Book to Movie Plan - Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki

The goal of our group was to formulate a movie plan based on our book.
The author's viewpoint statement is as follows:
The author's viewpoint of Farewell to Manzanar is that the internment of the Japanese people in America was not only wrong, unjust and unconstitutional, but it scarred the Japanese families and practically tore apart their sense of normality and acceptance in the country. I know this because of the certain moments the author captured in her book, such as the break down of her family and her fathers madness, along with the self conscious thoughts she had once she was released from the internment. The author argues opposing arguments by saying the government tried to rationalize the internment and make it seem like the Japanese didn't care and weren't affected by it when they actually were.

Casting:
-Sara ****(name restricted for safety) as Jeanne because she has experience with repressed roles in plays.
-Sara would be directed to act innocent byut also insightful and determined to fit in
-Dakota Fanning as Radine because she has experience with self absorbed, confident roles
-Dakota would be directed to act very self confident and radiant, and kind but weary of Jeanne's race
-Jackie Chan as Jeanne's father because he has experience with beign a parental figure and showing aggression
-Jack would be directed to act distant from his family, half crazy, aggresive and short tempered.

Sound/Music:
-Sad music when Jeanne's father is taken from their home
-Suspenceful music when the family is entering camp
-Good, happy music when the family leaves camp
-Silence when father is raging and hitting Jeanne's mom/when he is yelling/acting crazy
-Lonely music when Jeanne is watching Radine be so successful
-Scary music when the army comes to take Jeanne's father from their home

Set/Costumes:
-Film the movie at the old Manzanar site or somewhere near it
-The actors/actresses should wear hand-me-downs and "recycled" clothing
-In the background there should be little barracks, the blocks that the barracks were on and the bordering fence in the distance.
-When the father is taken from home, the camera work should be fast and the points of view should switch rapidly.
-When the family is entering the camp, the camera should to close ups of their faces showing the fear and worry the actors/actresses are expressing

General Directing/Editting:
-Lots of screen time spent on the father going crazy and yelling and drinking
-Less screen time spent on Woody's optimism
-Transition between scenes with the number of days they've been in the camp
-Spend more screen time on Jeanne's inner thoughts about self consciousness after they are released from camp
-Lots of screen time on Jeanne's family falling apart.
-Show the family once their out of the camp and they're having a really hard time fitting back in to society.