Why Adapt?

Yesterday, I had a chance to join the Pop Up Series Incubator info call. Since the program is aimed at European screenwriters and producers, I’m not eligible for it, but I still wanted to be there and learn more about it. Just because: 1- Adaptation is one of my focuses as a writer. 2- I know firsthand how well-thought their programs are from my experience at the Netflix Adaptation Lab, also created by Tatino Films.

Lately, we’ve been witnessing the rise of IP-based drama around the world, and I feel it’s more rewarding than ever to have a work based on pre-existing IPs as writers and producers.

But why?

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My Experience of Shonda Rhimes Course on MasterClass

I just finished Shonda Rhimes’ “Pitch & Write Stories for Film and TV” course on MasterClass. It’s very beginner-friendly, like most courses on the platform. Actually you don’t even have to be a writer to follow along; it offers a great peek into the story-breaking process and gives you a taste of the writer’s room experience if you’re interested.

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It’s Teamwork

Some time ago, a producer seemed genuinely surprised that I have my own mind. I was equally surprised—why hire me if you don’t want me to use it?

If all I’m expected to do is write exactly what I’m told, then why have I been watching countless movies and TV shows from around the world, studying screenwriting books meticulously, and racking my brain over the mechanics of storytelling?

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Mr. Monk’s Last Case

Every project has its own time, and the journey of our beloved Adrian Monk and his creator, Andy Breckman, exemplifies this truth once again. Since the conclusion of the “Monk” TV series after 125 episodes in 2009, Breckman has harbored a dream of bringing the character to the big screen. Over the years, he developed various storylines, pitched them, and even penned two different scripts, but none of them seemed to materialize. That is, until the pandemic struck. Sometimes, out of adversity, opportunity arises.

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The Long Shadow

So, you might be wondering what Dominik Moll’s movie “The Night of the 12th” (La Nuit du 12) has to do with the British true crime series “The Long Shadow.” Let me break it down. Despite their apparent differences, both narratives, adapted from non-fiction books, shed light on a disturbing reality: the bias and prejudice faced by women who are perceived as having multiple partners. It’s almost as if these women are deemed deserving of their fate. Despite being set in Europe roughly half a century apart, the misogyny remains eerily consistent. It’s like that old saying, “There is nothing new on the Western front.”

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The Distinguished Citizen

Once again, here we are in the realm of those wonderfully eccentric Argentinian filmmakers: Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat. They’ve captivated me before with their dark humor and expert characterizations in TV shows like “El Encargado” (The Boss) and “Nada” (Nothing). I simply fell in love with their work then, and now, after delving into their 2016 film, “El Cuidadano Ilustre” (The Distinguished Citizen), I’m happy to report that my admiration for them remains steadfast, if not grown stronger.

In “The Distinguished Citizen,” we’re taken on a journey following a Nobel Prize-winning Argentinian author returning to his small hometown after 40 years. As the sophisticated and enigmatic writer inevitably clashes with the narrow-minded locals, we’re given the opportunity to reflect on themes such as identity, origins, art, and fame. Ultimately, the film reinforces the age-old adage that “no one can be a prophet in their own land.”

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Owning My Taste For Films

I’m delighted to see that at least one of my New Year’s resolutions has lasted up to this day. 😊 At the beginning of this year, I made a commitment to write about the films I’ve seen. Primarily because, if I don’t do that, after a week or so, they vanish from my mind as if I’ve never watched them. Jung’s quote stating that it’s alright not to remember what we consume, as they become part of our subconscious mind nonetheless, wasn’t sufficient to reassure me anymore. So here we are.

However, there is also another reason for this quest: To own my taste for films without feeling any shame. And I must tell you; it’s been a quite journey to come to that point for me.

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The Great Escaper

Sometimes, I happen to like the production story of a film more than the film itself, and that was the case with “The Great Escaper,” released in 2023. The film portrays an 89-year-old Second World War veteran’s escape from a care home in the UK to attend the 70th-anniversary commemorations of D-Day in France. Co-produced by the United Kingdom, France, and Sweden, the movie is directed by Oliver Parker and written by William Ivory. It drew inspiration from the real-life incident of Second World War Veteran Bernard Jordan, whose escapade from his East Sussex care home made headlines in 2014.

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Without Air

What if an idealistic high school teacher’s recommendation of a film to her students resulted in a complaint to the school management? And what happens if that seemingly trivial incident gets out of control and turns into a witch hunt? Hungarian director Katalin Moldavai explores these questions in her feature debut, “Without Air,” offering timely messages about freedom of expression amidst themes of political oppression, cultural conservatism, and the erosion of the education system.

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