Difference: "Adaptation" and "Based on..."

[Inprogress]

What is the difference in approach, ok not really approach. What is the involvement of a writer of a novel or short story when you take there story and make a movie about it when it comes to adapting the story as oppose to making your movie that is based on the story of the writer? I understand an adaptation is a difficult ball game for a myriad of reasons especially, in many cases that a book doesn't translate well into a movie unless you usually simplify it. Ontop of that there is this balancing act of what the writer wants to see and what the audience will respond to who haven't read the book. Basically the difference between what looks good in your imagination as oppose to what doesn't work on screen.

If you read a story (book, short story) and then go and make a movie about it (write a screenplay) but the screenplay has to depart from the story in some way (possibly introduction of a character, combination of characters, reduction of characters, taking only part of the story and adding some other bits, or a different ending), when is it seen as an adaptation and when is it "based on..."?

 

[David Jimerson]

There's really no difference between "based on" and an "adaption."

The original writer is as involved as the adapter wants them to be, or as involved as they contract for. Other than that, the original writer isn't involved at all.

So a writer may sell the rights to their work with the stipulation that they're deeply involved, perhaps even writing the screenplay or directing, or they may sell the rights with no involvement at all, or it may be something in between, like a consultant role, or having rights to script approval.


I've got twelve nominations, a half dozen Oscars
Nine cars and three ex-wives to show
That in this business of refuse and nephews I know my stuff

You're a literary great who should have won a Pulitzer prize
I would never cannibalize
Or impair a single hair or phrase of your amazing opus

Still a lot of scribblers
Soon discover what they write for the screen
Isn't always right for the screen
So I intervene

I zipped through your book
And the characters jumped to life on the page
Now we're at the stage where I bring them to life on the screen
Don't cling to the words to which you gave birth
Remember how many a picture is worth
The odds are a thousand to one so get used to it Stine
The book may be yours baby trust me the movie is mine

Ya learn from Von Sternberg
Ya grow from Von Stroheim
And so I'm the heir to their skill
This town has more nuts than Brazil
Let's face it I've been through DeMille

Authors unprepared to take a stab at this collaborative art
Must suppress their egos and part
With the notion that in motion pictures words are carved in marble
Donna, darling, get this on a pad and type it up for next week
I have an engagement to speak
At the Writer's Guild

You wouldn't want to upset Buddy
This is advice not a threat, buddy
But see how tough things can get, buddy
When things get rough it can get bloody
Baby nobody says "no, Buddy"
So, buddy, you better concede
Let Buddy, be Buddy
Pure Buddy
And he'll be your buddy
The buddy you need

 

[clang]

In general, 'adaptation' means someone at least tried to keep to the source material (even if they failed miserably). 'Based on' tends to be more weasel-ish (outdone only by 'inspired by') - both typically mean 'we kept a few random bits from the source material and then changed everything else'.

They're usually nothing more than marketing terms, alas.

 

[Rolf Silber]

Also "based on" may sometimes mean the original writer was extremely unhappy with what was done with his stuff and instead of committing to mass-murder of the producers and co-writers and director or - alternatively - strip stark naked, covering his body with chocolate pudding and run yelling up and down in front of the theater at opening night remembered the old saying by his wise agent: Take the money and run. Fast. Far.