Adapting Third Person

[SkyCopeland]

Hello IT,

I'm in need of OPINIONs. I've recently come into the film rights for a popular online book by a published writer. The book has an estimated 1.5 million fans, which as my first feature film, I find a little intimidating. However this is going to be my pet project over the next 2 years to make sure when I leave Full Sail that I can make it the best I can. (I am also apart of that fan base for this book.)

Now my problem... The book is written in third person limited with most of the story being told through the thoughts of the main character. Now I'm not exactly sure how to translate it to film. Some reasons when I think of thoughts in films I either think about how much I hate Kristen Stewart in the first Twilight movie or how neat it was to hear J in Warm Bodies as he debated life.

Some things I should let everyone know about the book. The main character is a zombie, the kind that is dead and rotting, but still has a functioning brain. The book begins by her explaining to the reader how it feels to be a zombie. She suggests that the reader walk outside when it's snowing and start taking off their close. It's a comical piece to start the book on. I considered removing it, but her explaining how cold her body is, is kinda important to the plot that starts the chain effect to the story's problem.

Any ideas on how to correctly translate third person limited to film without annoying the viewer? Remember this is opinionated... debate fine, please don't argue haha

 

[Filman]

What you're wondering has only to do with the very basics of storytelling. Perhaps you should explain here exactly why you hate Kristen Stewart's voice over and why the one in Warm Bodies was more appealing? What can you as a director learn from those? If the only difference is in the writing, you're screwed. -Can't change that.

 

[Adeimantus]

Everything will depend on the screenplay and the screenwriter. VO is helpful and done well in many films. It's also overused and annoying in others, especially if the VO is in the third person limited. Why keep it in third person? If you own the rights, you can do whatever the hell you want with it. Change it to first person.

 

[SkyCopeland]

What you're wondering has only to do with the very basics of storytelling. Perhaps you should explain here exactly why you hate Kristen Stewart's voice over and why the one in Warm Bodies was more appealing? What can you as a director learn from those? If the only difference is in the writing, you're screwed. -Can't change that.

I felt that in Kristen Stewart's character it wasn't adding to the story and simply was a cheap method of not writing her dialogue... Where in Warm Bodies I found it very supplementary to the story and character of J.