Recap of MORTAL INSTRUMENTS panel at LA Times Festival of Books

Our friends at Page to Premiere were on hand for the Mortal Instruments panel, which featured Cassandra Clare and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones director Harald Zwart, at the LA Times Festival of Books.

They live-tweeted the entire event and we’ve compiled their tweets below:

We are tweeting from the @cassieclare panel at @latimesfob. She says she was nervous about the book becoming a film. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

. @cassieclare said there was concern about the main character being a girl when trying to sell it to the studios. I was pre Twilight & THG.

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

. @haraldzwart thinks the book is very cool story. He read the script befor he read the book. he read the book he thought it was supercool.

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

When Harald went in for meetings he wanted to bring a lot of the book back to the script. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

When Harald went in for meetings he wanted to bring a lot of the book back to the script. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Harald says that when Clary is first walking around the Institute it’s eye opening for the audience and Clary. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

. @cassieclare said the Institute was her favorite set and that she spent a lot of time walking around the set taking it all in. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Lily Collins was already cast when Harald came on board and Jamie Campbell Bower was in discussions. He flew to London to meet him #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Harald had to really get educated on Simon from @cassieclare to understand him and cast him. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

.@cassieclare said Simon was tough to cast because he has to go through so much. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Harald was looking at footage of someone else for Luke and Aidan Turner happened to be it and he caught Harald’s attention. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

There’s a flashback scene with Luke when Aidan Turner looks particularly hot according to @cassieclare. #tmimovie he’s always hot.

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Lily Collins was the only casting @cassieclare wasn’t involved in. Cassie found out about her casting on Collider. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Suzanne Collin’s told @cassieclare “oh honey, no one wants to see you; they want to see your adorable cast.” #tmimovie #thg

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Harald went back to look at The Exorcist for ideas regarding demons. He mentioned Dorthea specifically. #tmimovie #horror

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

. @cassieclare “don’t touch the mortal cup.” #expensiveprops #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

They just showed the most recent #tmimovie and the response was awesome.

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

They decided to keep Alec and Magnus relationship the same as in the first book. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

We will get to see Magnus heal Alec in the movie. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

There is the benefit of hindsight when filming the movie to put some hints about the future books into City of Bones on screen. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Magnus’s party set was gorgeous according to @cassieclare. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

. @cassieclare was almost an extra on the subway, but she got kicked off by the producer so they could save her for Magnus’s. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

The extras were confused as to why the director kept coming over to talk to @cassieclare during the party shoot #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

They are still working on the film soundtrack. No answers yet. #tmimovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Here are @cassieclare and Harald Zwart on stage @latimesfob #TMImovievia.me/-bik0td8

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

. @cassieclare imagined the Shadowhunters sounding “a little different, a little removed, a little more formal.” #TMImovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

Simon and Isabelle will have “moments” in the movie to set up the series. – @cassieclare#TMImovie

— PageToPremiere.com (@PageToPremiere) April 20, 2013

@MortalMovie was also posting updates:

.@haraldzwart put a scene back in #TMImovie after it had been cut when he found out @cassieclare loved it so much she cried. #BookFest

— City Of Bones (@MortalMovie) April 20, 2013

“I was just wandering around having a great time.” – @cassieclare on her time on set #TMImovie #BookFest

— City Of Bones (@MortalMovie) April 20, 2013

#SuzanneCollins, among many authors, gave @cassieclare advice on being involved with #TMImovie. #BookFest

— City Of Bones (@MortalMovie) April 20, 2013

“Everyone in the audience goes ‘that’s how you pronounce that word!'” – .@cassieclare when talking about steles#TMImovie

— City Of Bones (@MortalMovie) April 20, 2013