Taking a story from a
television series to a movie can present hurdles for screenwriters and
directors, especially if they do not fully appreciate the qualitative
differences between a movie and a television series. To be sure, well-crafted
series such as Downton Abbey, The Crown, Game of Thrones, and House of Cards
had narrowed the difference in terms of quality. Even so, a narrative limited
to around two hours of play time is different than a narrative meant to be
on-going. The financial resources are also more concentrated in the making of a
film than an ongoing series (even if it ends after five or six years). I submit,
therefore, that Julian Fellowes, the producer and screenwriter of both the
Downton series and movie, erred in hiring a director of the series, Michael
Engler, to direct the movie. Just because he had directed (just) four episodes
of the series does not mean that he knew how to direct a movie. A seasoned
movie director would have been a better choice.
The full essay is at "Downton Abbey."
