First Advisor

Karin Magaldi

Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Film and University Honors

Department

Film

Subjects

Fiction -- Technique, Motion picture plays -- Technique

DOI

10.15760/honors.130

Abstract

Writers write in many forms and, while most specialize in one form or another, there are those that move back and forth through multiple formats. Screenwriters are a special breed who are expected to write new material, adaptations and specs. As a screenwriter the pressure is on being able to write in someone else’s voice while still expressing your own. Unfortunately, the process of adaptation is a cloudy one. It is expected that a writer can alternate between forms by nature and not through education. The purpose of this thesis is to approach the adaptation process through a combination of experience and research in an effort to clarify this process.

For this thesis I have undertaken the process of adaptation by translating a story idea into both a novel and screenplay. The story of Spellbound centers on a detective in a steampunk universe who is capable of using magic and is attempting to solve the murder of her sister. It presents fantasy themes and emotional conflict that were challenging to convey in each format. The result is an understanding of techniques used by both novelists and screenwriters to adapt an idea into multiple formats.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/15419

Download

Share

COinS