Open question: Writing for the screen?

[[deleted user]]

As mentioned in Question #1, Hawley has done a number of TV shows. How do you find his writing here in Before the Fall? Does it feel that he's writing this for the small screen/big screen? And if so, how? Give us an example.

[Susan]

I was aware that Hawley is a screenwriter, but have not watched any of his TV series! I first read his book, The Good Father, and thought it was well written and researched. I'd say the same about this book. It doesn't seem to me to be any more screen-ready than a lot of other books. It is particularly timely in its references to the media and fake news, so it would make a timely TV series. As I read it, I also couldn't help but think about JFK Jr's plane crash off Martha's Vineyard. There are many elements in the novel that would make it compelling television.

[Shirley]

I agree with Susan that I could see this book being turned into a TV mini series. Nothing different has jumped out at me to indicate that this author is famous for his screen writing. I do see a lot of his paragraphs "set the scene". It could be because I'm consciously looking for it though. For example, this following paragraph I could picture on the TV screen: (Page 168)
"The bar-Swim!- is defined by low lighting and glowing fish tanks, giving it the look of a mid-1990's sci-fi action movie. He orders a Budwieser (un-ironically) and finds a table behind a big saltwater tank, then watches the door for his man. Sitting behind the tank gives the illusion that he is underwater, and through the glass the room takes on a fun-house-mirror quality-like a hipster bar would look like after the oceans rose and consumed the earth."

[Basia]

I agree, that it is very easy to picture the story as a movie. The only things I would probably miss on the screen are those short reflections about the life and its meaning, which I begin to see as an essential part of Noah Hawley’s writing. The reflections about the role of coincidence in our life, about art and the way we perceive it, about fate, parenthood or wealth. These are the thoughts that most of us probably think or subconsciously feel, but are too busy to stop and ponder. That’s why when an author voices them for me – I can’t help but just take a breath and say…” yeah, I know what you mean!”

[Shirley]

Well said! There were many times as I'm reading, I thought WOW, I'm not the only one who has those inner thoughts. But would never have been able to express them the way Hawley does!

[Laurie]

I knew that he did screen writing but it never felt like a script to me. Although many of the scenarios created scenes in my mind as I was reading.
The most memorable for me would be when the press was asking Scott questions as he left Leslie Mueller's house. I thought it was very entertaining as he danced around the questions and gave what I would call artistic answers.

[Susan]

Agree with the comments here - never felt like a screenplay - so kudos to the author as many well-known writers whose books have become TV series seem to write for the screen immediately.

The question made me wonder if this could be adapted. The layout of the novel delighted me the most as I was reading ... the author leaves it to the reader to weave the threads together. In my opinion - too sophisticated for TV???