| Content in the novel The Lovely Bones | Why I would cut this or keep this in my version of the film |
|---|---|
| The snow globe with a penguin inside | |
| The affair between detective Len Fenerman and Susie's mother Abigail | |
| The character development of Susie's younger brother Buckley who develops a complicated relationship with his mother as the years pass | |
| The relationship between Ray and Ruth | |
| Franny, the guide to the new children arriving in heaven | |
| Rape of Susie | |
| Explanation of Mr Harvey's motivation or psyche | |
| Susie's heavenly friend, Holly |
Book into Film: Keep or Cut?
When filmmakers transfer the world of a book into the world of a film, choices have to be made as to what to keep and what to cut. Decisions will be based on practical considerations about the length of the book and the duration of the film, and on artistic choices about style, focus and meaning.
Consider the following content from the novel The Lovely Bones. If you were making a film of the novel, which of this content would you keep and which would you cut? Explain how your decisions reflect the importance you give to some aspects of the narrative over others.
When you come to see the whole film, remember the choices you made, notice the choices made by the filmmaker and consider their significance.