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Graham Yost on ‘Silo’: Creator Admits Diverging from Books is Part of the Job!

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By Avery Sandridge

Graham Yost on ‘Silo’: Creator Admits Diverging from Books is Part of the Job!

Photo of author

By Avery Sandridge

Ever wondered why your favorite book changes so much when it turns into a TV show? Graham Yost, the adapter of Hugh Howey’s trilogy ‘Silo’ for Apple TV, sheds light on the inevitable transformations a story undergoes as it shifts from page to screen.

The Art of Adapting: From Page to Screen

Adapting a novel for television or film is never a simple cut-and-paste job, and Graham Yost knows this all too well. The third season of ‘Silo’ recently wrapped up on Apple TV, and Yost faced the daunting task of keeping the show engaging while staying true to the source material—well, sort of. According to Yost in an interview for Espinof, some changes are essential when transitioning from a literary work to a visual medium. For instance, Yost found it unimaginable to exclude the protagonist in season three, even though the character doesn’t appear in the second book, which forms the basis of these episodes.

A creative professional working on adapting written material into visual narrative for television production.
The adaptation process requires significant transformation of source material for the screen.

Creator Blessings and Fan Reactions

Interestingly, Hugh Howey, the author of the ‘Silo’ trilogy, has been quite supportive of the adaptations, even when they diverge significantly from the books. Howey’s involvement in the fan fiction community has shaped his view of adaptations. He sees them as extensions of the storytelling community where everyone contributes their own twists and interpretations. This philosophy has allowed Yost and his team considerable creative freedom, within the boundaries Howey set, to reimagine the narrative for television.

Fans of the books, however, have had mixed reactions. Some avid readers have expressed disappointment over the differences between the books and the TV series, voicing their concerns across various platforms, including two dedicated Reddit communities. One community consists of those who have read the books, while the other includes viewers new to ‘Silo’ who prefer to experience the story unfold on screen without spoilers. Yost appreciates both groups, acknowledging that each has a different way of enjoying the series.

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People engaging in online discussion and debate about books and television series adaptations.
Fan communities remain divided on how closely adaptations should follow their source material.

Feedback and Justifications

Yost also shares anecdotes about his friends who, upon reading the books after watching the series, point out the stark differences. His response underscores the nature of his job, which is to transform a written narrative into a compelling television series, a task that involves a large team and often requires significant alterations to the original story. For Yost, these changes are not just part of the job—they’re essential to bringing a static text to dynamic life on screen.

Through all the challenges and criticisms, the adaptation of ‘Silo’ highlights the complex interplay between staying true to the original material and creating an engaging visual experience. As the boundaries of storytelling expand, so too does the understanding of what it means to adapt a story across different mediums.

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