Skip to content

Question Tuesday: The Fault in Our Stars Movie Edition

2013-10-22 · John · watch on YouTube · Books & writing · conversation qa

John answers Nerdfighters' questions about the film of The Fault in Our Stars (shooting just finished, release June 6), then argues against Hank that the urge to collaborate, not curiosity, is the most important human trait.

What is said

00:00:00 — Question Tuesday on the TFIOS film: never expected a movie, crying on set, John's role, June 6 release, editing, not his movie, Troye Sivan's song, faithfulness, read the book first, kissing scenes

  • ★★ John never thought The Fault in Our Stars would become a movie: Hollywood rarely makes love stories about disabled teenagers, with a lead wearing a nasal cannula in every scene; he is delighted. — 00:00:00 · The Fault in Our Stars, The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★ John confirms he cried a lot on the movie set, because, without spoilers, there are some sad parts. — 00:00:00 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★ John says he will be in the movie unless his scene is cut, in a 'really important role' he is not yet allowed to reveal. (playful) (hedged) — 00:00:29 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★ John doubts that what he did on set counts as acting, and expects nobody to suggest a screen career once they see the film. (playful) (hedged) — 00:00:29
  • ★★★ The film comes out on June 6 in the US; John does not yet know the international dates. — 00:00:29 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★ John asks viewers to put the release date in their calendars, because a film's success is now judged largely by how many people see it in the first 24 hours. — 00:00:29 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★ Shooting finished five days ago; the film now has to be edited, which is when it really becomes a movie and takes a long time; it is held for June as summer fare. — 00:00:58 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★★ John stresses he is not a producer and the film is not his movie: he is not its director, producer, casting director, music supervisor or actor. — 00:01:27 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★ Whether Troye Sivan's song about TFIOS goes on the soundtrack is not John's decision, though he loves the song. — 00:01:27
  • ★★★ The movie is not the same as the book and should not be: a film tells a visual story, a book a textual one. (hedged) — 00:01:27 · The Fault in Our Stars, The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★ Even so, John thinks the script was a very faithful adaptation, one of the most faithful he has read. (hedged) — 00:01:56 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★ Adapting his own Paper Towns into a screenplay, John had the main character pursue an entirely different girl than in the book, so he may not be the best judge of faithfulness. (playful) — 00:01:56 · Paper Towns
  • ★★ John, admitting he is biased, says viewers should definitely read the book before seeing the movie. (playful) — 00:01:56 · The Fault in Our Stars, The Fault in Our Stars (film)

00:02:26 — Funky Bones recreated in Pittsburgh with help from the artist and Sarah; Sarah leaves the Indianapolis Museum of Art to host The Art Assignment for PBS Digital

  • ★★ Indianapolis landmarks were recreated in Pittsburgh by set designers; Funky Bones was rebuilt with help from the artist and Sarah, who flew out to check it, and up close John could not tell it from the real one. — 00:02:26 · Indianapolis, Sarah Urist Green, The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★★ Sarah is leaving her job at the Indianapolis Museum of Art to curate and host The Art Assignment, a show with PBS Digital; John jokes he should have said so weeks ago. — 00:02:26 · Sarah Urist Green

00:02:55 — Shailene as Hazel; films as massive collaboration; cooperation, not curiosity, as the most important human trait (reply to Hank); sign-off

  • ★★ To people saying Shailene is too attractive to play Hazel, John replies he is offended on Hazel's behalf: the book never says she is not attractive. — 00:02:55 · Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault in Our Stars
  • ★★ John used to think films were about actors, directors, producers and maybe a cinematographer; he had not understood that everyone in the credits is vital. — 00:02:55
  • ★★★ Massive collaboration of hundreds of people makes movies possible, which is why John argues the urge to collaborate, not curiosity, is the most important human trait. (hedged) — 00:03:24 · collective action
  • ★★★ Many animals are curious, John argues, but only humans can cooperate to make online communities, space telescopes, Imaginariums and movies. (hedged) — 00:03:24 · collective action
  • ★★ The great thrill of the film experience was seeing humanity do what John thinks it does best: not competing but cooperating, though we do compete a lot. (hedged) — 00:03:24 · collective action, The Fault in Our Stars (film)
  • ★★ John tells Hank directly he disagrees: cooperation, not curiosity, though he might be wrong and Hank, usually right, is probably right. (hedged) — 00:03:24 · collective action

Humor (significant)

  • Asked whether, having acted in a movie, he would consider a career in film or television. — 00:00:29 > «Is a question that people will not be asking me after they see the movie.»
  • John explains the June release as typical summer blockbuster fare. — 00:00:58 > «it's like Iron Man 4, but without Robert Downey Jr. or Iron Man.»
  • Asked whether the movie is exactly the same as the book. — 00:01:27 > «the movie is made out of, like, pictures and sound, whereas the book is made entirely of scratches on a page.»
  • John admits his own Paper Towns screenplay had the hero pursue a different girl. — 00:01:56 > «so I might not be the best mayor of Faithful Adaptation Town.»

Threads in this video

Replies to

BR2_b9412ce9b1