What if

(rising movie director to do a source material adaptation)

If I’m was given this hell of an opportunity, I won’t say yes right away. Let’s look first the state of these adaptations to movie per se. Whether its an anime, comic book, DCEU, MCU, novel or even an old TV show that was a big hit, years ago! I won’t just jump and grab that endeavor because its going to be a pretty big responsibility plus that immense pressure you’ll get.

3 main pressures you are going to deal with when you have this opportunity. First, if you are working in a big film studio, then the pressure from the studio will be hard to ignore. I mean, let’s face it, I think Fantastic 4 should be better if the studio gave a chance to Josh Trank to make it happen. Unfortunately, they were fighting for this vision or budget cuts or what.. Look what happened, the Tim Story F4 was way better. How about Edgar Wright which has a great idea about Ant Man but because he wanted to put a dark side of Dr. Pym I suppose but Marvel did not agree and well… Edgar Wright left. How about the Han Solo movie? They changed to Ron Howard. Good job! hehe

Next pressure, film fans! I do understand now the dilemma these directors are getting. To get the right balance of film critics and the real fans of the material. The reason why I like to read the Watchmen was because I believe Snyder did a very good job in that film even the big change in the end. It made realized, I want to read that material. That’s the same with V for Vendetta even well, I think they made it easy to understand and pressured the director to do away much of the anarchist nature of V. How about hmmmm Scarface! I was shocked its a remaked already on how it was presented, so I don’t mind that old film. That’s the Scarface I know.

Last pressure, the real fans of the material! I don’t know like that Fifty Shades series, but as a film fan, I won’t buy that book if that was the movies I saw. Or how about the Divergent series, geez, I did not even watch the second movie, I was so upset after watching the first one. Yes, if I’m the director, I really need to think twice how to satisfy these kind of rabid fans. I won’t even do BvS or the Avengers if I knew upfront this kind of pressure. I understand why Snyder or Whedon took a lot of break because this pressure from fans. I mean, not only you need to get the characters right, but also a bit of creativity when it comes of their heroes plot. Like the Spiderman: Homecoming plot, fans like it despite no word mentioned about Uncle Ben or even the other regular characters in the Spiderman universe. I just want to make sure that I got this material right.

Those pressures I think, will be the deciding factor if I’ll take this opportunity. I know that a lot of directors became either successful or hated if they fail doing it right, even the movie made money.

I think I can overcome these pressures, by looking first the material. Definitely, I won’t do like Nicholas Sparks books ok? haha Or how about Hardy Boys or Danielle Steele or even Emmanuelle books. I think romantic films are better made by original screenplay. Yes, I’ll check first the material if I can do something or I love the material. If I don’t have the passion or I hate it, I won’t do it. Even the studio or producer give me tons of money, forget it, give to somebody else. I know some directors gave up doing adaptations due to tech issues, but these days its more about the ability or creativity if you can do it. CGI or visual effects can be done in a flash as long you have the equipment.

Then the next thing I’ll check, resources, of course besides money and the technical crew, how about the cast? Do I have the chance to get the correct cast? If no, then lets scrap this thing. haha If its like Japanese manga adaptation, which they always have that resource but the cast is always miscast. I’ll not do it, especially in that sponsor driven industry.

If I have a choice, what adaptation I’ll do? What comes to my mind, hmmm Berserk Live-action flick, or Angels and Demons which shouldn’t have been more controversial and not that lame Tom Hanks flick. For Philippine flicks, I think I can do Cap barbel or Zuma. haha Kidding.

Although I prefer original screenplay but making a movie out of from a source material is I think, interesting. When you have that go signal from the author and said do anything that’s good for the film, why not right? Once you have the material looked right, its easier to do this, than making your own.