Thomas Tedrow, Author, Talks Movie Adaptation Mistakes

When authors write an amazing novel, it makes sense that movie companies jump at the chance to adapt their work. After all, you are sure to make a killing at the box office, and the script is practically written for you. However, movie adaptations are often sloppy or are unable to capture the essence of the book, leaving many fans disappointed. Here are some tips I hope Hollywood will listen to, which I believe will increase the success of these films.

Understand The Themes

Many movie adaptations seem to forget the purpose of books. Instead, they rely on flashy fight scenes, too much romance, and other cheap tricks to pull in viewers. It is crucial to understand what the book you’re adapting is about before production ever begins. For example, early Harry Potter films get many of the themes right. Overcoming adversity, doing the right thing (even when it is not easy), and the power of friendship are three distinct themes the movies manage to convey well. However, the latter movies focus too often on fights and the many romances between the students. While these moments are found in the books, they come at the expense of important plot points and ruin much of the essence of the books.

Stay True To Characters

Another significant factor of many movie adaptations is a lack of character development. Nearly every movie or series of movies has this problem, as directors have completely lost faith in their audience understanding character arcs. Instead of showing heroes as flawed people who grow beyond their problems, they show heroes as perfect beings who can do no wrong. I understand that there is not enough time in a movie to show every small flaw and its resolution, but cleverly inserting this information into necessary scenes is not too difficult, and should be utilized more often.

Don’t Forget Comedy

Many young adult novels have a great balance between drama and comedy. This is why you absolutely must include comedy into a movie adaptation. When movies are only dramatic, a few things happen: the audience grows tired of the action, every scene of action is downplayed, and the audience stops believing the story you are telling. Real life is not drama 24/7. Try including an occasional short scene of happiness and laughter. Then, your audience has time to recuperate before your big twist.

Stick To The Ending

Nothing is more offensive to fans than when directors choose to alter the ending of a movie. Although I understand that it is “The Director’s Movie”, it is also the visual representation of a book or series people grew up loving. Moving away from that is disrespectful to the audience, even if the ending you thought of was more surprising or satisfying.

Young adult novelists need to be aware of the impact studios can have on their work. Fans need to understand that novelists have minimal control over movie adaptations. And studios need to stop making the same mistakes over and over again. I truly believe that directors have the power to stop making terrible movie adaptations, if only they learn to quit taking the lazy route and instead try to do the original property justice.