Okay so I realize that I’ve been doing a lot of these, from
page-to-screen, reviews, critiques, opinions, etc. But with the way the movie
industry has been working as of late; cranking out movie after movie adapted
from bestselling novels, it only seems appropriate that I, a self-appointed book
nerd, give my opinion on the subject. I mean ultimately writing books is what I
want to do, I want that to be my full-time job because that is where I find the
most joy. For now though I continue to read what’s on the market and even see
the movies, though don’t ask me to see 50 Shades of Grey, it’s not happening!
Thus I reach my point of this particular blog. Lately the
internet has been inundated with 50 Shades, and justifiably so it was a
best-selling novel and anticipated by many to hit the big screen; but of course
where there are fans there are also nay-sayers. I would probably fall into the
latter category, though I’m not quite as vocal as some I’ll just leave it at 50
Shades does not intrigue or interest me at all and leave it at that.
So when I tell you I’ve been following articles about the
franchise it may shock you, but hey it’s all the internet wants to talk about
and sometimes a slow day at work means reading Yahoo articles just to pass the
time. That’s when I happened upon an article that made me shake my head and
cringe.
E.L. James wants to be the exclusive writer for the
screenplay for the 50 Shades sequel.
Someone’s joking here right? She really wants THAT much
control over the next film? Demanding, in fact, enough control that would
ultimately delay any and all production and bringing things to a grinding halt
before they’ve even begun?
As an aspiring author myself you’d think I would be all for
it! Hell yeah authors writing their own screenplays to their movies! This will
be great! Wrong! Once more for affect … W-R-O-N-G! WRONG!
Look I get the appeal, I mean I would’ve been totally
willing to sit in the theater for 17 straight hours and watch Harry Potter if
it meant no detail had to hit the cutting room floor, no matter how miniscule.
But that’s not everyone. Hey there’s plenty of people that are just not into
reading and would simply rather see the movie, I consider to be blasphemy, but
it’s a choice that others make and I’m okay with it. That’s why details need to
hit the floor, it’s why cuts need to be made, it’s why pacing and timing are so
important to keep the integrity of the book and the story while still creating
something entirely different to capture a new audience!
I’m all for collaboration! Authors do need some level of
control over the project; their voices must be heard during the production
process. I mean my work is my baby! I pour my heart and soul into what I write!
If I were ever lucky enough to have even a fraction of the success E.L. James
has been blessed with I would not be acting as she has been. Yes she is entitled
to be a bit of a mama bear protecting her cub, but she also needs to loosen the
reins a bit and give away some of that control. She's basically a one hit wonder, her first novel sky rocketed, and it would probably only benefit her to learn from those that have been writing professionally for years!
Collaboration! That’s key! Writing screenplays is an
entirely different animal from novels/fiction. There are different rules!
Formatting is completely different. Now I’m amenable and I would say if the
author has prior movie experience, has written screenplays before or has even
been trained on the How To’s of screenwriting then of course! Give the author
some leeway and let them pen the screenplay, Gillian Flynn wrote the screenplay
for Gone Girl! You go girl!
Here lies the difference though, in my mind at least,
Gillian Flynn wrote the screenplay and her novel was a standalone. The movie
was very successful but not 17 straight hours; details did need to be omitted and
scenes were cut in the name of timing and pacing but the integrity of the book
remained. E.L. James had a spat with the screenwriter for the first movie while
she worked alongside him to create the screenplay and now believes she can take
on the task and handle it herself.
Maybe she can, who knows? But realistically if she can
handle it we won’t be seeing a sequel for two years, at minimum! The clock is
ticking and I’m starting to think the 50 Shades fever will cool long before
start of production is announced let alone ac actual release date for the film.
