Dear Sony Pictures TV and Ron Moore,
What can I say? I am both stunned and excited to hear the news that you will be creating an Outlander TV series.
First off, I am thrilled that Outlander will be made into a series - and not a film. Only a TV series can properly convey the myriad of detail in the story of Jamie and Claire.
And who has a bigger name than Sony?
And who hasn't heard of Battlestar Galactica?
I have to share something with you, though. Ever since the text came in at 2:25PM (thanks Cari) when I was sitting in the pedi chair at the nail salon, I have been in a state of sheer panic.
As a very recent newcomer to the film industry (that is an understatement), I have witnessed what can be done to a script once the final copy is written. (Is there ever such a thing as a "final copy"?) Characters can be omitted. Story lines can be changed. Backgrounds are sometimes revised so many times, you forget where the hell the character hailed from in the first place.
I think you see where I'm going with this.
As a solid Outlander fan (not the best, aka Karen Henry...not the worst, aka "I just don't get this Jamie guy"), I implore you to do one, simple thing:
Please stick to the story.
I know...I know. Sometimes things look one way on paper and there is no way humanly possible to convey them on screen in the same fashion. I understand that even the most amazing cinematographers are sometimes limited as to what they can actually do with a camera.
I am just asking you to please...PLEASE...stay as honest and true to the story and the characters as you possibly can. Please treat these characters with integrity...and love them as if they were your own family.
Also, please, for the love of ALL that is holy in this world...please do not cast a big time actor to play Jamie Fraser, just because the actor brings in the cash. He has to convey Jamie Fraser's good and bad and everything in between. And throwing ______ or _____ or even ______ into the role is not the way to go. Just because someone's star meter rating over at IMDB is in the top ten, does not mean he's going to be able to put the proper feeling into playing Jamie Fraser.
Lastly...Jamie Fraser's Scots accent has GOT TO BE SPOT-ON.
The Outlander fans will thank you for it at the box office; I assure you. (Or in this case, the cable company!)
MOST sincerely,
Purgatory Carol
MyOutlanderPurgatory.com
Amen, Carol! You have spoken for the fans. :-)
ReplyDeleteI concur!!!
DeleteYES!!! Couldn't have said it better myself.
ReplyDeleteI saw an article where they were comparing the potential of this storyline will be like that of games of thrones...um I hear they changed that book so much that a few characters became one etc....
So right about the accent. PLEASE cast an unknown ACTUAL Scot for the part! I can't stand fake accents done poorly.
I'm both excited and terrified for this. Hopefully Diana G has lots of input! and please PLEASE PLEASE don't even think about putting Gerry Butler in this...!
I totally agree, Carol. I have another request, and it's a small one. Please hire an actor who is the correct size to play Jamie (snicker snicker-- I'm not talking about that!). I hate when they cast short,small actors in tall, big character roles, and expect us to just roll with it. (Like Taylor Lautner in Twilight-- he's supposed to be huge! And they don't even try to make him look taller than Bella using camera angles.) I know...it's a minor issue, but it's Jamie!
ReplyDeleteEver since I read the Facebook post, I have not gotten any work done today. Nope, not even trying.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you have already written an open letter.
I agree about Jamies Scots accent. Dare I say.. for me, his voice may even be more important than the visual.
And pulllease cast Jamie and Claire with chemistry. We've got to feel it between those two.
Susan J
Well said! I can see how things might need to be tweaked, but adding things in or totally leaving chunks out will just not work. And definitely get someone with an AUTHENTIC accent. Please.
ReplyDeleteI'm so afraid it will be a train wreck----you can't look away even though you don't like what you're seeing!
ReplyDeleteRight on Carol
ReplyDeleteShannon
Perfectly stated Carol. Thank you.
ReplyDelete*standing ovation* Thank you, Michelle
ReplyDeleteTotally on point. I'm nervous and excitied!
ReplyDeleteWell said!! These characters have gotten a lot of us through some tough times. If it isn't true to the books, characters, story, FEEL of what DG has written then I will do one simple thing... not watch. But I will also inform EVERYONE that I possibly can not to watch either. Just a little fyi... I'm not alone. Just sayin'! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm excited for this! I know we're all nervous about book-Jamie brought to life.
ReplyDeleteThe "screen" versions usually tend to be different, but sometimes they take on a life of their own and are enjoyable in their own right. I'm thinking how different book Eric Northman is compared to True Blood Eric, book vs show Sookie and Bill, and book Edward vs. RobWard. They are different, but not necessarily bad.
But yeah, you're all right, Jamie is Jamie, he's at the top of my literary crush too and I don't want to see him Gerry Butchered either.
:)
-Stacey
Sara,
ReplyDeleteYou're going to be at my house watching this on the 10 ft. screen in my basement. It will be good, it will be good, it will be good... Besides, I'll have plenty of whisky around just in case. :-)
Spot on, Carol. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAmen, sista!
ReplyDeleteVery well said! (And thanks for the compliment, too! Even though my name won't mean anything to the production people....)
ReplyDeleteKaren
Well said! I'm also equally excited and terrified...this project has the potential to be the GREATEST THING EVER, or (to us fangirls) the worst thing ever. Fingers crossed that they unearth a tall, sexy, Oscar-worthy, red-heided, Jamie Fraser-incarnate actor from the highlands of Scotland ;)
ReplyDeleteWell said Carol, well said. I have high hopes for this series but the fear is real too.
ReplyDeleteJesus H. Roosevelt Christ.
ReplyDeleteI AGREE you HAVE to get Jamie right ...I have already seen a writter say she wanted James Macvoy...well he is barley 5/7!!!
ReplyDeleteSOOOooooooo they can ruin it easy with the wrong Jamie..
Oh my god. I'M OUT OF THE LOOP!! Now I have to google this, as I was unaware of talks of a series. I hope beyond hope that they would NEVER cast the blond vampire from True Blood as Jamie, no matter how many ridiculous women out there think he's the right guy for the job.
ReplyDeleteGreat letter Carol. Is this a for sure thing though? I know DG has said that she has sold the rights to Outlander many times over but these guys seem to know what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteI'm nervous about Shura and Tatia and not wanting to read the last 50 pages and now I am nervous about what this series will bring! Maybe I should stop reading and having so many book boyfriends!!
Re: Game of Thrones...actually, IMO that series is an EXCELLENT adaptation of the books. I read the first book after watching the first season of the series, and am now 2/3 of the way through the second book--it's amazing to me how faithful they've been to the books. Yes, there have been a few tweaks, but (again, IMO), these only served to tighten the story just a bit and were done in a creative, interesting way. We should only hope the Outlander series is done as well!!!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking that if they can get Outlander produced like Game of Thrones (GOT), we'll be in verra good hands! THAT is a faithful adaptation and I bet it's got something to do with George R R Martin producing the series! So, I'm so glad Herself will be in the production team. She'll make sure it's right! And Tracy, I'm hooked too! Just finished Clash of Kings and now on to Storm of Swords...
DeleteWell put you guys! I haven't read the Game of Throne series (song of ice and fire?) but heard great things about the TV series' faithfulness to the storyline. I hope the millions of Outlander fans all over the world get the same!! I think what I'm actually most apprehensive about is a) casting, and b) story changes. No Tom Cruise-as-Jack Reacher-style casting errors, pleeease!.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Ron Moore's Wikipedia entry reads that he parted ways with the WB over a project when "The network tried changing the story (without Moore's approval) until it didn't resemble the original book series." Maybe that's a good sign that he knows what it means to try to follow a book series faithfully?
Love it! My big fear is about the accents also. Fingers crossed!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSierna is so encouraging with her comment about Moore's objection to another series because it didn't resemble the original book series.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Sooz: Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ
Jerry
Carol if at all possible, please please try and get your comments to Ron. I am excited that a series is finally going to be a reality, but I find that everytime I think about it and my heart races its not racing anymore that its finally happening, but its racing in anxiety that they get our characters right!
ReplyDeleteI just found out from your site that they are going to series. I can't beleive that I got so excited about this. Carol -- thanks for keeping the flame lit on this. I totally agree with your comments. Ron Moore seems to have an excellent background...I am a huge Star Trek fan, so I'm feeling real confident about this. Just imagine the great chats we can have about these shows! You and Tracey should host a conference of all your followers so we can get togehter and watch the openening show!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else feel like you're dreams are being exposed and that we'll be sharing them with everyone! Kinda scary. and then Jamie will be on everyone's mind, and not just ours.....It's great for Diana, but I'm not sure if I want to change the view I have in my own head for someone else's. Although, I probably won't be able to resist watching at least one episode.
ReplyDeleteWow - Anon - good point! When everyone is loving Outlander because they're cleaning up at the Emmy's...we're all going to be trying to hide our annoyance with them for being such newbies and not even reading the books!
DeletePS - Side note rant: Speaking of the Emmy's...and being annoyed...could someone please tell me how American Horror Story leads the noms with 17 nods (along with Mad Men) and Evan Peters is not nominated? Tate Langdon IS that show, along with Jessica Lang (made evident by both of them being asked back for Season 2). WHY is he not nominated??
Thanks for commenting, everyone. I've really enjoyed hearing all of your opinions. :) Keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Jamie will be nearly impossible to cast, but I do hope they get it right. Not only does he need to have the perfect accent, height and expressive wide grin and slanted eyes, he has got to be a natural ruddy complexioned red head. don't you think? Just because someone can dye their hair red does not make them look like a real red Jamie.
ReplyDelete