written works before evolving into movies. These works

are, more often than not, crafted by professional writers that are adept in story-

telling. The process of adapting films is intricate in the sense that a scriptwriter

must have adequate skills in discerning which parts to emphasize and which

parts to eliminate. “Ideally, the adaptation should remain faithful to the original

work, conveying the same feeling, atmosphere, plot, and characterization- even

though scenes, characters, and conflicts have been modified.” The output, in the

end, must be feasible enough to be produced (Blum, 1995).

           Since the process of film adaptation is relative to the film production team,

specifically the director, screenwriter and film producer, there are other means in

which a written work can be treated before being converted into a film. The story

can deviate from its original form and not follow the chronological sequencing of

events. "The reorganization of episodes out of chronological sequence is not only

technically simple (mounting strips of cellulose in any designated order onto the

film reels), but also satisfactory to the viewer, in part because the connective

conventions have been easily transposed from prose…to movies in part because

the circumstances of watching a film… seem to encourage our acceptance of

dreamlike transitions" (Fell, 1975).

             Due to time limitation and medium, change in adaptation is practical.

Since a novel and a film are two different forms of art, they must be seen as

separate entities, thus some film theorists believe that a director should not be

totally worried in transforming the novel into film. It is impossible to make an

accurate transcription of a novel to film. Others argue that the goal of adaptation

is to change to fit, and "the film must be accurate to either the effect (aesthetics)

of a novel or the … of the novel or the message

 

 

Point of view

          It is difficult to adopt a novel to a film. Transforming the literary work to the

screen entails the filmmakers to change the original point of view "because

characters are more developed than in the short story and the plot is complex

and layered, these elements may have to be altered from the author's original

vision in order to be adapted into a cinematic format". To include all the

"characters and subplots" is within the disposition of the film makers. Otherwise,

several adjustments are needed to maintain the substance of the story (

www.nv.cc.va.us/home/bpool/dogwood/general/genre.html).

            According to Boggs and Petrie (2000), in understanding the process of

making a film out of a novel requires knowledge or insights on the importance of

point of view in both the film and the novel. "The point of view controls and

dictates the form and shape of a literary work and determines its emphasis, tone,

strengths and limitations". The novelist's capabilities and limitations depend on

the different literary viewpoints such as:

1) First Person Point of View. It involves a narrator who tells and describes

what is going on in the story as a character or direct participant in the novel.

God made a world out of his dreams, of magic mountains, ocean and streams…

Kasama ang paghingi ng paumanhin sa may-ari ng tula, hinihiram ko ito bilang prologo ng mahabang kuwento ko para pangatwiranan sa mga mambabasa ang mga tauhang nasasangkot: sina Julian Jr., na dahil unang anak ay itinuring ni Julian Sr. na ekstensiyon ng kanyang sarili kaya bilinyagan ng Julian sa panahon na ang usong pangalan ay mga Michael at Lawrence at iba pang pangalang kolonyal; Isagani, na bilang konsolasyon sa 'kin sa pagkabigo ko na maging babae naman ang pangalawa nami'y isinunod ni Julian sa pangalan ng paborito kong pinsan na namatay sa tungkulin bilang pulis; Emmanuel, na ibig sabihin daw ay tagapagligtas…            Hey, ang tula sa itaas ay dinala sa 'kin ni Julian – at kuntodo naka-mount sa pelus, ha! – nang ipanaganak ko si Emmanuel, para ipaliwanag kung bakit puro lalaki ang ginagawa sa 'min ng Diyos, bagama't matay ko mang pag-isipan, hindi ang Diyos ang gumawa kay Emmanuel kundi kami!

 -Opening paragraph of "Dekada'70"

                                                                      By Lualhati Bautista           

Yes sir. Flem Snope has filled the whole country full of spotted horses. You can hear folks running back and forth across them little wooden bridges ever now and then kind of like thunder. Here I was this pretty near halfway tp town, with a team ambling along and me setting in the buckboard about half asleep, when all of a sudden something come swurging up oaten the bushes and jumped the road clean, without touching a hoof to it. It flew right over my team big as a billboard and flying through the air like a hawk. It taken me thirty minutes to stop my team and untangle the harness and the buckbosrd and hitch them u again.                                                                   -opening paragraph of "Spotted horses"

By William Faulkner  (as cited in Boggs and Petrie, 2000)

 

2) Third Person Omniscient Point of View. The narrator here does not have a

direct contact with the characters but she/he knows everything that happens to

them and can shift to different places if the story demands.

 

            Sa simula, siya'y isang kalansay  na nakatalalan sa hangin. Isang matayog, buhaghag na buton ng patapong mga piraso ng tabling gato, mabukbok, matibak, masalusob, pilipit, kubikong, na pinagpaku-pako nang patayo, pahalang, patulibas, kabit-kabit nang waang wawa, tulad ng kahig-manok sa lupa, at dito'y sisingit ang mga tadyang na bakal aat mga yero at mga playwud at mga lawanit upang salihin ang buhos ng labusaw na halo ng tubig', graba, buhangin at semento, at titigib sa hulmahan, matutuyo, titigas, yayakap saz mga taadyang na bakal at sa mga bitukang tubo. Bawat buhos ng   malabasang sangkap ay kragdagang laman ng kaniyang katawan, karagdagang guhit satututnguhin anyo. Unti-unting mapapalis ang mga kalansay na kahoy, kasabay ng unti-unting paglapad at pagtaas ng katawang konkreto. Kikinisin siya, dadamitan ng salamin, tisa, marmol at pormika, hihilamusan ng kulay upang umalindog ang kaniyang balat. At sa kaniyang ganap na pagkaluwalay bibinyagan siya, at ang pangalan niya'y uukiut sa tanso.             Sa simula, siya'y isang kalansay na knakatalalan sa  hangin. Payayamanin siya, maglalaman at lulusog sa dilig na pawis at dugo. At siya'y magtatayo ng buong tatag , lakas at tibay, paghuhumindig aat nagtututmayogsa kapangyarihan, samantalang sa kanyang paanan ay naroon at lugmok, lupaypay, sugatan, duguan,nagtingala sa kanyang kataasan, ang mga nagpapala sa kanya.

-Opening paragraph of "SA MGA KUKO NG LIWANAG"By: Edgardo M. Reyes

There was a woman who was beautiful, who started with al the advantages, yet she had no luck,. She married for love, and the love turned to dust. She had bonny childrenyet she felt they had been thrust open her, and she could not love them. They looked at her coldly, as if   they were finding fault with her. And hurriedky she felt she nust must cover up si=ome fault with her. Yet what it was that she must cover up she never knew. Nevertheless, when her children were present, she always felt she always felt the center of her heart go hard. This troumbled her, snd in her manner she was all the more gentle and anxious for her children, as if she loved them very much. Only she could not feel love, no not for anybody. Everybody else said of her: "she is such a good mother. She adores her children." Only she herself, and her children themselves, knew it was not so. They read it in each other's eyes.

-opening paragraph of "The Rocking-Horse Winner,"By D. H. Lawrence

 (as cited in Boggs and Petrie, 2000)

3) Third Person Limited Point of View. Same as with the third person omniscient

point of view, the narrator is all-knowing but concentrates only to one character.

Although Bertha Young was thirty she still has moments like this when she wanted to run instead of walk, to take dancing steps on and off the pavement, to bowl a hoop, to throw

something up in the air and catch it again, or to stand still and laugh at nothing—at nothing, simply.

What can you do if you are thirty and, turning the corner of your own street, you are overcome, suddenly, by a feeling of bliss---absolute bliss!—we though you'd suddenly swallowed a bright piece of that late afternoon sun and it burned in your bosom, sending out a little shower of sparks into every finger and toe?.....

-opening paragraph of "Bliss"By Katherine Mansfield

 (as cited in Boggs and Petrie, 2000)

4) Dramatic or Objective Point of View. It is also called as concealed, or effaced,

narrator point of view wherein the narrator's presence in the scene is not obvious

but actually tells the account of the story as well as the dialogue of the characters

which creates an impact of intimacy between audience and the scene.

The door of Henry's lunchroom opened and two men came in. They sat down at

the counter.

            "What's yours?" George asked them.             "I don't know," one of the men said. "What do you want to eat, Al?"             "I don't know," said Al. "I don't know what I want to eat;"             Outside it was getting dark. The street lights came on outside the window. The two men at the counter read the menu. From the other end of the counter Nick Adams watched them. He has been talking to George when they came in.             "Ill have roast pork tenderloin with apple sauce and mashed potatoes," the first man said.             "It isn't ready yet."             "What the hell do you put on the cart for?"             "That's dinner," George explained." You can get that at six o'clock."             George looked at the clock on the wall behind the counter. "It's five o'clock."             "The clock says twenty minutes past five," the second man said.             "It's twenty minutes fast."             "Oh, to hell with the clock," The first man said. "What have you got to eat?"

-opening paragraph of "The Killers"By Ernest Hemingway

 (as cited in Boggs and Petrie, 2000)

5) Stream of Consciousness or Interior Monologue. In this viewpoint, the third

person and first person are combined wherein the narrator involves a "unique

land of inner view" in which what the character is thinking and imagining is being

narrated without selecting and organizing the thoughts beforehand.

Stay mad. My shirt was getting wet and my hair. Across the roof hearing the roof loud now I could see Nathalie going through the garden among the rain. Get wet I hope you catch pneumonia go on home Cowface. I jumped hard as I could into the bog-wallow the mud yellowed up to my waist stinking I kept on plunging until I fell down and rolled over in it. "Hear them in swimming, sister? I wouldn't mind doing that myself." If I had time. When I have time. I could hear my watch. Mud was warmer than the rain it smelled awful. She had her back turned I went around in front of her. You know what I was doing? She turned her back I went around in front of her the rain creeping into the mud flatting her bodice through her dress is smelled horrible. I was bugging her that's what I was doing. She turned her back I went around in front of her. I was bugging her I tell you. I don't give a damn what you were doing…"

-from The Sound and the FuryBy William Faulker

 (as cited in Boggs and Petrie, 2000)

             Among the literary viewpoints, only dramatic point of view, which is rarely

used by the novelist, has the cinematic potential. The rest are hard to translate

into film since the presence or even a "sense" of narrator well as the emphasis

on reflection, views contemplation of characters difficult to present in the film

(Boggs and Petrie, 2000)

            In this sense the film makers do not use the novelistic point of view as

well as the passages containing the inner view of the characters instead they

emphasize more on the dramatic scene (Boggs and Petrie, 2000).

In film, the third person or first person point of view is usually employed.

Although the third-person viewpoint is preferred by the filmmakers, there are

times that a character’s literal point of view is presented. This is called as

subjective shot or point of view shot which is made possible by the use of camera

since it presents through its lens literally, what the character sees. In making a

film, “there are usually many cameras, shooting thousands of different shots from

many different angles of vision” which is the cinematic way of telling the story that

produces different points of view.

Aside from the subjective shots, the first-person point of view is also

portrayed “through performance, production design, lighting, color, editing, the

use of sound and camera…Taken together, these elements of structure help

create the cinema’s distinctive form of explicit third-person narration with implied

first-person components” (Prince, 1996).

Length and Depth

           A film is limited in the aspects of length and depth as well as the amount

of material, thus, it is "forced to suggest pictorially a great many things that a

novel can explore in more depth".

           In adapting a novel to a film, the filmmaker must decide if s/he will only

include a specific part of a novel or to "capture a sense of the whole novel by

hitting the high points."

           The limitation pertains to the qualities of the characters as well as the

amount of numbers treated. In general, shorter novels are more adaptable to film

than long ones with ones with complex subplots.

            While there are numerous procedures in which a film can be produced

from a novel, major considerations are time and space. (Fell 1975) stated that

"the main-stream tradition of storytelling by way of the written word from the

eighteenth century into the first part of the twentieth… has been what movie

animators call straight-ahead… the story will progress chronologically in time

from point A to point B…"

 Problems created by the viewers

 

       Making a film adaptation actually requires more skill than producing an

original script, especially when the material is more celebrated in nature. Thus,

many films are made from average sources, "for few people will get upset at the

modifications required in film if the source itself isn't of the highest caliber"

(Giannetti, 1982).

           The "spectatorial experience" (Hill and Gibson, 2000) of an adapted film is

delermined by the stabdard the audience set to measure the film based on

his/her experience while reading rhe novel.

           However, people are not aware of their "degree of selectivity" wherein

they give special emphasis and importance to some "visual image and

impressive bits of dialogue" while discard the others which they so not like.

Itence, this preconceived ideas and image of the story affect their level of

satisfaction of the film counterpart (Boggs and Petrie, 2000).

           The connection which the film establishes with the audience is

emphasized as the story aims to tie up loose ends as it runs its course from the

exposition to the culmination of the film. Many films in the current generation

have the inclination to finish obscurely in which case the frame freezes and the

motion dies away but the film remains in a "technological semblance of

permanence" (Fell, 1975).

 

 

Chapter 3

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

 

SUMMARY

            In this study entitled "Seminar Materials on Film adaption," the

researchers aimed to prepare instructional materials regarding the fundamental

considerations on adapting a novel to a film. Specifically, the researchers

intended to achieve the following objectives:

1.      to discuss the fundamental considerations in adapting a novel to a

film

2.      to prepare instructional materials discussing film adaptation of

novels

The research design that was used in this study is the descriptive research

method wherein the gathered and analyzed the information obtained from

various sources in order to come up with a description and discussion of the

things being taken into account in turning a novel into a film. The research

findings are the following:

1. Not all novels are adaptable to films, which is affected by the

commercial considerations of the filmmaker/ producer and the cinematic potential

of the novel or the writing style of the novelist.

2. The audience creates problems in their own enjoyment of watching an

adapted movie due to their preconceived images and expectations from what

they read in the original novel.

3. Changes occur in transforming a novel to a film due to changes in

creative talents (novelist, screenwriter, director, and producer) and/or changes   

in medium (novel and film).

4. A screenwriter takes several things into consideration in adapting a

novel to a film such as length, depth, point of view, time, and use of inner view of

the characters in the novel.

 

CONCLUSIONS

            Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn:

1.      It is difficult to adapt a novel to a film since there are many things to

consider in the process of adaptation.

2.      In adapting a novel to film, the screenwriter must not aim to duplicate

literally the original novel because it is impossible, instead, s/he should

focus on getting the "spirit" of the novel as the basis of the new story in

the film version.

3.      Knowledge in film adaptation is not only necessary on films

professional and film student   but also to film enthusiasts since it will

help them to understand and appreciate the adapted movie.

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

            After drawing the conclusions of the study, the researchers hereby make

the following suggestions/recommendations:

 

1.      In analyzing a movie based on a novel, it is better that one has an insight

into the changes that happen in adaptation and an understanding that novels

and films are two different media which have their own strengths and

weaknesses so that the viewer would have a proper frame of mind in

approaching the two.

2.      Make a more intensive study regarding film adaptation and its development

within the local industry in order to augment the system that already exists in

behalf of the Filipino talent.

3.      Design a research on possible future innovations in the process and cite

possible locally-crafted novels that could be plausible sources for future films

to be based upon; and

4.      Research on other modes of preparing instructional materials that could be

useful for seminars or lectures on the aforesaid process of adapting a novel

into a film.

 

 

References

 

A. Book Blum, R. A. (1995). Television and screenwrting: From concept to concept. (3rd ed). Focal Press  Boggs, J.M. and Petrie, D.W. (2000). The Art of Watching Films (5th ed). Mountain View , California: Mayfield Publishing Company  Cultural Center of the Philippines. (1994) CCP ENCYCLOPEDIA OF             PHILIPPINE ART (Volume 8, pp 68-75) Manila: Vera-Reyes, Inc.  Fell, J. L. (1975). Film an introduction. U

SA: Praeger Publishers, Inc.  Frensham, R. (Eds.).(2003). TReach Yourself: ies. (3rd ed.) New Jersey : Prentice-Hall., 32-39. Giannetti, L. (1982). Understanding movies. (3rd ed.).

New Jersey : Prentice-Hall. Phillips, W. H. (1999). Film an introduction.

Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 203.

 Prince, S. R. (1996). Movies and Meaning : An Introduction to Film.

Paramus, NJ, U.S.A.: Prentice Hall PTR,

B. Electronic Media General Elements of film adaptation. Retrieved July 8, 2006 from the World Wide Web from http://www.uv.cc.va.us/home/bpool/dog wood/general.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_adaptation  http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/bpool/dogwood/general/genre.html  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/learningresources/fic_adaptation.html  http://www.redorbit.com/modules/news/tools.php?tool=print&id=6467  

http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/exbrapri.html http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/jsp/db/facts.jsp?title=Film  1994 (Principles of Adaptation for Film and Television) University of Texas Press Ben Brady