MASTER'S THESIS INFORMATION
1. Student's full name:Tran Thi Dung
2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: 27-03-1989
4. Place of birth: Yen Lac - Vinh Phuc
5. Decision on recognition of students No. 2998/QD-XHNV-SDH dated: December 30, 2013 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
6. Changes in the training process:
7. Thesis topic name:The art of adapting literary works to cinema from the perspective of plot and character (through Moon at the Bottom of the Well, Endless Field)
8. Major: Historical theory and criticism of cinema and television Code: 60.21.02.31
9. Scientific instructor:Assoc.Prof.Dr. Ly Hoai Thu,Faculty of Literature - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
10. Summary of thesis results:
Based on the use of interdisciplinary research methods, especially the theories of Narratology, the thesis has pointed out the main factors that make up the success of a film adapted from a literary work, which are the plot and characters. Although borrowing the plot of the original literary work, in film, the filmmaker must know how to filter and transform to create an attractive and vivid film. Likewise, the character from the book to the film is a challenging transformation process, each director needs to select suitable actors and create story situations and valuable details so that the actors have a chance to express the character's life. The thesis does not go into all the factors that make up the success of a film, but only goes into depth to exploit and analyze the plot and characters in the adapted film so that when the filmmaker decides to choose a literary work to adapt into a film, he will have an accurate and comprehensive view. Through studying the plot and characters of the two filmsMoon at the bottom of the wellandEndless Field, we explain specifically how the filmmakers adapt the original literary work. There are unnecessary elements and details that are omitted, but there are also elements and details that are added; how the structure, time, space, and events of the original story are reversed after being put into the film, what effect will it create... All will be pointed out in the thesis in a specific way. At the same time, the reverse impact from movies on literary works helps modern writers have more new ways to build characters, plots, and structures of works... to bring valuable works to readers.
11. Practical application:
With a rich literary treasure from the past or the appeal of recent best-sellers, it is always a rich source of material for filmmakers. However, not every famous book can be adapted, that requires a discerning eye of the filmmaker. With a clear understanding of the principles, methods, and characteristics of the plot and characters in literary works, filmmakers will be able to adapt the work more realistically, better, the characters become more "real", reducing the comments when many films do not reach maturity compared to literary works, do not really enter the hearts of viewers.
12. Further research directions:
Recently, Vietnamese cinema has been making significant changes and has achieved certain successes, especially films adapted from literary works. The author wishes to learn more about the adaptation methods, explain the reasons for the success of these films to help young filmmakers have the secrets when adapting films from original literary works, how to make the film when released in theaters not only have good revenue but also have high artistic quality.
13. Published works related to the thesis:
THE INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name: Tran Thi Dung 2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: March 27, 1989 4. Place of birth: Yen Lac – Vinh Phuc
5. Admission decision numbers: 2998/QD-XHNV-SĐH, Dated: December 30, 2013 of the Director of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University
6. Changes in academic process:
7. Official thesis title: Art adapted literary works into film seen from aspect the plot and characters (via “The moon at the bottom of the well”, “The floating lives”).
8. Major: History theory and Film – Television criticism Code: 60.21.02.31
9. Supervisor: Assoc. Prof – PhD: Ly Hoai Thu, Literature Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University.
10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:
Based on using the interdisciplinary research method, especially the theory about the self-studying, the thesis has indicated that the main factors to the success of a film adapted from literary works are the plot and character. In spite of borrowing the plot from the archetype literary work, the filmmakers must know variations to create a lively and interesting drama. Besides, character from pages of a book to a drama is a process of challenging changes, each directors must choose suitable actor or actress and create appreciate situation, the key details for actors to show their talent express the life of character. The does not spread the general elements that create the success of a drama, it only delves into exploiting and analyzing plot and characters in adapted films.This will help the filmmakers have a precise and comprehensive view when they decide to select a literary work adapted to a film work. By studying the plot and characters of the two movies “The moon at the bottom of the well”, “The floating lives”,we explain in details the way the filmmakers could adapt from the original literature. And the way that unnecessary elements and details are omitted or added; how to reverse the texture, time, space, the effect and the change after putting the work of original story into the film, etc. All will be shown in detail in the essay. At the same time, how the back impacts from film to literary work helps the modern writers have more methods to build new and strange characters, plots, structures, etc.. that bring valuable work to the readers.
11. Practical applicability, if any:
The abundant ancient literary treasure or the appeal from the best-seller books recently are always the abundant source for the filmmakers. However, not yet famous books can be adapted, it should be based on the knowledge and creation of the filmmakers. The clear understanding of principles, methods and characteristics of plot and characters in the literature is able to help filmmakers to adapt the story better, more practical and characters are “more lives”, reduce some comments when many dramas are not the same as the original literature, or do not reach the viewers' heart.
12. Further research directions, if any:
Recently, Vietnamese films are significantly changing and have achieved certain success, especially the films adapted from literary works. The writer wants to study more about the measure to transform, explanation about the reasons of success. This may help the young filmmakers have the recipes about how to adapt a literature into a drama, and how to make film not only gain revenue but also have the high artistic quality when it goes public.
13. Thesis – related publications:
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