MOVIE: Director vs. Screenwriter

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 191282

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Dave Hardenbrook <daveh47 at ...> wrote:
>
> I'm hearing a lot of people blaming Yates for certain shortcomings
> in the latter films, particularly the final Harry / LV 
> confrontation.  But doesn't the lack of expose by Harry in that 
> scene, or murkiness in exactly how LV dies, or a lot of other 
> things many of us don't like about the films ultimately stem from
> what Steve Kloves wrote in the screenplay, rather than what Yates 
> did or didn't direct?
> 
> Dave
>

Steve:

No, I don't think so, the screen play is not etched in stone and does not dictate the flow of the movie. The Director and Producer (David Heyman) have a lot of say in the flow of the story, and the script. I have to assume it is a collaborative effort. 

In a sense, I think Steve Kloves wrote the screen play to spec. That is, He, Heyman, and Yates collaborated on the flow and direction of the story, and Kloves wrote the script to fit their mutual decision. 

But, the things I complained about, and there are more, are purely director choices. The exact same scene could have played in the same way but with a more natural effect, if the Director had been on top of things. 

Even outside the actual filming of a specific scene, in post-production, a well timed well placed flash of light could have indicated that Voldemort own Spell rebounded on him. 

That said, I think there is plenty of blame to go around. Yet, complain as we might, the movie we have is the only movie we will ever get. And that said, I still think the criticism is fair. 

Steve/bluewizard