From Page to Screen: The Art of Adaptation
A Screenwriting Workshop at the Museum at Campbell River
More than half of all screenplays are adaptations—drawn from novels, short stories, comics, video games, and more. With rich source material and built-in audiences, adaptation can seem straightforward. But transforming a story from page to screen is an art in itself.
In this workshop, participants will explore the craft of adaptation and the creative challenges of translating prose into screenplay form. We’ll examine why some stories adapt beautifully to film while others resist the process, and how successful adaptations reshape—or even radically reinvent—their source material. Through close comparison of original texts and their film versions, participants will gain insight into film structure, cinematic dialogue, and the mechanics of a strong dramatic scene.
Together we’ll look at adaptations that elevate their originals, and debate the best (and worst) adaptations of all time.
This workshop is ideal for writers, film lovers, and anyone curious about how stories change when they move from page to screen.
Facilitator:
Claire Mulligan, 2026 Writer in Residence at Haig-Brown House
Dates & Time:
January 21 & 28, 4:00–6:00 pm
(4-hour workshop over two weeks)
Cost:
Museum Members: $65
Non-members: $75
Youth (ages 15–30): $25
About the Facilitator
Claire Mulligan holds an MFA in Screenwriting with a focus on adaptation and has over fifteen years’ experience as a story consultant, editor, and creative writing instructor for both screen and prose. Her historical novels The Reckoning of Boston Jim and The Dark have been nominated for the Giller Prize, the BC Book Prize, and the Canadian Authors Award, and her short fiction has won over a dozen awards.
Claire has adapted several of her own short stories—and those of other writers—into short screenplays. Her first produced adaptation, The Still Life of Annika Myers (2019), won multiple audience favourite and acting awards. Her second short film, Obscura, received the 2024 Leo Award for Best Screenwriting and Best Short Film, as well as the Directors Guild of Canada funding award.
She teaches online courses in short fiction, historical fiction, and Greek classics, and also teaches with UVic Continuing Education.
Learn more at www.mulliganmethod.ca
