--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a very difficult thing to adapt a…" description: "\"It's a very difficult thing to adapt a piece of existing material into film.\" — Travis Knight" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/travis-knight-5695_adapt_it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-p_2224529.jpg" --- # It's a very difficult thing to adapt a piece of existing… ![“It's a very difficult thing to adapt a piece of existing material into film.” quote by Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/travis-knight-5695_adapt_it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-p_2224529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/travis-knight-5695_adapt_it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-p_2224529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/travis-knight-5695_adapt_it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-p_2224529.jpg) > “It's a very difficult thing to adapt a piece of existing material into film.” [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adapting existing material to film is challenging due to medium differences and narrative constraints. **In simple terms:** Adapting to film is hard. Key Takeaway Respect source while embracing cinematic language. Themes adaptation creativity challenge Mood analytical thoughtful Type professional educational When to use this quote - screenwriting - directing - production planning Key Concepts narrative structure visual storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor the original? - What compromises are acceptable? A Different Perspective Audience expectations may clash with source. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adapt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adapt/) [Adapt Piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adapt-piece-4979370/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-thing/) [Existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existing/) [Existing Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existing-material-2997842/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Material Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-film-4979369/) [Piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piece/) ## Related quotes > [Once music ceases to be ephemeral - always disappearing - and becomes instead material... it leaves the condition of traditional music and enters the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/once-music-ceases-to-be-ephemeral-always-disappearing-and-becomes/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I'm not inventing anything new, I'm just using existing material differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeru-ban/i-m-not-inventing-anything-new-i-m-just-using-existing-material/) [Shigeru Ban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeru-ban/) > [When I hear that a project takes place out of town, the material better be terrific, and it has to come at the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/when-i-hear-that-a-project-takes-place-out-of-town-the-material/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [In my own personal career, I have felt almost the most difficult thing to deal with is someone who doesn't tell you what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/in-my-own-personal-career-i-have-felt-almost-the-most-difficult-thing/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) > [The most difficult thing about being well known? Getting out of a hotel room at 4am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-most-difficult-thing-about-being-well-known-getting-out-of-a/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [The masses think that is is easy to flee from reality, when it is the most difficult thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-masses-think-that-is-is-easy-to-flee-from-reality-when-it-is-the/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [The DACA situation is a very, very difficult thing for me because, I love these kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-daca-situation-is-a-very-very-difficult-thing-for-me-because-i/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody-else-s-ideas-of-being-funny/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [The difficult thing for me is that I want basically to be a good man. That's what I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgaard/the-difficult-thing-for-me-is-that-i-want-basically-to-be-a-good-man/) [Karl Ove Knausgaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgaard/) > [I am facing the most difficult thing of my life, my own greatest failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-am-facing-the-most-difficult-thing-of-my-life-my-own-greatest/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [This is a very difficult thing to remain independent and persistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/this-is-a-very-difficult-thing-to-remain-independent-and-persistent/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I think the most difficult thing had been scaling the infrastructure. Trying to support the response we had received from our users and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-fanning/i-think-the-most-difficult-thing-had-been-scaling-the-infrastructure/) [Shawn Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-fanning/) > [Moderation, we find, is an extremely difficult thing to get in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/moderation-we-find-is-an-extremely-difficult-thing-to-get-in-this/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Maintaining marriage seems to be tougher than fatherhood: apparently its the most difficult thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-slater/maintaining-marriage-seems-to-be-tougher-than-fatherhood-apparently/) [Kelly Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-slater/) > [“The most difficult thing is to admit ourselves, and the best proof is our strength and patience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/the-most-difficult-thing-is-to-admit-ourselves-and-the-best-proof-is/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) ## More by Travis Knight > [A fundamental and unfortunate part of being alive is to suffer loss and to suffer grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/a-fundamental-and-unfortunate-part-of-being-alive-is-to-suffer-loss/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [I love 'Princess Mononoke,' 'My Neighbour Totoro.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/i-love-princess-mononoke-my-neighbour-totoro/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [Our ambition is to be the center of independent animation filmmaking; to be the bravest animation studio in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/our-ambition-is-to-be-the-center-of-independent-animation-filmmaking/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [No TV show has meant more to me than 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/no-tv-show-has-meant-more-to-me-than-buffy-the-vampire-slayer/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [If you look at 'Coraline' and you look at 'ParaNorman' certainly you can tell that there are threads of the same DNA between those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/if-you-look-at-coraline-and-you-look-at-paranorman-certainly-you-can/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [I fully believe that representation and inclusion matters... and that's why on all of our films, we've featured diverse casts, and that actually is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/i-fully-believe-that-representation-and-inclusion-matters-and-that-s/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [I always loved that solitary experience of making things. There's a solitary aspect to animating... It's ultimately the animator and the puppet coaxing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/i-always-loved-that-solitary-experience-of-making-things-there-s-a/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [When you think of the warm grandmotherly type of character, you don't think of Elaine Stritch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/when-you-think-of-the-warm-grandmotherly-type-of-character-you-don-t/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [When we started on 'Coraline,' there was a whole host of things that we had no idea how we were going to do. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/when-we-started-on-coraline-there-was-a-whole-host-of-things-that-we/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [When you look back over 100 years when stop-motion was really at the dawn of cinema, a lot of the ways it developed was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/when-you-look-back-over-100-years-when-stop-motion-was-really-at-the/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [This medium of stop-motion, it can be much more than it's been kind of defined as - it's not just a creaky and anachronistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/this-medium-of-stop-motion-it-can-be-much-more-than-it-s-been-kind-of/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [I think there's an unfortunate thing where a lot of content geared towards kids and families is watered down, dumbed down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/i-think-there-s-an-unfortunate-thing-where-a-lot-of-content-geared/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [People have been declaring stop-motion dead for a generation. But living in the digital age, people appreciate the art of craft, or working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/people-have-been-declaring-stop-motion-dead-for-a-generation-but/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [I won't say which one, but one shot on 'Kubo' took two months to get the expression right. It's ridiculous on some level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/i-won-t-say-which-one-but-one-shot-on-kubo-took-two-months-to-get-the/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [If you go back and look at those films, movies like 'Bambi' and 'Pinocchio,' there are elements that are incredibly dark. Yet no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/if-you-go-back-and-look-at-those-films-movies-like-bambi-and/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) [Explore all 100 Travis Knight quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) ## More Adapt quotes > [Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/enjoying-success-requires-the-ability-to-adapt-only-by-being-open-to/) [Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/) > [Ancelotti immediately understood me and put me in the right situation to adapt quickly. I was 18 and, at that age, it is difficult.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-verratti/ancelotti-immediately-understood-me-and-put-me-in-the-right-situation/) [Marco Verratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-verratti/) > [Just watching people's ability to adapt, especially young people's, inspires me to accept more in life instead of wishing things were different all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-seehorn/just-watching-people-s-ability-to-adapt-especially-young-people-s/) [Rhea Seehorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-seehorn/) > [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [It's fun to see how other artists adapt my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/it-s-fun-to-see-how-other-artists-adapt-my-work/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [Floods, droughts, and natural disasters are a fact of life for farmers, ranchers, and foresters. They have persevered in the past, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-perdue/floods-droughts-and-natural-disasters-are-a-fact-of-life-for-farmers/) [Sonny Perdue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-perdue/) > [A career is about learning to adapt yourself to the new environment and learning to sink or swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/a-career-is-about-learning-to-adapt-yourself-to-the-new-environment/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [I've learnt to adapt on the pitch and, when I think back, also in front of goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gervinho/i-ve-learnt-to-adapt-on-the-pitch-and-when-i-think-back-also-in-front/) [Gervinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gervinho/) > [On my end, I am still surprised that many media organizations are unable to adapt to new media formats and, more importantly, new network…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/on-my-end-i-am-still-surprised-that-many-media-organizations-are/) [Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/) > [“The more in tune we are with nature and the more we actually observe our surroundings, the easier it is for us to adapt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-cassell-jr/the-more-in-tune-we-are-with-nature-and-the-more-we-actually-observe/) [Warren Cassell Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-cassell-jr/) > [There is a sort of theory that you should adapt bad books because they always make more successful films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hampton/there-is-a-sort-of-theory-that-you-should-adapt-bad-books-because/) [Christopher Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hampton/) > [It's strange to play outdoors, especially in the daytime. But we're figuring it out. The rules are different for festival shows - how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dost/it-s-strange-to-play-outdoors-especially-in-the-daytime-but-we-re/) [Andrew Dost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dost/) > [Whatever role I get told to play, I just have to adapt to it and play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-iwobi/whatever-role-i-get-told-to-play-i-just-have-to-adapt-to-it-and-play/) [Alex Iwobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-iwobi/) > [I'm able to mentally adapt to things very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cole/i-m-able-to-mentally-adapt-to-things-very-well/) [Justin Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cole/) > [If you change and adapt your persona, you are seen as inauthentic; if you stay the angry young man, you fade from attention or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/if-you-change-and-adapt-your-persona-you-are-seen-as-inauthentic-if/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) [Browse all 767 Adapt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adapt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a very difficult thing to adapt a piece of existing material into film.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Travis Knight" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-piece-of-existing-material/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adapt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-piece-of-existing-material/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/travis-knight-5695_adapt_it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-p_2224529.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/travis-knight-5695_adapt_it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-p_2224529.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/750/travis-knight-5695_adapt_it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-p_2224529.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's a very difficult thing to adapt a piece of existing material into film.” — Travis Knight", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Travis Knight", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's a very difficult thing to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-piece-of-existing-material/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/it-s-a-very-difficult-thing-to-adapt-a-piece-of-existing-material/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```