As a director, Guillermo Del Toro is accomplished at utilizing high-tech special effects in his films. As a communicator, he’s comfortable in chat rooms and message boards. When adapting a book to a screenplay, however, he prefers good old-fashioned “low tech” methods that include highlighter pens and 3×5 index cards:

“In the age of computers, the CARDING system for structural purposes may seem like an archaism. I have actually used it most every time I adapt a BOOK. It is a GREAT second exercise in excerpting AFTER the Highlighter pass…

…I promise to scan and make accessible the entire card set and EVERY available piece of adaptation paperwork we generate and can clear with the DVD department when The Hobbit is finally released in the home video format.”

As Guillermo has found bits of free time, he’s been kind enough to share this and other exciting revelations with us on our Hobbit Movie Discussion Board. Go here to read the rest of his entry on adapting books, and go here to register on the Message Boards and join in the discussions with Guillermo!