Changing Mediums: Transfer From One Creative Medium To Another
Ink2Quill November 2021 Editorial
www.ink2quill.com

There is no doubt that creating a masterpiece is neither an obvious or easy task. A good artist whether they are an artist, writer, orator, mummer or the like has to be in touch not only with society and culture but with themselves. Describing talent and inspiration as a spark is so accurate because it shines and draws us, the viewer or reader, in and evokes emotions. So much of creation is someone sharing an idea, experience, philosophy or message. Whether it´s a movie, novel or sculpture the creator wants to send us a message. Think of a famous sculpture that screams “I am beauty in stone.” Whether the artist´s message is hidden or not it is still there.

Now some mediums for art become less popular over time and some become more popular over the decades. Think of the art forms of opera and the film industry. The popularity of opera has subsided over the decades as culture changes while films and everything on our screens continue to gain popularity. There are reasons for this. One of which is the fact that culture is no longer dictated by a monarchy. We, in the West, no longer are told by a king or queen what is good and what is not. Nowadays, for the most part art is created and thrown out to the public. If it is loved by the masses then it´s a hit otherwise it´s a dud and there are soooooo many duds.

So what happens to an artist, more particularly a writer, wants to move his work to other mediums to increase their fan base? Say, how to bring a novel to a movie or mini-series? That is a great question that continues to puzzle today and will continue to puzzle creators in the future. It is no easy task.

If you manage to get all the types of censorships out of the way, like political, cultural and industrial censorships then and only then can you start to work on creating a good piece of art for mass consumption. This is no small task. So, for example, if you want to bring a good novel to the screen you have to wrestle with the people who have the money telling you what they do and don´t want to see in your film. This is no easy wrestling match.

Once you have successfully wrestled with the gods of the entertainment industry then you are good to go. The question now is how to make the best translation from one medium to another? What are the pitfalls?

One thing fans expect is for the film to stick closely to the book. A film creator should try to stick to the book as best as possible. Fans don´t mind that some characters be left out. They would understand this but to make sweeping changes is travesty, heresy even. So, many film makers have done this and paid the price for it. A film was made in 2002 from a very successful Broadway play called “Chicago”. The film was so well done, like the musical, and loved by critics. This was a successful translation from one art medium to another.

Now there are exceptions to this rule like the scifi masterpiece film “Blade Runner” which was taken from the Philip K. Dick scifi masterpiece novel “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?”. The book is so good and so is the movie but there are clear differences in both stories. I highly, highly recommend experiencing both. Another example is Robert Heinlein´s novel “Starship Troopers”. The film released in 1997 and of the same name is fantastic and very different from the book, which was also fantastic. So, unless you really know what you are doing then stick to the book. The book should be canon.

Another tip to changing artistic mediums is to keep in mind what that medium is. Will it be a film in theatres or on streaming services or even a play or musical on Broadway? The movie theater audience is quite different from the home watching streaming services audience which is different to the Broadway theater audience. Basically, keep your hand on the pulse of the mediums you are creating in.

Another thing is to make sure to know and have access to relevant technologies. The world of technology is changing so quickly and can be such a good thing if utilized correctly or just utilized. A good example of this is the recent release of “Dune” in 2021. It is arguably the most beautiful scifi films ever shot. It might be the best version of the novel created to date. I did have some problems with it but it was the best version yet. Great casting etc. The use of technologies does a lot more than just world building.

I am a big fan of art that crosses mediums because it can give wider audiences and even, in some cases, keep great content alive and well.

John Ink2Quill

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