FWA: As part of Adapting Your Novel for the Screen, students will have the opportunity to meet screenwriting powerhouses Shaun Grant (Snowtown; Jasper Jones; The Narrow Road to the Deep North) and John Collee (Boy Swallows Universe; Master and Commander). What do you most admire about their particular approaches to adaptation?
AM: Apart from being master storytellers, both Shaun and John are very good readers (which is not always the case with screenwriters). You can tell they love books and spend a lot of time thinking about what a novel is about beyond the characters and the plot and they work hard to transpose those qualities onto the screen with integrity. They also understand that novels and cinema are inherently different and are sensitive to what the strengths of each are. They’re not just serving the book with respect, they’re serving the medium of film and TV with respect and making sure the adaptation works cinematically.
FWA: One of the classes’ teaching points is to ensure narratives retain nuance and integrity when translated to the screen. How can adaptors ensure the heart of a story remains?
AM: It’s often assumed that a “faithful” adaptation should just include everything from the novel – every character, every thought they have, every scene between them, every line of dialogue, every flashback, etc. But an adaptation like this would be pointless because it would not work cinematically. Novels and screen stories need different things and change is inevitable. What can help guide this process is about knowing what the story you’re adapting is actually about. Sure, there are characters, and stuff happens to them, but what does all that add up to? What is this novel really about? Why did you write it? Having a strong sense of the novel’s themes can guide the process of adaptation as the raw materials of characters and plot evolve to serve the cinematic medium. The very best adaptations contain many differences to the original but they don’t feel different because they’ve stayed true to the thematic heart of the novel.
FWA: When adapting from book to screen, which aspects of storytelling are most important to maintain in the screen version of the story?
AM: Generally, if a novel is well-known, the core characters and set-up of the story is kept in place so the screen adaptation will attract the existing audience who will become a huge asset in marketing it. However, at a certain point, the story will evolve to suit a screen medium in order to attract audiences unfamiliar with the book. When adapting the novel, you’re looking for the story elements that lend themselves to cinematic storytelling — an evocative setting, intriguing character dynamics, escalating drama, strong turning points — while also staying true to the themes that made you want to write it in the first place. If, however, a novel is less well-known, but has a compelling premise that suits a screen story, it is not uncommon for things to change dramatically with new characters, turning points and (shock horror) even a new ending! Don’t worry, you’ll still get a “from the novel by” credit.
FWA: When a character is born in your head, how do you go about bringing them to life? And is the final version a whole new person, or are they true to your first idea?
AM: Each writer is different. I’ve heard Christos Tsiolkas talk about needing to find the character’s voice before he can start writing in earnest and they don’t change much after that. For screenwriters, like myself, there is a very tight relationship between the characters and the plot so those two elements often evolve together through the story development process. You might start with an idea of a character, but as you develop the story they will change to sharpen the drama. Other times, you start with a compelling event and are trying to think about what characters will be the best fit for dramatic purposes. Sometimes a character arrives fully formed and they stay that way all through the project. They’re pretty exciting characters to find, although rarer (for me anyway).
FWA: Your book Beyond the Hero’s Journey has enjoyed a great deal of success amongst novelists and screenwriters alike. What are the main points you hope writers remember after reading the book?
AM: The main thing I hope people take away from my book is that writing a story is not a one-size-fits-all formula. You know your story better than any formula does and with a few simple techniques you can find the unique shape of your story. Ideas like the Hero’s Journey and the Three Act Structure pretend that there is only one way to tell a story and I can tell you from a career of telling stories across film, TV, documentary, plays and interactive storytelling that is just not the case.
FWA: What do you most enjoy about teaching writers?
AM: I really enjoy hearing people’s ideas for the first time and helping them see all the potential in them. It’s hard not to be jealous sometimes (“Why didn’t I think of that?”) but that’s just a hazard of the job.
FWA: If you could turn any book into a movie, which would it be?
AM: I’ve always thought The Riders by Tim Winton would be a memorable film. I remember there was a rumour Jane Campion was going to try in the mid nineties and there have been a few writers who have attempted an adaptation over the years. However, apparently Brad Pitt has teamed up with Edward Berger (All Quiet On The Western Front) for a 2026 shoot. Maybe this will be the one.
Adapting Your Novel for the Screen
with Anthony Mullins
ONLINE
Wednesdays 6.30pm – 8.30pm (AEST)
15 October 2025 – 3 December 2025