Because of Winn-Dixie — Q&A with Joan Singleton, Screenwriter

How is screenwriting different from writing books?
Joan Singleton: When writing a novel, the author has the ability to write as long a story as he or she wants. When writing a movie, there is a time limit. No one really wants to sit in a theatre for too long. So, a screenplay has to be about 120 pages long, which translates to about 120 minutes, or 2 hours. Children's movies are generally a little shorter. So, you can see the potential problem - sometimes things in a book have to be left out of the movie in order to make the story work in the amount of time we have. Other times, the story is too short and things have to be added.

What was the biggest challenge for you in adapting this novel?
Joan Singleton: Not ruining it! How many times have we seen a movie of a favorite book and then felt as if the filmmakers had gotten it wrong. I knew I had to make some changes to turn it into a movie, but I wanted to make sure the movie was faithful to the book.

What do you look for when choosing a novel to adapt?
Joan Singleton: Because of Winn-Dixie was my first adaptation, and it reminds me a little of what Opal says in the book when her dad says she doesn't need a dog, and she says that the dog needs her. I wasn't really searching for a book to make into a movie. This book just cried out, "Please make a movie out of my story." I just happened to be listening at the right time. The book also impressed me, as it is one that teachers as well as students love. I thought it was a perfect match to have a wonderful book that kids could read in school and then see as a movie. Obviously, Walden does, too, which is huge bonus for all of us.

Can you describe your process for adapting Because of Winn-Dixie into a movie?
Joan Singleton: The initial writing process took about eight months. I wanted to make sure that the movie I was writing was very close to the book as I didn't want to disappoint the thousands of children who have read the book and love it. Sort of like doing a book report (see, there is a reason you learn to do them!), I made a summary of each one of the chapters on note cards, and then typed them into my computer. I loved how the book opened with Opal talking about how she went to the market, but thought that the movie audience needed to know a little more about Opal's life before she met Winn-Dixie. So, I took clues from the book and wrote an opening for Opal. Hopefully, when you see the movie, you'll think, "Yes, that's exactly what I thought Opal was doing before she met Winn-Dixie."

My next step was to add in the dialogue, trying to keep as much of Kate DiCamillo's wonderful dialogue. Isn't it amazing? Can't you just tell the difference between when Miss Franny speaks and Gloria Dump speaks? My job was to make sure that when I added or changed dialogue for the characters, that it sounded "right." Then I had people read the screenplay and give me "feedback," sort of like when you do peer editing of your stories in class. Then, when I thought it was ready, I sent it to Kate to read. I was very nervous and I hoped she liked it. She did!

Then it was a little bit like a whirlwind. 20th Century Fox called and said they wanted to make the movie. And then Wayne Wang said he'd direct. And then we got our incredible cast. And then Walden Media who did this amazing job with Holes got involved. I remember when my older daughter was in 6th grade and the movie, Holes, came out. Her entire class read the book, studied it, and then went to see it in the theatres. I thought, "How perfect would this be if Walden were involved with Because of Winn-Dixie and we could do the same thing?" Well - it's happening! I keep pinching myself cause it's all like a wonderful fairy tale!

What kind of changes do you need to make to a story when you adapt a book for a screenplay?
Joan Singleton: Movie stories have to be a certain length, and people come to expect things to happen at certain times in movies. Flashbacks are great to have in books as you have the time to let your mind wander around in the story. And, you can put the book down and come back to it. However, in a movie, you don't have that time. The story needs to keep moving, or you'll find your audience getting bored. Also, it's not a good idea to have too much "voice over" (characters talking to themselves). Besides the fact that you might think the character is a little bit crazy (when she's not), it, too, can get a little boring. Also, sometimes there are too many subplots in a book that can become confusing in a movie. Luckily, Kate wrote what I think is a perfect book, so it made my job much easier.

What makes a good story for a movie?
Joan Singleton: If I knew that, I'd be running a studio! However, I can tell you what makes a good story for me. If the story makes me want to read it day and night; when I fall in love with the characters; when I want to read the book again as soon as I finish it; when I tell my family and all my friends (and their children) about the book - that's what makes it good for me. Then I have to ask myself if I think I can "see" the book as a movie. If the answer is "yes," then I think I'm on my way.

Which character was most fun to write for in the screenplay?
Joan Singleton: Gloria Dump, for me, as she is so colorful. We think that she's a witch, and yet she turns out to be a wonderfully warm character who gives Opal some great advice about not being able to hold on to something if it wants to go. And to love what you have while you have it.

Which character was most difficult to write for in the screenplay?
Joan Singleton: Preacher, for me, was the hardest character to write for as I needed to give him something good to say in church, and I'm not very good at writing sermons. Also, I didn't want to make him seem to be too mean to Opal in the beginning, but the two characters had to be apart emotionally at the beginning of the story so it would mean more when they came together at the end.

What part of the story was most inspiring to you as a writer?
Joan Singleton: Kate DiCamillo wrote a story about a lonely young girl who finds a homeless dog, and turned it into an inspirational story of what happens when we stop and let a little bit of love into our lives. I loved the way this book touched everyone who read it. My 80 year-old father loves it as much as our children do. Because of Winn-Dixie is a story of how ordinary people who have all suffered loss in one way or another all come together and seem to fill in the missing pieces in each other's lives. If a homeless dog and a lonely little girl can do this for their small town, imagine the possibilities.

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