Adapting Argo from A History of the Art of Adaptation [Video] (1:06)

You Can Please Some of the People Some of the Time… None of the People All of the Time: A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More!

Dr. Rosanne Welch speaks on A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More! at the California State University, Fullerton Library

Part of the program series for Dune by Frank Herbert: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Watch this entire presentation

Adapting Argo from A History of the Art of Adaptation

 

Transcript:

Argo which, of course, won the Oscar just a couple of years ago is an example of some changes that were made that are regrettable and yet the movie holds up and it’s not Ben Affleck’s fault. When Ben Affleck went to make the movie, which won an Oscar for him, he knew that in the story, which is a true story, the actual CIA gentleman is named Tony Mendez. Tony Mendez and Affleck doesn’t look like a Tony Mendez. He wanted a Latino actor to be the lead in the film. he looked for someone that the studio would approve. The only Latino actor one considers to open a movie is Antonio Banderas and he’s booked, booked, booked. Because he’s the only Latino actor who can open a movie. So, the studio said to Affleck, “Look, why don’t you play the part?”

“But I’m not Latino. It’s going to erase the ethnic feeling of this movie.”

And they said, Ok, then we just won’t make the movie.”

He said, “Ok, as long as we keep the guy’s name. Maybe people will realize” and of course, if they look at the book they will understand that we’re talking about a Hispanic actor.

About this talk

Dr. Rosanne Welch (RTVF) speaks on the craft of history of film adaptations from the controversy of the silent film Birth of a Nation (protested by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1915) to Breakfast at Tiffany’s (to which author Truman Capote famously said, “The only thing left from the book is the title”) to The Godfather . Naturally, the behemoth in adaptation – Harry Potter (which depended on the relationship created by adapter Steve Kloves and author J.K. Rowling) will be discussed, as will the subject of this month’s celebration: Dune.

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

About Dr. Rosanne Welch

Dr. Rosanne Welch is a professor in the Low Residency MFA in Screenwriting Program from Stephens College, California State University, Fullerton, Mount San Antonio Community College and Cal Poly Pomona.  In 2007, she graduated with her Ph.D. in 20th Century U.S./Film History from Claremont Graduate University.  She graduated with her M.A. in 20th Century United States History from California State University, Northridge in 2004.

Welch is also a television writer/producer with credits for Beverly Hills 90210 , CBS’s Emmy winning Picket Fences and Touched By An Angel . She also writes and hosts her own podcasts on 3rdPass.media, her first one titled “Mindful(I) Media with Dr. Rosanne Welch.”

Her upcoming book, “Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture” will be published in Fall 2016

Three Ring Circus: How Real Couples Balance Marriage, Work and Kids and The Encyclopedia of Women in Aviation and Space are two books she has written. Los Angeles Times and the Journal of Screenwriting hold some of her published articles.

Dr. Rosanne Welch Web Site and Blog

Follow Dr. Welch on Twitter

Dr. Rosanne Welch on YouTube

From The Research Vault: THE MONKEES – Clive James Talks Back interview (ITV), 4th March 1997

Yet another research resource for Why The Monkees Matter

THE MONKEES – Clive James Talks Back interview (ITV), 4th March 1997

From The Research Vault: THE MONKEES - Clive James Talks Back interview (ITV), 4th March 1997

This 1997 interview clip involves all four actor/musicians on the Clive James program out of the UK.  They discuss the Justus tour, their history, and the 30th anniversary special that aired that year.  James (or his editors) are  good at giving each their individual moment during the interview.  James defines the show as “their old but always new” series – which is a compliment and shows how James understood the show and its importance.  It’s always interesting to compare the questions asked by American interviewers and those from other countries. — Rosanne


Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture

Order Your Copy Now!

Previously in Out of Research Vault:

A History of Screenwriting – 5 in a series – The Sprinkler Sprinkled (1895) – 1st Comedy Movie – LOUIS LUMIERE – L’Arroseur Arrose

I teach several classes for the Stephens College Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting, including History of Screenwriting. In fact, I created the curriculum for that course from scratch and customized it to this particular MFA in that it covers ‘Screenwriting’ (not directors) and even more specifically, the class has a female-centric focus.  As part History of Screenwriting I, the first course in the four-class series, we focus on the early women screenwriters of the silent film era  who male historians have, for the most part, quietly forgotten in their books. In this series, I share with you some of the screenwriters and films that should be part of any screenwriters education. I believe that in order  to become a great screenwriter, you need to understand the deep history of screenwriting and the amazing people who created the career. — Dr. Rosanne Welch


The Sprinkler Sprinkled (1895) – 1st Comedy Movie – LOUIS LUMIERE – L’Arroseur Arrose

Lumiere sprinkler

The world’s 1st comedy, The Sprinkler Sprinkled (also known as L’Arroseur Arrosé and The Waterer Watered) was shot in Lyon in the spring of 1895. The film portrays a simple practical joke in which a gardener is tormented by a boy who steps on the hose that the gardener is using to water his plants, cutting off the water flow. When the gardener tilts the nozzle up to inspect it, the boy releases the hose, causing the water to spray him. The gardener is stunned and his hat is knocked off, but he soon catches on. A chase ensues, both on and off-screen (the camera never moves from its original position) until the gardener catches the boy and administers a spanking. Louis Lumière used his own gardener, François Clerc, to portray the gardener.

The first public screening of films at which admission was charged was held on December 28, 1895, at Salon Indien du Grand Café in Paris. This presentation by the Lumière brothers featured ten short movies, including L’arroseur arrosé, which played sixth. — Change Before Going Produtions

Learn more about the Lumiere Brothers with these books

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! 

Adapting Sense and Sensibility from A History of the Art of Adaptation [Video] (1:10)

You Can Please Some of the People Some of the Time… None of the People All of the Time: A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More!

Dr. Rosanne Welch speaks on A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More! at the California State University, Fullerton Library

Part of the program series for Dune by Frank Herbert: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Watch this entire presentation

Adapting Sense and Sensibility from A History of the Art of Adaptation

 

Transcript:

We all know that recently there’s been a whole run of Jane Austen. Suddenly the whole world loves Jane Austen again, which is fun. Recently — well not that recently — Sense and Sensibility ws turned into a movies. Hugely Successful. The best of this particular story ever. It was written by Emma Thompson, who some people forget is also a writer, not just an actress. She was hired because they wanted a writer who would retain the humor on Jane Austen. Many people don’t think she has humor. And in fact she does. So, Emma Thompson was a famous comedian at the time. It was long before she did any work in America with Kenneth Branaugh, so she was just know as a comedian in England. She took on the job — it took them about 5-6 years to get it made. What’s really interesting is that she kept a diary of the process of adapting it and the process of filming the adaptation, wherein continued changes were made on a daily basis on the set. So she documents changes — why they were made — who asked for them — whether she agreed of not — how that discussion took place. It’s a really excellent look at the full process of adapting something and it became quite a financial success. So, it was a pretty big adaption to note.    

About this talk

Dr. Rosanne Welch (RTVF) speaks on the craft of history of film adaptations from the controversy of the silent film Birth of a Nation (protested by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1915) to Breakfast at Tiffany’s (to which author Truman Capote famously said, “The only thing left from the book is the title”) to The Godfather . Naturally, the behemoth in adaptation – Harry Potter (which depended on the relationship created by adapter Steve Kloves and author J.K. Rowling) will be discussed, as will the subject of this month’s celebration: Dune.

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

About Dr. Rosanne Welch

Dr. Rosanne Welch is a professor in the Low Residency MFA in Screenwriting Program from Stephens College, California State University, Fullerton, Mount San Antonio Community College and Cal Poly Pomona.  In 2007, she graduated with her Ph.D. in 20th Century U.S./Film History from Claremont Graduate University.  She graduated with her M.A. in 20th Century United States History from California State University, Northridge in 2004.

Welch is also a television writer/producer with credits for Beverly Hills 90210 , CBS’s Emmy winning Picket Fences and Touched By An Angel . She also writes and hosts her own podcasts on 3rdPass.media, her first one titled “Mindful(I) Media with Dr. Rosanne Welch.”

Her upcoming book, “Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture” will be published in Fall 2016

Three Ring Circus: How Real Couples Balance Marriage, Work and Kids and The Encyclopedia of Women in Aviation and Space are two books she has written. Los Angeles Times and the Journal of Screenwriting hold some of her published articles.

Dr. Rosanne Welch Web Site and Blog

Follow Dr. Welch on Twitter

Dr. Rosanne Welch on YouTube

A History of Screenwriting – 4 in a series – Exiting the Factory (La Sortie des Usines a Lyon) 1895 – Louis Lumiere

I teach several classes for the Stephens College Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting, including History of Screenwriting. In fact, I created the curriculum for that course from scratch and customized it to this particular MFA in that it covers ‘Screenwriting’ (not directors) and even more specifically, the class has a female-centric focus.  As part History of Screenwriting I, the first course in the four-class series, we focus on the early women screenwriters of the silent film era  who male historians have, for the most part, quietly forgotten in their books. In this series, I share with you some of the screenwriters and films that should be part of any screenwriters education. I believe that in order  to become a great screenwriter, you need to understand the deep history of screenwriting and the amazing people who created the career. — Dr. Rosanne Welch


 Exiting the Factory (1895) – 1st Projected Film – LOUIS LUMIERE – La Sortie des Usines a Lyon

A History of Screenwriting  - 4 in a series - Exiting the Factory (La Sortie des Usines a Lyon) 1895 - Louis Lumiere

The 1st projected film, Workers Leaving The Lumière Factory in Lyon (also known as La Sortie des Usines Lumière à Lyon, Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory, and Exiting the Factory), was filmed by Louis Lumière using his Cinématographe, an all-in-one camera, which also serves as a film projector and developer. This film was shown in 1895 at the Grand Café on the Boulevard des Capucines in Paris, along with nine other short movies.

The film consists of a single scene in which workers leave the Lumiere factory. The workers are mostly female who exit the large building 25 rue St. Victor, Montplaisir on the outskirts of Lyon, France, as if they had just finished a day’s work.

Three separate versions of this film exist. There are a number of differences between these, for example the clothing style changes demonstrating the different seasons in which they were filmed. They are often referred to as the “one horse,” “two horses,” and “no horse” versions, in reference to a horse-drawn carriage that appears in the first two versions (pulled by one horse in the original and two horses in the first remake). — Change Before Going Produtions

Learn more about the Lumiere Brothers with these books

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! 

Final Thoughts On Adapting The Prince of Tides from A History of the Art of Adaptation [Video] (0:40)

You Can Please Some of the People Some of the Time… None of the People All of the Time: A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More!

Dr. Rosanne Welch speaks on A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More! at the California State University, Fullerton Library

Part of the program series for Dune by Frank Herbert: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Watch this entire presentation

Final Thoughts On Adapting The Prince of Tides from A History of the Art of Adaptation

 

Transcript:

I think it’s a really good movie — I mean it got an Oscar nomination. I just don’t think in this case you want to know about the book. Now, I read the book afterwards and because I was so interested in the Tom Wingo character, I was bored with the Luke character. That didn’t work for me and I thought, Oh, I wish I had read it first so I could have made that comparison, but an interesting look at how big a change you can make and still, essentially, create a successful storyline having to do with major characters who were invented. So that was a huge controversy.    

About this talk

Dr. Rosanne Welch (RTVF) speaks on the craft of history of film adaptations from the controversy of the silent film Birth of a Nation (protested by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1915) to Breakfast at Tiffany’s (to which author Truman Capote famously said, “The only thing left from the book is the title”) to The Godfather . Naturally, the behemoth in adaptation – Harry Potter (which depended on the relationship created by adapter Steve Kloves and author J.K. Rowling) will be discussed, as will the subject of this month’s celebration: Dune.

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

About Dr. Rosanne Welch

Dr. Rosanne Welch is a professor in the Low Residency MFA in Screenwriting Program from Stephens College, California State University, Fullerton, Mount San Antonio Community College and Cal Poly Pomona.  In 2007, she graduated with her Ph.D. in 20th Century U.S./Film History from Claremont Graduate University.  She graduated with her M.A. in 20th Century United States History from California State University, Northridge in 2004.

Welch is also a television writer/producer with credits for Beverly Hills 90210 , CBS’s Emmy winning Picket Fences and Touched By An Angel . She also writes and hosts her own podcasts on 3rdPass.media, her first one titled “Mindful(I) Media with Dr. Rosanne Welch.”

Her upcoming book, “Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture” will be published in Fall 2016

Three Ring Circus: How Real Couples Balance Marriage, Work and Kids and The Encyclopedia of Women in Aviation and Space are two books she has written. Los Angeles Times and the Journal of Screenwriting hold some of her published articles.

Dr. Rosanne Welch Web Site and Blog

Follow Dr. Welch on Twitter

Dr. Rosanne Welch on YouTube

A History of Screenwriting – 3 in a series – Making An American Citizen (1912) – Alice Guy Blaché

I teach several classes for the Stephens College Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting, including History of Screenwriting. In fact, I created the curriculum for that course from scratch and customized it to this particular MFA in that it covers ‘Screenwriting’ (not directors) and even more specifically, the class has a female-centric focus.  As part History of Screenwriting I, the first course in the four-class series, we focus on the early women screenwriters of the silent film era  who male historians have, for the most part, quietly forgotten in their books. In this series, I share with you some of the screenwriters and films that should be part of any screenwriters education. I believe that in order  to become a great screenwriter, you need to understand the deep history of screenwriting and the amazing people who created the career. — Dr. Rosanne Welch


Making An American Citizen (1912) – Alice Guy Blaché

A History of Screenwriting  - 3 in a series - Making An American Citizen (1912) - Alice Guy Blaché

Making an American Citizen is a 1912 silent comedy short film by the pioneering French woman filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché, produced at Solax Studios.[1] Originally advertised as “educational drama” or “educational subject,” it grapples with the theme of immigration, assimilation, and of becoming a “good American.”[2][3] The film carries an explicit feminist message: the lopsided power dynamics in an immigrant couple becomes increasingly equalized, as the couple spends more time in America. The wife learns to stand up to her husband’s abuses, while the husband is repeatedly coerced by other American citizens into treating his wife as his equal, until he is able to internalize the ethos of the Progressive Era. The film works to allay anxieties over Eastern European immigrant men bringing “Old World” patriarchal values and practices to the “New World.”[4][5] — Wikipedia

Alice Guy Blaché on Wikipedia

 

Learn more about Alice Guy Blaché

Books on Alice Guy Blaché

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! 


When Women Ran Hollywood: Citizen Jane Film School 2016 [Video] (1 hour)

I am so proud and excited to post this link to the presentations 5 of my Stephens College MFA in Screenwriting students made at this year’s Citizen Jane Film Festival.  The event was titled:  When Women Ran Hollywood: Meet 5 Female Screenwriters Who Helped Invent Hollywood.  My students gave tight, ten minute presentations on female screenwriters who we should all know – women like Anita Loos and Adela Rogers St. Johns – whose biographies I had read as a child in Cleveland – and women like Frances Goodrich Hackett, who I hadn’t heard of until I began my own PhD dissertation – and finally Eve Unsell and Jeanie MacPherson.  

Rather than be new names to most all of you we ought to recognize these women’s names – and accomplishments –  much as we instantly recognize the names of the male directors of early Hollywood. Sadly, historians frequently left the women’s names out of the books so this course and this assignment are an exercise in bringing Anita, Adela, Frances, Eve and Jeanie back into the mainstream conversation about the art – and history – of screenwriting.

The students I have to thank for researching, writing and presenting on these women – and then trekking out to Columbia, Missouri (home of Stephens College) to share their findings with the larger community of scholars – are Toni Anita Hull, Amelia Phillips, Laura Kirk, Sarah Whorton and Julie Berkobien.
Watch and learn – and fall in love with all 10 of these women all over again – or for the first time.

When Women Ran Hollywood: Citizen Jane Film School 2016 [Video] (1 hour)

CJ Film School 2016 When Women Ran Hollywood from CitizenJaneFilmFestival on Vimeo.

The Stephens College MFA in Screenwriting is proud to present five of our fabulous MFA students who will in turn introduce the audience to five female screenwriters whose work we know, but whose names have been left out of the textbooks. Help us write them back in and remind us all that Women Ran Hollywood once and are on their way to doing it again!

  • Rosanne Welch, Master of Fine Arts in TV and Screenwriting Professor
  • Toni Anita Hull, Master of Fine Arts in TV and Screenwriting Candidate
  • Amelia Phillips, Master of Fine Arts in TV and Screenwriting Candidate
  • Laura Kirk, Master of Fine Arts in TV and Screenwriting Candidate
  • Sarah Whorton, Master of Fine Arts in TV and Screenwriting Candidate
  • Julie Berkobien, Master of Fine Arts in TV and Screenwriting Candidate

More On Adapting The Prince of Tides from A History of the Art of Adaptation [Video] (1:00)

You Can Please Some of the People Some of the Time… None of the People All of the Time: A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More!

Dr. Rosanne Welch speaks on A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More! at the California State University, Fullerton Library

Part of the program series for Dune by Frank Herbert: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Watch this entire presentation

More On Adapting The Prince of Tides from A History of the Art of Adaptation

 

Transcript:

It all takes place in New York City, because that’s where the therapist lives and where the girl has gone. When we turn it into a movie Barbra Streisand and the staff completely took out the second brother. He’s already dead when the book starts. Instead of flashbacking to him, she just said “Nevermind. We don’t care” and the title of book “Prince of Tides” is Luke Wingo. by kicking him out of the story she turns that into being Tom, the main character. So many people who adored the book and adored this character Luke were angry because not only did she erase him, but they reconfigured where his nickname went. That’s a huge change from the original mention in the book, but it tightened the movie, because the movie, in the end, is a love story between the guy and the therapist. That is part of the novel, but not the focus of the novel. So, her she’s going to star in the thing. She’s going to play the therapist. Guess who’s going to be the more important character? Sorry. You want Barbra Streisand to make your move, that’s what you are going to get.   

About this talk

Dr. Rosanne Welch (RTVF) speaks on the craft of history of film adaptations from the controversy of the silent film Birth of a Nation (protested by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1915) to Breakfast at Tiffany’s (to which author Truman Capote famously said, “The only thing left from the book is the title”) to The Godfather . Naturally, the behemoth in adaptation – Harry Potter (which depended on the relationship created by adapter Steve Kloves and author J.K. Rowling) will be discussed, as will the subject of this month’s celebration: Dune.

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

About Dr. Rosanne Welch

Dr. Rosanne Welch is a professor in the Low Residency MFA in Screenwriting Program from Stephens College, California State University, Fullerton, Mount San Antonio Community College and Cal Poly Pomona.  In 2007, she graduated with her Ph.D. in 20th Century U.S./Film History from Claremont Graduate University.  She graduated with her M.A. in 20th Century United States History from California State University, Northridge in 2004.

Welch is also a television writer/producer with credits for Beverly Hills 90210 , CBS’s Emmy winning Picket Fences and Touched By An Angel . She also writes and hosts her own podcasts on 3rdPass.media, her first one titled “Mindful(I) Media with Dr. Rosanne Welch.”

Her upcoming book, “Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture” will be published in Fall 2016

Three Ring Circus: How Real Couples Balance Marriage, Work and Kids and The Encyclopedia of Women in Aviation and Space are two books she has written. Los Angeles Times and the Journal of Screenwriting hold some of her published articles.

Dr. Rosanne Welch Web Site and Blog

Follow Dr. Welch on Twitter

Dr. Rosanne Welch on YouTube

A History of Screenwriting – 2 in a series – The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ (1906)

I teach several classes for the Stephens College Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting, including History of Screenwriting. In fact, I created the curriculum for that course from scratch and customized it to this particular MFA in that it covers ‘Screenwriting’ (not directors) and even more specifically, the class has a female-centric focus.  As part History of Screenwriting I, the first course in the four-class series, we focus on the early women screenwriters of the silent film era  who male historians have, for the most part, quietly forgotten in their books. In this series, I share with you some of the screenwriters and films that should be part of any screenwriters education. I believe that in order  to become a great screenwriter, you need to understand the deep history of screenwriting and the amazing people who created the career. — Dr. Rosanne Welch


The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ (1906) – Alice Guy Blaché

A History of Screenwriting  - 2 in a series - The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ (1906)

Alice Guy Blaché on Wikipedia

Read more about this film on Silent Volume

Learn more about Alice Guy Blaché

Books on Alice Guy Blaché

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!