Meet Scott Sava, author of Animal Crackers!
Can you tell us about the book to movie adaptation of Animal Crackers? What was it like seeing the film come to life with such incredible actors voicing your characters?
It was amazing! Everything was a first for me.
I flew to London to meet Ian McKellen, New York for Gilbert Gottfried, Wallace Shawn, and Harvey Fierstein , and LA for Emily Blunt , John Krasinski , Danny DeVito, Raven-Symone, Patrick Warburton, and Sylvester Stallone. They each took time to give me advice and encouragement every time I would see them.
We got music from Queen, Michael Buble, Huey Lewis and the News, Howard Jones, and Toad the Wet Sprocket. I got to meet everyone except Queen. The musicians and I really connected on an artistic level. They really understood the creative process.
Was there anything that surprised you in the book to movie adaptation movie process?
We lost the aspect of the kids RESCUING the animals from the circus. My son Brendan volunteers at the zoo and he loves animals. So this was important to us.
But, when Buffalo Bob was the one running the circus . . . we realized that he would NEVER have animals in the circus. So that part went away and I feel we lost a “teachable moment” when that happened.
Do you have a favorite scene in the book or the movie? Is it the same scene?
The “HOLY MOLY HOLY MOLY HOLY MOLY” part where Owen turns into a Hamster at the circus. It’s so cute and I kept it in the screenplay. Seeing John Krasinski shouting “HOLY MOLY” over and over again was just hilarious and it always makes me smile.
Watch the Trailer
About the Book
It was supposed to an exciting, yet normal trip to the circus.
Dangerous stunts, flying acrobats, and even the clowns Uncle Doug hated so much—Owen is itching to see all of it. But when his little sister Zoe, a self-proclaimed animal whisperer, accuses the ringmaster of mistreating the circus animals, the last thing Owen has time to do is to watch the show! With the help of some magical animal crackers that can transform him into a bear, a hippo, or even a hamster, Owen sets out to rescue his kidnapped uncle and sister from the hands of the scheming ringmaster and his circus lackeys.
