‘Twilight’ screenwriter says ‘New Moon’ is better than First
In May, Hero Complex contributor Gina McIntyre traveled north to the Vancouver to visit the set of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” and talk to the creative minds behind one of the most anticipated films of 2009. This week, as we count down to the Friday release of the vampy sequel, McIntyre gives us daily dispatches from her trip. Today it’s a Q&A with screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, who was brought in to adapt Stephenie Meyer’s novels.
GM: So director Chris Weitz seems to run an incredibly relaxed set…
MR: This is a happy set. I was with him after delivering the first draft, we had a couple of meetings on the second draft and he was the same guy then as he is here on set. He didn’t suddenly turn into some maniac, stressed out and crazed. He’s really impressive. He’s just capturing every moment with the actors. I haven’t seen one wrong moment with the actors.
GM: What changes did you make to that first draft of “New Moon”?
MR: There was a lot of honing down, cutting down and eliminating certain scenes and pulling out certain elements of the story just to have it move faster.
GM: How challenging was it to adapt this book with the character of Edward Cullen being absent for so much of the story?
MR: Going in, that was going to be the issue. Not only Edward but the entire Cullen clan disappears, the vampires who you’ve come to know and love disappear throughout the middle of the book. In the book, Bella very much keeps them alive in her mind. He is a presence and because it’s all inside her mind, the reader is with him. The challenge here was how do I do that in a movie. I think we have found a way to stay true to the tone of the book and true to the intention of the book but to have him remain a physical presence as well. And you’re starting a whole new relationship with Jacob. Yes, there was a relationship with Jacob in “Twilight” but this is when it happens.
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