Given the difficult task of converting the novel The Orchid Thief into screenplay form, Charlie Kaufman defined adaptation by creating the quaint masterpiece known as Adaptation. By writing himself and his nonexistent twin into the film Kaufman was able to transplant his difficulty in adapting a fairly bland novel into a marketable film. From a screenwriter’s perspective, this is a must-see if ever the task of adaptation approaches your door. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the steps needed to adapt a novel into the screenplay format.
Adaptation, which is the act of converting a novel, story, stage play, or comic book into script form, remains one of the primary uses of screenwriting. While most screenplays have a cap of 120 pages, many novels can reach into the 500 plus range of pages, thus making the task of adapting an entire story nearly impossible. In order to begin the task of adaptation, it helps to cut the story down to its essence. First off, who are the central characters? What is the driving plot and what are the vital sub-plots? Are there any side characters that drift the story too far in an unnecessary direction? Once you know what the essence of the story is, outline it and add on from there, attaching side characters and sub-plots in the process.
To put this in perspective, imagine a novel titled A Shrub Grows in Harlem. In the novel, a teenage ticket scalper works towards making a better life for himself, gaining friends and enemies in the process and eventually resulting in an escape from the police following a deal gone wrong. There’s action, romance, and a gripping main character. So where do you cut it down?
Maybe from pages 87-96, our protagonist has to pick up his little sister from school and in a slightly character-defining moment, he witnesses her talking to a shady teenager. Is the scene in need of a trim? Possibly. Should it be cut entirely? There’s another possibility. After all, she could easily find her own way home. However, this scene may also be a catalyst for the rest of the film if you can structure it correctly. Make the shady teenager resurface later on in place of a random thug and give him a few lines that tie the film a little tighter together.
One important point to keep in mind is that you have to satisfy the original audience. If the book was a New York Times best seller, a large audience will be sitting down to see their beloved story unfold on the screen. You don’t want to betray them by making the story unrecognizable. However, if you can save yourself a few dozen pages by removing an otherwise unnecessary bit of prose, it will ultimately give you more time to reinforce the character and plot developments that are more central to the story. In summary, keep it tight and keep your original audience happy.