Screenwriting: History, Theory, and Practice

by Steven Maras Ph.D.

Overview

Working across contemporary histories of film and screenwriting, and US screenwriting manuals from the 1910s and 1920s, this volume breaks new ground in thinking about the nature of scripting, and how screenwriting took shape as a particular kind of practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781905674817
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	04/22/2009
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Steven Maras is an Associate Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Western Australia.

What People are Saying About This

Adrian Martin

In a remarkable feat of research the author sets out to problematize our understanding of what a script is and what screenwriting involves. The approach is predominantly archeological—the author searches back through history, through the manuals, guide books, publications and other documents in order to establish how many different (and often conflictual) meanings these terms have had. As such it is a study of the discourse(s) of or about screenwriting, a cinema history book, looking at the different ways the script has been positioned in the film industry from the dawn of the twentieth century to today. On this level, the book gives the reader great, exceptional insight. It is lucid and well-expressed, with an original way of dealing with its subject, building on ideas from previous scholars but elaborating them further than has been done before. This is a work of real value and importance and is a great Wallflower book.

— Adrian Martin, Monash University

Jill Nelmes

This is an invaluable text for anyone interested in this field: academic, student or scriptwriter. It is an original work … there is no contemporary text that attempts to cover the study of the screenplay and screenwriting with such depth and breadth. Interesting, substantial and a wonderful addition to academic discourse on the screenplay.

— Jill Nelmes, University of East London

Editorial Reviews

Steven Maras' achievement is to set out a number of parameters and future signposts for focusing "on less well understood aspects of screen discourse", to raise the bar on informed exchanges that acknowledge these little understood aspects.

Global Media Journal - Maryella Hatfield

...should prove a seminal text for the study of screenwriting.

Journal of Screenwriting - Adam Ganz

For film scholars and especially film historians, the rigour and attention to detail in the discussion of the history and evolution of screenwriting practice is invaluable.

Screening the Past - Harry Kirchner

If you want to think seriously about screenwriting, you ought to pick this one up.

Slant Magazine - Tom Stempel

An important and long-overdue contribution to the historiography of screenwriting,

Real Time Arts - Oscar Michaels

...offers ways of thinking about the script beyond simply the blueprint version.

Media International Australia - Nina Seja

...should prove a seminal text for the study of screenwriting.

— Adam Ganz

Journal of Screenwriting

An important and long-overdue contribution to the historiography of screenwriting,

— Oscar Michaels

Real Time Arts

Steven Maras' achievement is to set out a number of parameters and future signposts for focusing "on less well understood aspects of screen discourse", to raise the bar on informed exchanges that acknowledge these little understood aspects.

— Maryella Hatfield

Global Media Journal

For film scholars and especially film historians, the rigour and attention to detail in the discussion of the history and evolution of screenwriting practice is invaluable.

— Harry Kirchner

Screening The Past

If you want to think seriously about screenwriting, you ought to pick this one up.

— Tom Stempel

Slant Magazine

...offers ways of thinking about the script beyond simply the blueprint version.

— Nina Seja

Media International Australia

For film scholars and especially film historians, the rigour and attention to detail in the discussion of the history and evolution of screenwriting practice is invaluable.

— Harry Kirchner

Screening the Past