Fiction Adaptation: Research -

Yesterday, I came home to sort through all of my old A-Level English coursework to find the texts that I had studied and came across an anthology of poems by Thomas Hardy. I enjoyed studying these poems and think there is a real style and theme that runs throughout each piece often a reflection on Hardy's personal life, especially the theme of 'lost-love'. There are two poems that i am going to look at called 'At Castle Boterel' and 'The Ruined Maid'.

Im going to look at these in detail and see if there is any potential for me to use these in my adaptation.

The Ruined Maid - 

This poem focuses on a maid who becomes 'ruined' when she looses her virginity, meaning a lack of future for her. This poem looks at how a woman changes when she becomes 'ruined' and how it affects her life. This is quite a shocking term to use in modern society so this may be quite challenging to adapt to modern day. This may be quite fun and exciting to do.

At Castle Boterel - 

This poem looks at a more natural world, contrasting weather and love. I have found this extract from an essay which really captures what the poem is about. 

'"At Castle Boterel", one of the greatest of Hardy's Poems of 1912-13, is an intensely personal poem, yet expresses universal truths on the subjects of loss, reclamation and time. An example of Hardy at his most emotionally evocative and philosophically profound, it chronicles his spiritual, intellectual and emotional journey following the death of his wife.

The background to the composition of "At Castle Boterel" is that of a physical journey itself - Hardy's pilgrimage to Cornwall. In the poem this journey is juxtaposed with a past journey, separated by time but not space, taken in a parallel March many years before. The comparative weather conditions belie Hardy's nostalgia for the past: the bleakness of the present "drizzle" and "fading byway" draws a sharp contrast with the "dry March weather" of the former journey. The use of the vivid present in "We climb the road" emphasises the clarity of the memory, blurring, as in many of the Poems of 1912-13, the boundaries between past and present, memory and reality.'

Fiction Adaptation

So Yesterday was our first day back at the studios. After a little catch up with everyone and a discussion about who had had their hair cut, we were given our brief for our new project; Fiction Adaptation.

This seems like a really exciting project for us, being one of our most challenging ones to date, giving us a kick start to 2nd Year. Already, I've started thinking about ideas for poems and stories that I could adapt to make my 5 minute film.

So far I have 3 ideas that I am going to look into and do some more research about them.

Idea 1 - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

This is a poem by S. T. Coleridge about an old Sea Dog that tells a story about his times at sea. I studied this poem at A-Level and think I'm going to look at this again in detail, go over my notes that I have kept and look at any film adaptations that have been previously made.

Idea 2 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

This is a novel that I read when I was about 16. About young boy who is autistic, this story tell of his everyday struggles, his view on the world and society and the events that follow after he discovers a dead dog in the garden. I think that this story would be great to adapt, but I'm just not sure how i would like to do it. Im going to look at some analysis of the text and see what others have to say, and if its in a different light to my perception. The only other tricky task is that this novel is quite long, with quite a lot going on at once. I think if I was going to study and adapt this piece I would have to focus on a specific part or chapter in the novel.

Idea 3 - The Yellow Wallpaper

After being given my brief yesterday I went home and had a chat with my housemates about my new project and this was suggested to me. I've had a look at the story online, which is only 6000 words, and this is definitely something i want to look at in more detail. Ive ordered a copy online so ill have a look when it arrives and see if I could adapt it into my film.

Came across this Online this morning! Just thought I'd share it because I love it so much. Beautiful shots really capturing some fantastic sights! And of course, it's made better by the brilliant David Attenborough! Enjoy :)

Top 5 Films/TV Shows for Netflix!

So, after Christmas and New Year its getting towards the time when you want to be back at Uni, You're bored and would much rather have something to focus on. So, Ive decided to watch as many films and documentaries as I can, topping up my knowledge (which really is appalling for a media student)!

A few months ago I subscribed to Netflix. This was one of the best things Ive done in a long while! You don't realise how much content there is at your fingertips, and I'd really recommend it to any Film or TV lover! So I thought I'd give my top 5 favourite must watch Films/TV Shows on Netflix! Here Goes...


5. Educating Rita

I watched this for the first time with my housemate about a month ago and I loved it. An original, easy going, funny film about a working class girl in an upper class situation. both Julie Walters and Michael Cane were fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed it

4. Being Elmo

This is a documentary about Kevin Clash, the puppeteer and voice of Sesame Street's Elmo. It highlights his struggles to get to where he is today, his relationship which such influential people such as Jim Henson, and how people now such a famous voice but do not know the face that it belongs to. This is a real heart-warming documentary which I enjoyed and is very well put together.

3. The Iron Lady

This film was only released in 2012 and did not do all that well in the box office, however, I thought this film was great. I loved the concept of the 'hallucinations' M Thatcher has and I think Meryl Streep plays an excellent portrayal in this really well made film!

2. Jekyll

I only discovered this series through Netflix, and Im only sorry I didn't watch it sooner. This is a great 6-part series about a man who is experiencing the same characteristics as 'Jekyll & Hyde' although quite complicated, the film is very well shot and the episodes are very  intense. James Nesbitt plays a great role and does his character justice.

1.  Appropriate Adult

This is my all time favourite TV drama. I watched this when it was aired on ITV in 2011 and really liked it. The drama focuses on the infamous Fred and Rose West and Fred's appropriate adult. This is a real hard-hitting drama that really gives an insight into the minds of these prolific killers and portrays them so well. The parts of Fred and Rose are played so well and Dominic West's part is uncanny. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves a crime drama/thriller!