The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact And Fiction Into Film (Owl Books) [Paperback]

Linda Seger (Author)

Book Description

Series: Owl Books | Publication Date: February 15, 1992

Adaptations have long been a mainstay of Hollywood and the television networks. Indeed, most Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winning films have been adaptations of novels, plays, or true-life stories. Linda Seger, author of two acclaimed books on scriptwriting, now offers a comprehensive handbook for screenwriters, producers, and directors who want to successfully transform fictional or factual material into film. Seger tells how to analyze source material to understand why some of it resists adaptation. She then gives practical methods for translating story, characters, themes, and style into film. A final section details essential information on how to adapt material and how to protect oneself legally

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Should be required reading...clear, thorough, and extremely helpful. I highly recommend it.”—Richard Zanuck, producer of Driving Miss Daisy

“Once you have a piece of source material, adapting it for film seems simple. It isn’t—as we have all learned. But it will be easier in the future, thanks to Linda Seger’s comprehensive and artful book.”—Stan Margulies, producer of Roots and Separate but Equal

About the Author

Linda Seger has been a script consultant since 1981, working with writers, directors, producers, and companies throughout the world, including Tony Bill, William Kelley, TriStar Pictures, and the New Zealand Film Commission. She has given seminars for ABC and CBS television networks, Embassy Television, the “MacGyver” series, and for producers and writers in Rome, London, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Dr. Seger is the author of Making a Good Script Great and Creating Unforgettable Characters.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 1st edition (February 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805016260
• ISBN-13: 978-0805016260
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #255,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have an unusual background - since my degrees are in both drama and theology. I've combined the two through my work in the film industry since 1981, writing books on screenwriting, but have also been giving speeches about theology for the last ten years. My most recent book is called JESUS RODE A DONKEY, and is about Christian values from the perspective of the Democratic Party. That will be published in August, 2006.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Helpful Guide, March 22, 2000

By 

Carolyn H. Miller "Author, Digital Storytelling" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact And Fiction Into Film (Owl Books) (Paperback)

Adapting a story from one medium and making it work in another is a daunting task -- far more difficult than someone who has never tried it might imagine. Dr. Seger clearly understands the challenges and gives writers useful information on how to tackle the job. Her book is useful not only for film and television writers, but for all writers who are struggling with the issues inherant in adaptation. I have adapted true stories (histories and contemporary events) for film and TV; novels for TV dramas; and feature films (including Pixar's "Toy Story") for interactive stories and games, and have found Dr. Seger's book a great help and support for all these situations.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book on Adaptation, April 21, 2008

By 

C. J. Singh (Berkeley, California, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact And Fiction Into Film (Owl Books) (Paperback)

Historically, more than 75 percent Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning films have been adaptations of novels, short stories, plays, nonfiction books, and articles.

Linda Seger sets the tone of THE ART OF ADAPTATION on the opening page: "In spite of what we may think, there is no such thing as an easy adaptation. We've probably all heard people say, `All you have to do is film the book,' Francis Ford Coppola tried that with the 1974 version of `The Great Gatsby,' and it failed. Others say, `This was immensely popular it's bound to be a blockbuster.' `Bonfire of the Vanities' was a best-seller, but the film was panned."

With exceptional lucidity, the author explains the issues and solutions in adaptations from fact and fiction into film. The book includes two detailed examples of successful adaptations: E. M. Foster's novel "A Room with a View" and Andrew Lloyd Webber's play "The Phantom of the Opera." Other examples include "Gone With the Wind," "It's a Wonderful Life," "Deliverance," "Dances With Wolves," " Silence of the Lambs."

This was the first Linda Seger screenwriting book I read. Impressed, I went on to study three more: "Creating Unforgettable Characters"; "Making a Good Script Great"; "Advanced Screenwriting." Each of them a five-star book.
-- C J Singh

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Adaptation : Turning Fact and Fiction into Film, March 21, 2000

By 

R. Michael Brown (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact And Fiction Into Film (Owl Books) (Paperback)

I've used the principles I learned from this book since I read it over a year ago. The adaptation techniques helped turn our reality based productions from around the world into character driven stories in three acts. Story development on our news magazine format is easier. The audience reaction has been amazing. I just recommended it to another producer.