What is it and why should I do it?
Since people have told stories, they have adapted them to different contexts and audiences. What is it about these stories that makes them relevant to a variety of audiences? Why do we repeat the same stories? In this unit, you will explore the art of adaptation and how written texts are translated to the screen, comparing a text and its adaptation and then creating your own.
Through comparison of excerpts of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Disney’s The Lion King and Daphne Du Maurier and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, you will look at how universal human challenges are represented to modern audiences.
What will I do in class?
You will explore the art of adaptation and how written texts are translated to the screen, comparing two texts and their adaptations, and then creating your own. When analysing texts, you will look at how the story itself is portrayed across different text forms. You will also think about the views and values presented in “classic” texts and consider how relevant these continue to be for students in the 21st Century. Upon completion of this course, you will have knowledge of a variety of film techniques and know how to use them for a specific purpose and effect. In your final task you will have the opportunity to design and pitch your own story to screen adaptation.
How do I satisfactorily complete the unit?
Satisfactory completion of the course requires assessment in the following Reportable Learning Tasks:
RLT1: Hamlet/Lion King - Comparative Text Analysis
- Identifying similarities and differences between the play and film adaptation
- Analysing the effect of key changes on elements of story, including characterisation, plot and theme
- Interrogating key changes in relation to purpose, audience and genre
RLT2: The Birds - Scene Analysis
- Identifying specific film techniques and explaining their effect
- Analysing film techniques used to develop elements of story, including genre and tone
RLT3: Creative Adaptation (Oral Presentation)
- Selecting, reading and analysing a text of your choice
- Analysing key elements of story and theme in the text and selecting appropriate elements to change in an adaptation for a specific purpose and audience
- Preparing and delivering a PPT presentation that illustrates your adapted film pitch