Adapting a Book

In the movie Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, a filmmaker would have trouble making the movie interesting. The book is really slow and you can't have that with movies because that usually gets classified as boring. There could be scenes with Oskar’s Dad where they could be remembering him. Oskar would have to be depicted as a very talkative little boy or else his character would be completely changed. They would need to get a good actress to play his grandma because she is such an important person in Oskar’s life, especially after his dad dies. The plot would have to sped up and be made more interesting and attention grabbing.

The filmmaker should definitely keep in the scene with the voicemails, I think that is important because it is very sad and it is the last words his Dad says to Oskar. Another important scene is when Oskar breaks the vase and finds the key in the envelope that says BLACK. They should also keep some of the scenes when Oskar is going around to different houses that have people with the last name BLACK on it to find out what the key opens. The scene is important because it shows all the people he encounters and takes you on the journey with him.

Two scenes I would cut out are the Hamlet Play and the storage unit scene. I would cut out the Hamlet Play because it doesn’t show much yet it is pretty long. It depicts that all the people he encounters while trying to find out what the key does come together. It shows how many people he affected but I think that they could do this in a more interesting way in the movie. I would cut out the storage unit scene because although it is sad it is boring. They could show another way to look through Oskar’s Dad’s memories and things or they could just try and make that scene more interesting. 

What is a book?

A book is an adventure. It creates a whole story in your mind. A book is something that you can jump into and let your imagination run wild. It lets you become a character in the book and lets you take journeys along with them. A book is a movie played within your head. It is even better because you use your mind and creativity while reading. You create your own version of the characters and you have your own preferences. People in their boring everyday lives can fall into a story of romance or adventure. There isn’t one book that is the same which means endless possibilities of places and people to engage in. Everything has its own back story and future in a book. Some of it is told and some you play out in your mind. Either way a book’s story can come to life and jump off of its pages and create a whole new exciting world.

On e-books v. books: I find both are very important. There is something about have a both in front of you and flipping through the pages. It is much easier to find things and there is almost a comfort to it. Many people prefer to have a book in front of them which is why I believe that although e-book sales are increasing that actual books will survive. Eventually I believe that there will be very few book stores but I don’t believe that they will go extinct because many people prefer them to electronic books. E-books have some glitches that I'm sure will improve in the future but not everyone will jump on the wagon, so to speak, as many have already.  E-books are popular because you can get them right away and for a few dollars cheaper. There will be a more constant flow of e-book supporters but there will be people who stay true to the ever original paper books.

Book 1 Project, The Mockingjay

District 13 would be modeled as the underground district from The Mockingjay. All the rooms and corridors would be set up the way the book described them. People would pay for admissions and get a tour around the place. It would of course be underground. To build it they could use an old underground shopping mall or something like that. There could be interactive things and they could serve similar food as described from the book. They could have schedules put on their arms like they do in the book. They could also build a second part as a hotel. People can actually live what Katniss lived for a little while. Many people obsess over the Hunger Games, making it a great business venture. The love for a book is often underestimated and should be reconsidered after the Harry Potter and Twilight phenomenons.

District 13 made a deal with the Capitol that they would fake their death by letting a Capitol drop a bomb on them while they were underground. In exchange they would give up their rebellion but get their freedom from the government. They built a place to live underground where they could live in safety. “The Capitol had another nuclear arsenal out west, but it couldn’t attack 13 without certain retaliation. It was forced to accept 13’s deal. The Capitol demolished the visible remains of the district and cut off all access from the outside.” Katniss was taken here after she was saved from her second time in The Hunger Games. She lived there for a time while the Rebels planned their attacks on the Capitol. The rooms could be modeled exactly how they are in the book. There would also be rooms like the Command room and the area where everyone ate their proportioned meals. “I linger in the door way of Command, the high tech meeting/war council room complete with computerized talking walls, electronic maps showing the troop movements in various districts, and a giant rectangular table with control panels I’m not supposed to touch.” There could be small details like the places where Katniss hid when she didn’t want to follow her schedule. “My mind does a quick inventory of my odd little hiding places, and I wind up in the supply closet, curled up against a crate of chalk.”

This idea will work because many people love The Hunger Games series. People like to feel as if they are in the story and like to experience it first-hand. It is similar to the idea of Harry Potter World except it is underground. But in the general sense it is a model of the books and movies and gave a normal person and extraordinary experience. Harry Potter World worked because people loved the books so much and wanted to feel like they were a part of it. Also if District 13 was created well enough they might even be able to use it to film part of the 3^rd movie, which would save money for the film and might help gain District 13 more money. Not only would District 13 be a replica but it would also be where they shot some of the movie which might add more appeal to it for some people. With the money coming in from admissions, the hotel, and from the filming for the movie District 13 would be bringing in quite a bit of money. Most of the Hunger Games fanatics would be eager to come and experience a trip through part of the book. District 13 encourages people to revisit how they felt while reading the book and depict it in a real life experience.

 

District 13 can be set up like the Underground in Montreal, Canada.