script adaptation
Novel becomes screenplay
A script adaptation is the process of transforming a story from one medium—typically a novel, play, stage musical, or earlier film—into a screenplay for film or television.
The adapter must make choices about what to preserve, condense, or reimagine to suit the new format's constraints and possibilities.
The script adaptation of the novel cut several subplots to fit a two-hour runtime.
Adaptations range from faithful translations to loose interpretations that retain only basic elements of the source material.
- condensingReducing in volume
- reimaginingFresh interpretation of existing material
- modernizingMaking something current
- expandingGrowing in scope
- story beatsKey narrative events
page to screen · character arc · localization · scriptwriter · rewriting · dramaturg · restructuring · dramatization · screenwriting · regionalization · tone shift · abridgment · editing · playwriting · formatting · director · scene transitions · scene
- adaptationsfilm adaptations, TV adaptations, stage adaptations, novel adaptations, dramatization
- Dubbingvoiceover, lip sync, voice acting, ADR, revoicing
- spelling reformspelling reform, spelling rules, phonetic spelling, respelling, Noah Webster
- stage translationdubbing, subtitles, surtitles, supertitles, localization
- stage productionsplay, musical, dress rehearsal, stage play, stage show
- printingprinting press, letterpress, printing, lithographers, offset printing
script adaptationoriginal screenplay
Film story not adapted
original script · original composition · spec script · source material · first draft