Die verwerkingsproses ten opsigte van toneelkeuse met verwysing na die rolprent Roepman
Date
2014-08
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
LitNet
Abstract
Die herskrywing van literêre romans na draaiboeke vir verfilming is ’n populêre keuse onder filmmakers. Afrikaanse films beleef tans ’n opbloei, tog is die aantal filmherskrywings van Afrikaanse romans min in vergelyking met die totale aantal films wat vervaardig word. Tradisioneel word die studie van filmverwerkings vanuit ’n literêre domein gedefinieer en die draaiboek en uiteindelike film staan sekondêr tot die literêre roman as bronteks. Die studie van die verwerking van ’n roman na ’n draaiboek is een waaroor tot dusver, in vergelyking met studies in letterkunde en filmkunde, min geteoretiseer is. Daar is min Afrikaanse bronne oor die praktyk van verwerkings beskikbaar. Die draaiboekskrywer, as verwerker of herskrywer van die roman vir die filmmedium, moet verskeie verwerkingsprobleme gedurende die proses oorkom, insluitend die probleem van toneelkeuse en die vlak van getrouheid aan die bronteks. Die verwerkingsproses is nie so eenvoudig as om bloot die verhaal oor te skryf nie. Die draaiboekskrywer dra die verantwoordelikheid om die roman in gedagte te hou terwyl hy1 die verhaal vir die filmmedium herskryf. Verskeie kritici en akademici is dit eens dat die draaiboek uiteindelik as ’n aparte teks van die roman moet staan, maar steeds die essensie van die romanverhaal moet behou omdat dit die teks is waarmee die filmkyker die film vergelyk. Dit is net een argument in die verwerkingsdiskoers en in die praktyk is die draaiboekskrywer (en/of regisseur) verantwoordelik vir die besluit hieroor. Die vraag na hoe die proses van die kies van tonele plaasvind, asook die vlak van getrouheid aan die oorspronklike teks tydens die verwerking van ’n roman na draaiboek, word in hierdie artikel krities ondersoek. Die onlangse 2010-verfilming van Jan van Tonder se Roepman (2004) dien prakties as voorbeeld van ’n verwerkte draaiboek wat getrou bly aan die essensie van die oorspronklike teks. De Jager en die mededraaiboekskrywers se draaiboek (2010) word in die artikel prakties gebruik as voorbeeld van ’n onlangse Afrikaanse filmverwerking, spesifiek met verwysing na die proses van toneelkeuse en die probleem van getrouheid aan die roman. Met hierdie artikel bied ons ’n oorsig oor die verwerkingsproses van roman na draaiboek met Roepman as voorbeeldteks. Ons trek geen parallelle met ander films of draaiboeke nie.
The adaptation of literary novels to screenplays is popular among film-makers. The production of Afrikaans films is undergoing a revival, but Afrikaans film adaptations are scarce relative to the total number of films being produced. Traditionally the study of film adaptation is defined from a literary domain, implying that the adapted screenplay and film retain a secondary value to that of the novel. The adaptation process of novel to film is one that has been seldom theorised in Afrikaans, particularly in comparison with literary studies and film studies. Only a few academics have written about Afrikaans film adaptations. The scriptwriter, as adapter or rewriter of the novel for the film medium, must overcome several challenges concerning the adaption process, including that of scene selection and fidelity to the source text. One can’t simply rewrite the novel’s story for the film medium. The scriptwriter, however, has the responsibility of keeping the novel’s story in mind while rewriting or adapting it for the film medium. Several critics and academics agree that the adapted screenplay eventually has to exist separately from the novel, but must still contain the original story’s essence because it is the text with which the film viewer will compare the film. This is only one argument in the discourse of film adaptation and in practice the scriptwriter (and/or director) is responsible for the decision on the level of fidelity. This article asks how the process of scene selection and issues of fidelity are approached during the adaptation process from novel to script. The recent 2010 film adaptation of Jan van Tonder’s 2004 novel Roepman (translated into English in 2006 as Stargazer) will serve as an example of an adapted screenplay that endeavours to remain true to the essence of the original text, but also acknowledges the film as a new medium and the film audience as a new audience. Issues of scene selection and fidelity as found in the adaptation process will be discussed in reference to the Roepman screenplay.
The adaptation of literary novels to screenplays is popular among film-makers. The production of Afrikaans films is undergoing a revival, but Afrikaans film adaptations are scarce relative to the total number of films being produced. Traditionally the study of film adaptation is defined from a literary domain, implying that the adapted screenplay and film retain a secondary value to that of the novel. The adaptation process of novel to film is one that has been seldom theorised in Afrikaans, particularly in comparison with literary studies and film studies. Only a few academics have written about Afrikaans film adaptations. The scriptwriter, as adapter or rewriter of the novel for the film medium, must overcome several challenges concerning the adaption process, including that of scene selection and fidelity to the source text. One can’t simply rewrite the novel’s story for the film medium. The scriptwriter, however, has the responsibility of keeping the novel’s story in mind while rewriting or adapting it for the film medium. Several critics and academics agree that the adapted screenplay eventually has to exist separately from the novel, but must still contain the original story’s essence because it is the text with which the film viewer will compare the film. This is only one argument in the discourse of film adaptation and in practice the scriptwriter (and/or director) is responsible for the decision on the level of fidelity. This article asks how the process of scene selection and issues of fidelity are approached during the adaptation process from novel to script. The recent 2010 film adaptation of Jan van Tonder’s 2004 novel Roepman (translated into English in 2006 as Stargazer) will serve as an example of an adapted screenplay that endeavours to remain true to the essence of the original text, but also acknowledges the film as a new medium and the film audience as a new audience. Issues of scene selection and fidelity as found in the adaptation process will be discussed in reference to the Roepman screenplay.
Description
CITATION: Adendorff, E. & Van Dyk, A. 2014. Die verwerkingsproses ten opsigte van toneelkeuse met verwysing na die rolprent Roepman. LitNet Akademies, 11(2):621-657.
The original publication is available at http://www.litnet.co.za
The original publication is available at http://www.litnet.co.za
Keywords
Van Tonder, Jan, 1954-, Intertextuality, Film adaptations, Translating and interpreting
Citation
Adendorff, E. & Van Dyk, A. 2014. Die verwerkingsproses ten opsigte van toneelkeuse met verwysing na die rolprent Roepman. LitNet Akademies, 11(2):621-657.