What Writers Need To Know About Adapting A Screenplay Into A Comic Book - Stephen L. Stern

[@filmcourage]

Have you tried to adapt a screenplay into a comic book?

[@deborahpappas7334]

Yes, and a scrolling web comic. I think a lot of people are interested in doing this, so I hope you have Mr. Stern back as there is not much information on the subject.

[@christophermoonlightproduction]

I've written comic scripts into screenplays but not because I was using the comic as a movie pitch, there's a bit of contempt for screenwriters who use comic books as a stepping stone to Hollywood, in the comic book fandom. The comic books that were adapted into popular movies were popular comic books first, created by people who wanted to be comic book creators, not filmmakers. I have two extensive live streams with the publisher of Altera Comics on my own channel, talking about why these screenplay to comic adaptations are usually (not always) a drag to read and go nowhere, so I highly suggest you do your homework before jumping in. You could end up doing more harm than good for your chances.

[@galacticmind9060]

YES - a murder-thriller: (SE7EN meets SCREAM); doing it right now. [I'm a screenwriter/storyboard artist that just learned digital imaging.]

[@SaviorCross]

Since 1990's, I've written screenplays that I've made into graphic novels, and have for the last few years made into films.

[@galacticmind9060]

@@SaviorCross Is there any way you would be willing to talk to me, please? I would like to learn from you the best way to do this. Not only the story, but I have a college teaching job hinging on this and I want to avoid disaster. Best regards.

[@SnakeRoadComicsOfficial3677]

This'll definitely help me with my Superhero comic idea.

[@austinthompson4849]

Actively doing so now. Have two Screenplays (on broken down into 10 Chapters The other into 12 Chapters) but Serialized chapters and going into an Eleven Volume Comic/Eleven Season Anime.

[@drawrobot]

I work in the comics industry as a creator and artist. It's pretty apparent when you see a book like this. More often than not it reads like a storyboard than a comic. Comics are a visual medium like film, but there's a language to it. Back before the mid nineties, most comics were more compressed in pacing and storytelling. The amount of story in one issue of Batman in 1987 would be a five 22 pg issue story arc. I think readers today are on to the whole screenplay hustle. I've read more bad ones than good and they're just cluttering up the racks.

[@ernestocaro9802]

Hey guys! I really appreciate you picking my question and thanks to Stephen L. Stern for his wisdom.

[@filmcourage]

Awesome! Glad this one reached you Ernesto! Hope it gives you some things to consider.

[@ernestocaro9802]

@@filmcourage absolutely! Thanks again.

[@toad1971]

I have a little experience making comics and had one or two things published and have read a lot of books on the art like Eisner and McClouds books so Im really interested in this subject. My interest in storytelling brought me to the Film Courage channel. So one thing I will stress that was mentioned is the number of words on a page. Theres so set rule but the idea is that if you can get across what is occuring with the art instead of words then do that - then use words to "fill in" what you cannot easily communicate through the art. Nobody wants to read comic pages filled with text because the visuals are such a major component of comics and visual storytelling. So a good comic writer will understand to let the visuals do a lot of the work. A good challenge is to write a comic short story or issue with no words. I would think this principle would apply to film storytelling as well where the amount of dialogue or narration needed would be carefully used so as to not steps on the visual storytelling. Hope that makes sense.

[@HugoTBoss]

I'm sorta doing this now😂... I just took my Short Film Script and converted it into an Ebook/Audiobook. I paid someone to do "Chapter Drawings" and a Book Cover... and am in the Process of securing a Recording Studio so can start the Audiobook. My goal is to do some "behind the scenes" of the Audiobook coming together... then hoping the Audiobook will make things easier when comes time to make the Short Film

[@Respect2theFallen]

Nice what else do you need for it to come together? Is it just gonna be your voice or your looking for Voiceover artists,etc..?

[@HugoTBoss]

@@Respect2theFallen Voice Actor, Narrator and Composer... Gonna try this thing out and see what happens 😂🫣💯

[@artofadamlumb952]

Hello. I’m both a screenwriter and comics writer / comics artist. I love Film Courage and think I can help here. A comic book script adaptation isn’t a comic any more than a screenplay is a movie. To write well for comics you will need to understand the medium. The essential read is Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics. This answers the Film Courage Viewer’s question about pacing at a fundamental level. The 6 types of panel to panel transitions will get you started (page 70) but read the whole thing (oh and this whole non-fiction book is a comic if you haven’t seen it). It’s also worth new comic writers knowing that comic book scripts are not standardised (as the page per minute screenplay format is) so adaptations lengths could vary wildly. Although they are both visual mediums remember to write for the medium and not just make it a bad version of the screenplay version. Comics have no sound. The reader controls the pace it is read at. They aren’t the same. As with screenplays you can find lots of pro-comic scripts online. 😊

[@lowbudgetmic]

Professor Comic Book Artist Author Stephen L. Stern 😮💛

[@filmcourage]

What comic book should be made into a movie?

[@ourfamilyaccount]

Unsure if I read the entire scope of it (unsure if there's more) only bought one comic issue but I quite liked "Runaways" by Joss Wheaton and Michael Ryan.

[@SaviorCross]

"Kill the Witch", Said Dibinga-Chota and Howard Simpson. A love story wrapped in revenge. Pretty cool.

[@deborahpappas7334]

Dear Mr. Stern, when you adapt a screenplay into a graphic novel, where do you end book 1 in the 3 act structure if it’s going to be a series? Thank you

[@SaviorCross]

What genre or style of story is it? There may be another format that helps you archive that goal...

[@wexwuthor1776]

Only thing is graphic novels have different styles. Alan Moore for instance is very word heavy. I wonder if he could fit this algorithm.

[@philthymcnasty4034]

I dont think Alan Moore wrote traditional screenplays. He wrote comic scripts. Would LOVE to see uisncript for watchmen.

[@SaviorCross]

There isn't an algorithm, none, since even screenwriters write in different styles...

[@jamesmccallum6770]

They need to know to stop doing it, fuck me it's been done to death. I was a keen comic book reader and a massive spiderman fan. I couldn't careless about any of the film adaptations.

[@toad1971]

I agree. I enjoyed Sam Raimis films but after that I was done.

[@Quintinu]

Dude looks like is talking in slow-mo but actually he hasn’t wasted one word in all of this video. Talk about thinking before speaking