Adapting Content for TV (PT65)

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Alex and Nick share their experiences adapting preexisting material to television, from established novels and properties to historical events.

What constitutes an adaptation? How do you balance existing content and personal take? How close should you stick to the original source? How do you stay historically accurate while telling a compelling story? When should you spec an existing property without having the rights?

Plus, a new venue for feedback and an update on the Fox Writers Lab.

The Paper Team gets inspired by…

SHOWNOTES

Content

Paper Scraps: Voicemail and Fox Writers Lab Update (00:51)
1 – Defining what is an adaptation: IPs, properties, and real events (07:24)
2 – Choosing the right format, tips on adapting history and existing content (16:14)
3 – Speccing established IPs without having the rights (38:59)
Takeaways and Resources (49:15)

Links

“TV Writing Competitions” (PT33)
“TV Writing Competition Winners: What Happens Next?” (PT65)
Send a voicemail to TV Calling and Paper Team
“Inspiration vs. Stealing in TV Writing” (PT58)
The Wolf of Wall Street
Wall Street (Movie)
Spotlight
Kingsman: The Secret Service
W.
Band of Brothers
Rome
Revenge
The Count of Monte Cristo
“Why The Expanse is transforming TV” – Wired
“Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” – Tom Stoppard
Star Trek: Terran

Resources

“Beyond Fidelity: The Dialogics of Adaptation” – Robert Stam (PDF)
DP/30 interview with Eric Heisserer (Arrival)
The Writers’ Panel with Eric Heisserer

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex – @TVCalling
Nick – @_njwatson
If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: ask@paperteam.co