How to Write an Adapted Screenplay

Learn directly from Jenny Halper, Director of Production and Development for Maven Pictures for films such as Oscar-nominated The Kids Are All Right, Golden-Globe nominated Bernie, and international award winner, The Whistleblower.

Screenplays based off an IP (intellectual property) tend to be a lot more attractive to executives. You can see their ears perk up when they hear a project is based off a book, article, play or short story. Because of the immense appeal of projects based off an existing IP, we decided to bring you a 4 week class How to Write an Adapted Screenplay taught by Jenny Halper, the Director of Production and Development at Maven Pictures!

This 4 week course will teach you step by step techniques from finding material, to optioning, to the actual adapting, to the marketing! This class is for writers who already have property to adapt from or for writers that are looking.

Jenny Halper is Director of Production and Development at Maven Pictures, Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray’s production company, and has worked in that capacity on films including Oscar-nominated The Kids are All Right, The Whistleblower, Bernie, Girl Most Likely, Filth, and the forthcoming Ten Thousand Saints. Maven's development slate includes adaptations of Jennifer Gilmore's The Mothers which will star Rachel Weisz and be directed by Roger Michell, Steve Martin’s Object of Beauty with Amy Adams set to star, Marisa Marchetto’s Cancer Vixen with Cate Blanchett for HBO, Miss You Already with Catherine Hardwick attached to direct and Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette to star, and Brian Birch's Neon Veronica with Paul Andrew Williams attached to direct, in addition to several TV series.

Classes take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. You can particpate from the comfort of your own home and you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the class. If you cannot attend the live class, you can still participate! Each class will be recorded and Jenny will have designated office hours to work with her. More information can be found below.

Class Schedule (9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7)

Week #1 - 9/16

Jenny will talk about the overall process of adapting a property. She will go over how to option a book, article, play or short story, and how to make sure that the property in question has a strong enough story. Examples of the good, the bad and the ugly that Jenny went through of how she adapted a book for a company or how other writers adapted projects for her company.

Week #2 - 9/23

She will go over writers loglines and tonal comps. Making sure the writers' loglines are succinct and clear and making sure that the tone feels appropriate for that logline. She will give personal examples on story lines, characters and set pieces you had to cut to or add to develop a feature film. She will also give advice on specific elements that could be cut and advice on what should stay and she will go over the outlining process.

Week #3 - 9/30

Jenny will go over writers' synopses and will go over what should be left in the synopsis/screenplay and what should be left in the book. After, she talk about the major differences between novel writing and screenwriting (i.e. the ratio of dialogue/description that should be in a screenplay vs a novel, the visual component, how to make sure your screenplay is more external than a novel which tends to be more internal).

Week #4 - 10/7

She will go over the writers' lists of what elements the individual writer feels should stay in their screenplay or what could go. Then she will go over how to decipher where the act breaks would be in the screenplay version of the book as well as typical page counts a screenplay should be per genre. Finally, she will give ways to promote your book or play to make it a stronger underlying IP.

About your Teacher, Jenny Halper, Director of Production and Development at Maven Pictures

Jenny Halper is Director of Production and Development at Maven Pictures, Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray’s production company, and has worked in that capacity on films including Oscar-nominated The Kids are All Right, The Whistleblower, Bernie, Girl Most Likely, Filth, and the forthcoming Ten Thousand Saints. Maven's development slate includes adaptations of Jennifer Gilmore's The Mothers which will star Rachel Weisz and be directed by Roger Michell, Steve Martin’s Object of Beauty with Amy Adams set to star, Marisa Marchetto’s Cancer Vixen with Cate Blanchett for HBO, Miss You Already with Catherine Hardwick attached to direct and Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette to star, and Brian Birch's Neon Veronica with Paul Andrew Williams attached to direct, in addition to several TV series.