Hypable hit the set of The Mortal Instruments movie last year to speak with the cast and author of the highly-anticipated book to film adaptation.

In this first part of our report, Clare discusses which set piece she thought was perfect, what advice she gave the actors, and working with director Harald Zwart.

During our time on the set of The Mortal Instruments, we had the opportunity to speak to several of the actors and see the costume department, the props and stand in the City of Bones itself. Everything we saw only increased our excitement for the film. Every person we spoke to on the set was excited to share how they created the prop, the artwork, the set piece or the costume.

The best part about our set visit was that we spent the day with Cassandra Clare, who expressed her excitement about everything going on around us. When asked if there was a character, costume, or set piece that was exactly how she pictured it, Clare said, “I think the first time that I saw the City of Bones, I thought wow, this is exactly how I pictured it. It’s…I don’t want to say too much about it, but it’s really amazing and incredibly detailed. Every little tiny piece of the set is different and it really felt like a real place to me.”

The Mortal Instruments series is a worldwide sensation and readers are anxiously awaiting the film. There is always a question of whether the film will live up to the readers’ expectations. When asked what the film could offer readers, Clare said, “Well I think that a film always adds another layer of meaning to a story the same way than a play adaptation or a piece of music inspired by a story adds another layer of meaning. A film is an interpretation of a book and so I think that it will provide people with an opportunity to see another interpretation to the book.”

Pictured above: Clare (center) and website writers on The Mortal Instruments set

For all authors, giving up control of their work to a screenwriter is challenging. Clare, a self-proclaimed ‘control freak,’ found it difficult. “It is difficult to let go of a story and let someone else take over, you know with their interpretation of it, but working with Constantin has been really great. They’ve certainly talked to me a lot, taken my opinion into account, and thought about the things that I have said. And at the end of the day, I am also excited, just as my readers are, to see the final product and ready to be surprised.”

The film is directed by Harald Zwart, known most recently for directing The Karate Kid remake. Zwart isn’t your typical fantasy director, but Clare still feels he is the right man for the job. “I think Harald is the right director for this film because he is actually not a fantasy guy in the sense that he hasn’t done fantasy movies before. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t like fantasy. He is a fan, but he comes at the project from the point of view of someone who has always concentrated on the emotional relationships between characters in his work and so, in these stories, he does the same, he concentrates on the emotional work between the characters, their different relationships. He’s very committed to underlining that every character has a relationship with every other character, and I think it’s that kind of basis that’s required to make a fantasy feel real.”

As far as favorite scenes go for the film, Clare says it is a toss-up between Magnus’ party, which she has a cameo in, and the greenhouse scene between Clary and Jace. Which of these two scenes are you most looking forward to?

The Mortal Instruments releases in theaters on August 21.

Tomorrow we will share our interview with Jamie Campbell Bower.