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Alright so everyone on here that knows me also knows that I am not the biggest SM fan at times but this interview has made me really appreciate her in ways that I didn’t. I always knew that Summit had way more say than she ever could for the movies, but this interview shows just how much Summit tries to change up the books for the movies and how much SM fights to keep it the same. It is an audio interview so I have posted the transcript below. I know it is long but every TwiHard should read this! Often scenes from the books are changed or left out all together for the flow of the movie. Stephenie explains how and why she picks her battles when it comes to depicting her books into movies. When do you choose your battles? In seeing the movie and the book. You have the book, they have a vision. They throw out a line, and you’re like “They would have never said that” SM: It’s really difficult. Because you do have to choose which ones you won’t bow down on. And I know that even when I really say “Okay, I cannot live with that” It’s still 1 out of 10 I’ll get it. When I really throw a fit. Which is rare. It is really rare because I realize ya know, they’re making a movie. When they come to me for advice, I’m happy say things. There are very few things that I will….and its things that just feel so wrong, that there’s no other way. And some of them are such small little things that, like with the…(?) we were talking about. A lot of that was (?) related. It’s harder than you would think. It’s funny. Some things you take for granted in movies. And it’s amazing how difficult Alison: All the fans would have cared. Not one fan would have been happy with that. SM: The one thing I scheduled my whole schedule around in Eclipse was I had to be there for the tent scene was number one. That was on the calendar. And I had the other scenes in order of priority, and I had those dates booked. I was already going to Vancouver and they had a weather problem. They filmed it when I wasn’t there. So I’m like “Okay, I’m not gonna panic.” But in the original version, Jacob gets into the sleeping bag (whispers) and doesn’t touch her. Alison: Like just his legs are gonna keep her warm from the bottom of the sleeping bag? SM: It’s impossible to keep someone warm when doing that. And then you have the extra added thing. This is the girl he is in love with and he’s in a sleeping bag with her….I mean, come on. I was just like, “what…why aren’t you touching her? Why isn’t he touching her?” People are going to freak out. Alison: Everybody would have freaked out SM: It doesn’t make sense that he would do that and you’d sit there and say “why? He’s supposed to be warming her up, right?” Even if you had no baggage from reading the books, you would still have the same reaction. It was interesting, because the original script for it, I was fine with but then they tweaked the script because they felt like one part of the conversation got a lot more in depth in the original we kind of already knew. You know, you have the whole rehash when Edward’s talking about “when I first met her” and they pulled that and instead went with the later part of the scene where Jacob’s like “how did you cope?” And I think the emotionality of it just went through the roof. Kim: The dialogue between Rob and Jake, I mean Edward and Jacob Alison: And it was so long, and I loved how long it was SM: Yeah! I love that they just let it happen. I think that, that was Rob’s best day of shooting. It was so funny, did you guys hear all the rumors about the problems? Rob was only supposed to be there for the last day. The first two were Jacob and Bella scenes where the wig had been a problem. The last day was the tent was the tent and that was it & it was a pretty easy shoot. The only problem for that day was that Kristen had the stomach flu and luckily, she was supposed to lay there, but between every like scene, oh, she was so sick. And Taylor, he was over digging around, grabbing garbage cans. Why is Taylor taking the garbage? Takes them over there so she could puke in them. It was so sweet. Everybody was taking care of her and everything, but it was a hard day. You look at actors and a lot of people are like “I wanna be an actor” it’s so hard and then to sit there. She’s wanting to puke and she’s all feverish, and she’s having to do the shivering. She was a work horse that day. That was our only drama was that poor Kristen got sick, and I think it was food poisoning. But it was a great shoot. It was one of those days where at the end you’re like “We really killed it today! It’s gonna be great!” It was a great day. HOW SHE WILL OVERSEE ALL THIS AS A PRODUCER IN ‘BREAKING DAWN’ Alison: What made you decide to put the producer hat on for Breaking Dawn? And what do you think you’ll bring to that last movie? SM: I don’t think it’s gonna change that much. I do feel like, I mean Breaking Dawn is tricky. It’s real tricky. Now, I feel like we have more of a handle on it. Because the script and with Bill Condon. I am more calm, but originally, I was very much on the fence. Maybe we shouldn’t make this into a movie, ya know. Some things can’t be made into a movie and come across exactly the right way. So it was a big struggle for me to go forward. I knew it would disappoint a lot of people, and that was really one of the main instances, that people would be like “What?” I didn’t want to disappoint people. So I was concerned. And still my plan was and still is, to be there every day. And so as the producer, can do that. So it’s really a lot about being….in the room. And it’s going to be a lot of upheaval in my life, but I felt like it was important. And then also, it’s the last one. So I kinda feel like, I’m going to commit to this for this year, I’ll get it done, and then I won’t do that again. And then also. I get to be more involved with it. Ya know, I think we will have a little more of the same music, which will be a big deal. Instead of hearing about the decisions afterward. We will be there when they are being made. That’s gonna help. With Eclipse, I was pretty much, right on the line with producing. I was very much involved with the script and a lot of the choices. So it’s not a huge difference, but it’ll be really, an interesting experience. Kim: Well we breathed a sigh of relief when we heard you were producing. SM: I don’t know if those sighs are a little bit premature. I’m not sure that there will be that much more that I can do. um…..but, I keep fighting. I can’t quite make myself give up, so. Alison: We do appreciate it.
SM: They can’t be exactly like the book. So it’s about having those key things that can make it, have that feel of the book. They have really done a really great job and not all of it I get right away, because for me it’s like “no, keep it closer to the story”. Then I have to say. “Okay, this is a good alternate” but it has it’s merits…..like angry Edward. It wasn’t in the book, and yet….that has a lot of value for you. There are things that they’re able to do that I can’t do. It’s a nice little compliment. And like Taylor and the love for Jacob. That’s a good thing. BELLA LEAVING WITH JACOB ON THE MOTORCYCLE SM: I have heard, I have read the comments, and I said the exact same thing. That was one of those days that I flew down. I’m like the way that this you know in the script I said the way that this is written her getting on the back of the bicycle is a direct response here “You lied to me, well I’m going with him” & we were able the day of, they cut down the clip that they played for MTV and stuff, we were able to soften it. We were able to get some lines in and you’ve seen the whole thing, so you know there’s a breakaway we tried to put in….her response to Edward, and then now it becomes about Jacob. “Why haven’t you called me?” We tried as hard as we could to soften, how that went down so it didn’t feel like, something “Well, I’m gonna go get on the back of his motorcycle” because I felt like that was NOT Bella at all & it’s not assertive, it’s rude. You know what I mean. It’s not like…. Alison: It’s too reactionary SM: It’s not like, “I’m a strong female character” It’s like “I’m a jerk” Alison: We were mad at movie Bella. (Laughs) Book Bella and I were okay, but movie Bella & I were like uh. SM: That was more or less my same reaction. I think that in the form that it exists in the film……its better now. I think it works somewhat. I still think it’s kind of a stretch that she would do that. You only have so much you can do. That was one I lost. Early in I lost that one. You do what you can do. Alison: They’ll be happy you agree! What do you think Stephenie thinks of Angryward and Edward threatening Jacob for kissing Bella? Does she agree, does she thinks he’s hot? SM: Ya know it’s funny about this scene, and Meghan’s giving me the eye. That’s the one I walked out on, on the dailies because in my head that scene was so much different. In the movie Edward is quite separate motivation-ally from the book Edward. At this point in the film in the story for me he’s gotten past this. Like he’s realized “I can’t act like a teenage boy anymore. I have to give her space. I have to be the mature one here.” And in that scene in the book, he has, icy calm control. He is very gentle. He is very soft spoken. He is very mature. So when I see him….and plus ya know, the movies are unable to bring to life some of the elements in the mythology. If Edward had, in anger, grabbed Jacob by the shoulder, his arm would have come off. And the fact that Taylor is uninjured, and that he just kind of sits there…..bothered me. So I’m like…wait! If we are gonna go for it, tear his arm off. Ya know. And it’s hard for them, because blood puts you over the limit and stuff, and they would not tear off Jacob’s arm. I’m like….if we want angry Edward, I wanna see some blood. They had already filmed that day, so we couldn’t redo it but, people have responded really well to it. Kim: That is the thing because it is different than the book. Alison: He’s as close to a vampire as we’ve seen him, because he was so restrained. SM: And restraint is pretty much his middle name. And we don’t have the scene early in the book, where she comes back from La Push, and he’s like “are you trying to make me insane?” He really lost it. We don’t have that evolution where he goes overboard. We have a little bit, the battery disabling. Which is really over the line, and then he’s supposed to learn and he’s supposed to stop. By that point, we’re so far in, it’s like….”why is he still acting like this?” But okay, it is hot…I’ll give you that. After reading this, how do you feel about the movies, Summit’s depiction of the characters, and about SM becoming a producer for BD? Let us know in the comment section! 
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| by Chrissy in July 16 - 12:25 pm |
i read some bits of this today, but i just now saw the bit about Bella running off with Jake. Rachelle, i know how you feel about SM and you know I share most of your thoughts/concerns. This interview surprised me with its honesty and I am very glad to hear that she was against some things. It appears that MR and Slade had the “power” so to say. I hope that as a producer for BD she will be given more freedom and that Bill Condon will get along well with her. The truth is that, as long as I wish they did some more lovey-dovey action in BD (which won’t happen with her as a producer), I’d much rather like the film if it stays as true to the book as possible |
| by Danielle in July 16 - 12:31 pm |
I really enjoyed the interview. It really made me see how much control she really does have and what she can do. I’m upset that they don’t give her more say though. This is HER story….she wrote it and NO ONE can understand it better! It must be so hard for her to see it changed and not be able to change that. That would drive me crazy! |
| by Trish in July 18 - 4:28 pm |
great interview..since we barely get much from her..this made her more understandable…kudos R! |
| by Chea in July 19 - 2:22 pm |
unfortunately, when you sell the rights to a book you are giving your rights away unless you stipulate otherwise in the contract. Summit does not have to listen to her and could have wrecked the entire story. Now that SM has the producrer credit she has a little more say, but still limited. She is not the sol Exc. Producer. I personally have liked her (SM) from the get go, I am AWARE not everyone has. I appreciate her being the Twilight champion and I am grateful for all the influence she has tried to enforce. Good interview. I wish her luck with BD~ with the idiots at summit even thinking of using 3D, she will need it! |
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