Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

From the Page to the Screen: How Conscious Collaboration is the Key to Successful Book-to-Film Adaptation

28/11/2022

By Stephanie Ornelas

There's a unique partnership between the director, the screenwriter, and the author when adapting a book for the big screen. When handled collaboratively and honestly, this collective magic can make the viewing experience for new and old fans of the literature that much more meaningful. And although the end product speaks for itself, like every film, these types of projects can present their own production challenges.

These were the main topics of conversation when Eugene Hernandez, Sundance Institute's new Festival Director, led a panel discussion on adaptation during the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Hernandez, who will be officially stepping into his new role for the 2024 Festival, sat down with Debra Granik (Leave No Trace), Lynne Ramsay (You Were Never Really Here), and partners Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan (Wildlife), to talk about the inherent challenges that come with directing movie adaptations. Their lively discussion in Park City had audience members laughing and fellow panelists intrigued by each other's insight.

For Paul Dano, this was his first time directing and he had been thinking about Richard Ford's Wildlife for over the course of a year. He did a lot of journaling and through that process, he really thought: Why does this book obsess me? Why does this book haunt me a little bit?

What got me to do [the film] was thinking of what the final image could be, recalls Dano. Once I had this certain scene or image, I said, Okay. I think I can actually do this.'

Eugene Hernandez, Debra Granik, Lynne Ramsay, Paul Dano, and Zoe Kazan at the Sundance Film Festival Cinema Cafe in 2018. The film is based on Ford's 1990 novel of the same name about a teenage boy forced to deal with his mother's complicated response after his father temporarily leaves them for a menial and dangerous job. When I wrote [Ford], he immediately gave me a gift, which I sort of wish every author would do for any filmmaker, and that was he said, My book's my book and your picture is your picture. I think you'd be doing both of us a disservice if you don't make what is you.'

And when Dano wrote his first draft, it was not formatted as a screenplay. That was conscious because I didn't want to jump to any conclusions. I was really just trying to understand how one takes internal life and narration and translates it to an image. So, I wrote something that I thought was really good. Then I gave it to Zoe and she tore it apart, Dano laughs.

But the ideas and the story were there. As Kazan says, Paul had already pulled all of the treasure from the book. She just had to learn how to understand Dano's interpretation, and they needed to work on conveying that back to the larger audience.

Paul had done a lot of the heavy lifting. He fell in love with this book and I could see why it obsessed him. I told him, I think you should let me do a draft of this and sort of translate what you see in your head so other people can see it,' Kazan explains. I did a lot of restructuring and I learned to see the film that he saw in his head and speak in the voice that he was trying to speak in that was half his and half Richard Ford's - then it became mine too. I had never done that before.

Director Lynne Ramsay had a similar experience when writing the screenplay for You Were Never Really Here, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Her film is based on Jonathan Ames' novella of the same name about a teenage girl who goes missing and a jaded enforcer who attempts to rescue her. Ramsay explains that when she wrote the first 60 pages [of her screenplay], It read like a novel. It was just thoughts in my head. So I started in that similar way [as Dano]. A lot of it for me is trying to translate what your vision is.

While making her 2011 thriller, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Ramsay faced an additional challenge that many independent filmmakers can relate to: budget cuts. In the middle of working through her film, she was told the budget was going to have to be massively reduced and that could mean reworking, and perhaps even removing, some crucial parts of the film. And when it comes to adapting a book, deciding what scenes to trim can be a major hurdle.

I had to reconceive the whole thing. That was a real challenge. I had been working on this project for ages, and I said, I'm still going to do my damnedest to make it.' It was a 450-page novel and a 70-page script in the end.

Paul Dano talks about his journey creating Wildlife (2018 Sundance Film Festival). Like her fellow panelists, Debra Granik saw the importance of collaboration with screenwriter Anne Rosellinias as she recalled her journey directing the 2018 Sundance Film Festival screening Leave No Trace. The film is based on the true story of Peter Rock's novel My Abandonment and follows a military veteran father with PTSD who lives in the forest with his young daughter.

Granik looks back at how the collaboration between her and Rosellinias was crucial in shaping the overall story: I would send her a draft and she'd send me a lot of notes. She's someone who I always work with on casting and locations heavily. We scout together. After taking tons of photos of real places or meeting some real characters who we might want to work into the story, she knows exactly what I'm talking about and who I'm talking about. Then we try really hard to make sure other people know why we like it, whatever that location was, or specific type of person or animal.

Through their distinctive projects, each director brought their own unique perspective to the panel discussion, giving audience members a fascinating window into the world of film adaptation and the obstacles they had to overcome.

While the adaptation from origi
LINK: https://www.sundance.org/blogs/from-the-page-to-the-screen-how-conscio...
See more stories from sundance

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

20/05/2026

New Nissan Stadium Is First NFL Venue With Permanent Built-In Music Stage

True to the Music City theme, the Tennessee Titans plan to make live music a prominent fixture on game days at the new venue Reflecting the continuing converge...

20/05/2026

NHL Taps Honeywell To Make Arenas, Facilities More Energy-Efficient

The long-term goal is innovation for the next generation of hockey rinks at both the professional and the community level The National Hockey League (NHL) toda...

20/05/2026

A Look Into the Future: What It Takes To Power the Next Generation of Sports Stadiums

End-users and vendors alike work toward cost-effective yet high-quality solution...

20/05/2026

Nasvhvilles New Nissan Stadium To Host Super Bowl LXIV in 2030

The National Football League has announced that Nashville will host Super Bowl LXIV in 2030 at the new Nissan Stadium. The announcement was made at the NFL Spri...

20/05/2026

NFL Awards Minnesota as Host Site of 2028 NFL Draft

The NFL has announced that the 2028 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will take place in Minnesota, uniting fans from around the world to celebrate one of the mo...

20/05/2026

Lawo Highlights Edge One at InfoComm 2026

As professional AV workflows continue to evolve, expectations around audio, video, networking, and control are rising rapidly. At InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas, La...

20/05/2026

Haivision to Showcase Video Wall, IPTV, and Ultra-Low Latency Video Innovations at InfoComm 2026

Haivision will showcase its latest innovations at InfoComm 2026, taking place fr...

20/05/2026

Spotify House Returns to CMA Fest With 3 Days of Nonstop Country Music

For the seventh year, Spotify is returning to CMA Fest with Spotify House, the festival's premiere destination for fans. We're taking over downtown Nash...

20/05/2026

Aero 2 from Acustica Audio

Amp-simulation software expanded Acustica Audio's latest release greatly expands on their amp-simulation platform, turning it into a complete amplifica...

20/05/2026

Arturia update the KeyLab Mk3

MainStage integration, Analog Lab improvements & more Arturia have just announced the release of an update that brings an assortment of new features to thei...

20/05/2026

SGL Carbon holds successful Annual General Meeting with strong approval of proposed resolutions

At the Annual General Meeting held on May 20, 2026, the shareholders of SGL Carb...

20/05/2026

From Gulkula to the nation: Yothu Yindi Foundation and NITV deepen national access to Garma Festival

From Gulkula to the nation: Yothu Yindi Foundation and NITV deepen national acce...

20/05/2026

SBS appoints David Fernandez as National Manager, Digital & TV Sales

SBS appoints David Fernandez as National Manager, Digital & TV Sales 20 May, 2026 Media releases SBS has appointed David Fernandez as National Manager, Dig...

20/05/2026

Rohde & Schwarz and INFOZAHYST: A strategic alliance set to redefine modern defense

Rohde & Schwarz and INFOZAHYST: A strategic alliance set to redefine modern defe...

20/05/2026

L3Harris Achieves Major Milestones With Latest Series of Rotating Detonation Engine Tests

A Rotating Detonation Engine being hot fire tested at Purdue University's Zu...

20/05/2026

VAMPIRE Confirms Integrated Capability During Live Exercises

A U.S. Army VAMPIRE system, assigned to Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 51st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 7th Infantry Division/Multi-Domain Command - Pacific ...

20/05/2026

NCAA Tournaments Spark March Madness for Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery in Nielsen's The Gauge

Cable Captures Only Monthly Increase Among Viewing Categories in March, Earns it...

20/05/2026

The Gauge: Poland | April 2026

April brought a symbolic decrease in the overall time spent in front of television screens. On average, Poles watched video content for 3 hours and 51 minutes a...

20/05/2026

DirecTV Asks FCC to Block Scripps' INYO Acquisition

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/05/2026

RTS Technology Centre Launches the RTS Technology Awards...

The Royal Television Society Technology Centre today announces the launch of the RTS Technology Awards 2026, celebrating excellence, innovation and achievement ...

20/05/2026

Lightware powers immersive video spectacle for The Hunger...

In the heart of London's financial district, the new purpose-built Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre invites audiences to experience Suzanne Collins' inte...

20/05/2026

New LiveU LU900Q Powers Record Breaking Broadcast of the...

LiveU, the leader in live IP-video solutions, today announced that production powerhouse BCC Live successfully deployed the new LU900Q intelligent production un...

20/05/2026

Nella Mente di Narciso Docuseries Uses Blackmagic Design Workflow

Nella Mente di Narciso Docuseries Uses Blackmagic Design Workflow Brie Clayton May 19, 2026 0 Comments PYXIS 6K full frame camera and DaVinci Resolve ...

20/05/2026

Beeble launches Canvas, a node-based AI compositor for VFX and Virtual Production pipelinesx

Beeble launches Canvas, a node-based AI compositor for VFX and Virtual Productio...

20/05/2026

DSPolitical and FreeWheel Partner on Political CTV Ads

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/05/2026

Amazon, Netflix and Google to Capture Half of CTV Ad Market by 2030

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/05/2026

Roku Introduces 'Creator Hub

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

20/05/2026

First Nations Factual Co-production Development Fund launched to elevate Indigenous storytelling in global markets

First Nations Factual Co-production Development Fund launched to elevate Indigen...

20/05/2026

TLC Announces All-Star Comedy Line-Up for Mock the Week: Summer Specials' on TLC

TLC Announces All-Star Comedy Line-Up for Mock the Week: Summer Specials' o...

20/05/2026

'One Hundred Years of Solitude' Concludes This August, With Part Two Premiering on the 5th and the Grand Finale on the 26th

Back to All News One Hundred Years of Solitude Concludes This August, With Part...

20/05/2026

Beloved NHK Dramas to Stream on Netflix Worldwide Starting June 22

Back to All News Beloved NHK Dramas to Stream on Netflix Worldwide Starting June 22 Entertainment 20 May 2026 GlobalJapan Link copied to clipboard Netflix...

20/05/2026

Dolby Recognized as 2025 Supplier of the Year and Overdrive Award Winner by General Motors

May 20 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Recognized as 2025 Supplier of the Year and Over...

20/05/2026

Two cooks shortlisted for the final of RT Today's TV Home Cook Competition

Mayo's Dee Freney and Margaret Leahy from Galway have reached the final of RT Today's TV Home Cook competition. Both contestants will cook again live...

20/05/2026

RT IN FULL BLOOM AT BORD BIA BLOOM 2026 WITH LIVE BROADCASTS, MUSIC, CHAT AND MUCH MORE

RT IN FULL BLOOM AT BORD BIA BLOOM 2026 WITH LIVE BROADCASTS, MUSIC, CHAT AND M...

19/05/2026

Young Journalist' finalists visit London for training and networking

The winner of Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist of the Year 2025, Tracy Bonareri Onchoke, and runner up Wangu Kanuri enjoyed a three-day trip to London ...

19/05/2026

Cisco and USGA Announce Multiyear Partnership Extension

Cisco and the USGA have announced a multiyear extension of their partnership, which began in 2018. Cisco serves as the Official Technology Partner of the USGA, ...

19/05/2026

Urban Edge Network and Spiideo Partner to Enhance NAIA Sports Streaming

Urban Edge Network (UEN), a streaming platform for NAIA sports, has announced a partnership with Spiideo to provide streaming and production tools to UEN's ...

19/05/2026

Warner Bros. Discovery Announces Expanded Roland-Garros 2026 Coverage

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) will provide live coverage of all 900 Roland-Garros matches across its platforms beginning with qualifiers on May 18. In Europe, 21...

19/05/2026

Tubi Launches FIFA World Cup 2026 FOX Hub

Tubi, Fox Corporation's free streaming service, has announced the launch of the FIFA World Cup 2026 FOX Hub, a dedicated destination for World Cup programmi...

19/05/2026

Telefnica and Sony Conduct 5G mmWave Broadcast Trial at Movistar Arena

Telef nica, in collaboration with Sony, has conducted a 5G connectivity trial at the Movistar Arena in Spain using the 26 GHz millimetre wave (mmWave) band. The...

19/05/2026

Ross Production Services Integrates Calrec Argo M into New Hypermax-1 Truck

Ross Production Services (RPS) has installed a Calrec Argo M console into its new Hypermax-1 remote production truck, replacing one of three Argo S consoles pre...

19/05/2026

Panasonic Projector and Display Acquires HIVE Media Control

Panasonic Projector and Display Corporation has announced the acquisition of 100% of the shares of UK-based media technology company Hive Media Control Ltd. (HI...

19/05/2026

Globecast Completes Major Renovation of Singapore Facility

Globecast has announced the completion of a nine-month renovation of its Singapore facility, converting it from a traditional linear broadcast operation into a ...

19/05/2026

Grass Valley Signs Three-Year Enterprise Agreement with Phoenix Broadcast Solutions

Grass Valley has announced a three-year enterprise agreement with Phoenix Broadc...

19/05/2026

Watch Brasil Selects Bitmovin for Streaming Player, Encoder, and Observability

Bitmovin has announced that Watch Brasil, a streaming platform operating across Brazil and Europe since 2018, has replaced its legacy systems with Bitmovin'...

19/05/2026

Ateme and Akamai Power Nepal Premier League Live Streaming

Ateme has announced the migration of Dish Home Nepal's Nepal Premier League (NPL) streaming infrastructure to Ateme's TITAN Live solution deployed on Ak...