Television Writing

Elliott Research Blog ENGH 302-M26

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CURRENT TRENDS

Welcome to our final blog post on Current Trends within the film and television industry. Today, we will be going  over the value of staying current and how to do so.

        First off, it is important to recognize that the film and television industry is always changing as the mold and harmonious nature of equipment/software, storytelling, and audience engagement reshapes each and every day. Staying up to date in this field is integral to demonstrating to our peers, colleagues, and industry professionals that we are experts in our field and, thus, ready and willing to work. The best way to do so, especially for those of us seeking employment or opportunities in screewnriting, is to scan and remain up to date on news sites and publications. For example, I subscribe to all of the email lists on Variety.com and receive notifictioans on breaking news such as reviews, award season information, celebrity news, film techniques, monetary consumption, scandals, behind-the-scenes, interviews, and general insider information. While I do not take the time out to always read each and every article, keeping up with article titles alone helps to keep me up-to-date and narrow down which articles would be valuable to me as a screenwriter. Lastly, having a presence on social media and showcasing your talents in a public, virtual manner is an extremly helpful way of making yourself and your work known to the public; as we all know, getting opportunities in film and television comes from who you know and not so much what you know.

        Secondly, there are three major current trends within the film and telelvision industry currently that are integral to be aware of: Representation, Social Commentary, and Subscription-Based Content. Representation in film and television refers to being inclusive of characters, actors, and actresses of different and complex backgrounds in regards to areas such as race, gender, and sexuality. This is important because it gives opportunities for kids, teens, and adults to see themselves in a new, positive, and unstereotypical light. Working in conjuction with represntation is Social Commentary which takes more of a political stance and subtly tackles or speaks to an important issue currently present within society or the world. Social Commentary is most important for individuals hoping to instill change within audiences or bring awareness to an issue. Lastly, a big trend within the industry is Subscription-Based Content, which basically refers to any media produced, developed, and created for non-cable based networks such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc. Knowing your audience and unserstanding the market is important for selling and pitching to any consumer-based market.

       I discovered these trends through researching and drawing conclusions from mainstream content I’ve witnessed within these past couple of months. One blog article I referenced is from the Los Angeles Film School titled “5 Emerging Trends in the Film” which was published on May 31, 2017; it argues that practical effects over CGI, online debuts of small-bugget films, increased social commentary, celebrating and incorporating diversity, and handheld shots are the future of the film industry. These current trends are important to staying informed, relevant, and appreciated within the film and television industry, as it will surely lead to wider audience engagement and overall cohesive, complex, and fresh writing styles.

Thank you for joining me on this journey! I hope you all have learned as much as I have and continue to stay up-to-date in the realm of screenwriting. 

Happy Writing!

CITATIONS

1.) “5 Emerging Trends in the Film Industry.” The Los Angeles Film School, 15 Jan. 2018, www.lafilm.edu/blog/5-emerging-trends-film-industry/.

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SCHOLARLY JOURNALS

Greetings! I am so happy to have you join me for our topic on Scholarly Journals! Today we will be looking at two scholarly publications: Critical Studies in Television and Cinema Journal.

CRITICAL STUDIES IN TELEVISION

        Critical Studies in Television is an international, scholarly journal devoted to publishing articles that “draw together divergent disciplines” and different perspectives on thinking; it is published by SAGE Journals. The purpose of this journal is to “promote” and “advance” television as a “distinct academic discipline.” For instance, “Stylistic Convergences Between British Film and American Television: Andrew Haigh’s Looking” is an article featured within the February release of the journal and addresses the transmediality and transnationality of homonormativity and LGBT+ characters in popular television. Critical Studies in Television is released twelve times a year, specifically, it is published once a month. This journal is structured in three parts: the editorial, original articles, and book reviews. In comparison to trade publications, this scholarly journal uses much more sophisticated language that utilizes primary, secondary, and tertiary sources to solidify the argument being made. Based on the authors, contributors, and content of the journal, I believe that this journal is extremely credible and a valuable source of information on television analytics.

CINEMA JOURNAL

        Cinema Journal is a peer-reviewed, scholarly publication of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies (SCMS); it is published quarterly by the University of Texas Press in conjunction with SCMS. The purpose of this scholarly journal is to “foster engaged debate” and “rigorous thinking” amongst scholars in areas of film, television, digital media, and other audiovisual technologies through research on the aesthetic, political, and cultural interpretation in media. “TV, Time, and the Films of Andy Warhol” is an essay that argues that Warhol’s films incorporated a sense of “liveness” through the use of “dead time,” which is an example of the analyses prevalent within this publication. Cinema Journal is structured by a beginning and ending introductory/closing page on the authors and articles of the journal, which is then followed by in-depth, engaging essays, In Focus (a thematic section of short essays), archival news, professional notes, and book reviews. In comparison to trade publications, the language and diction is highly sophisticated, draws from both personal and professional opinons, and utilizes credible sources to reinforce arguments. Based on this, it is safe to say that this publication is highly credible and a value to all individuals hoping to find research on specific topics.

Thank you for tuning in, I hope you all learned some valuable information. Join me next week for our final topic on Current Trends. Happy Writing!

CITATIONS

1.) “About This Journal.” Critical Studies in Television: The International Journal of Television Studies, SAGE Journals, journals.sagepub.com/home/cst.

2.) Cotvriend, Jack. “Stylistic Convergences between British Film and American Television: Andrew Haigh’s Looking.” Critical Studies in Television: The International Journal of Television Studies, SAGE Journals, 25 Feb. 2018, journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1749602017746115.

3.) “Table of Contents: Current Issue.” Critical Studies in Television: The International Journal of Television Studies, SAGE Journals, Mar. 2018, journals.sagepub.com/toc/csta/current.

4.) “Cinema Journal.” Cinema Journal - Society For Cinema and Media Studies, University of Texas Press, www.cmstudies.org/?page=cinema_journal.

5.) “Cinema Journal.” JSTOR, University of Texas Press, 2010, www.jstor.org/stable/i40036200.

6.) “Front Matter.” Cinema Journal, vol. 49, no. 3, 2010. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40800730.

7.) Uhlin, Graig. “TV, Time, and the Films of Andy Warhol.” Cinema Journal, vol. 49, no. 3, 2010, pp. 1–23. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40800731.

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TRADE PUBLICATIONS

Welcome back! I hope everyone has had a productive week of writing. This week will be focusing on Trade Publications essential to the Film and Television industry such as Variety and American Cinematographer.

VARIETY

        Variety is an American entertainment trade magazine and website owned by Penske Media Corporation, an American digital media, publishing, and information services company. The purpose of this publication is to be the premier source of entertainment news for timely, credible, and straightforward news and analysis in show business. Consisting of articles on a range of subjects from film and television to politics and technology, Variety features an array of authors of different backgrounds with Co-Editors-in-Chief Claudia Eller and Andrew Wallenstein. Topics and subject matter consists of breaking news on entertainment such as reviews, box office results, cover stories, videos, and photography. The frequency of the Variety Magazine is delivered and released weekly; meanwhile, the electronic version of Variety releases approximately hundreds of posts a day. In terms of credibility and value to researchers, Variety is extremely beneficial for those attempting to remain up-to-date on information by providing the breaking news from authentic, insider sources. 

AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER

        American Cinematographer is an international cinematography publication and website owned by the American Society of Cinematographers, an organization dedicated to advancing the art and science of cinematography through collaboration and discussion. The purpose of this publication is to promote awareness, engage dialogue, and discuss techniques in the film and television industry as it pertains to cinematography in both professional and amateur filmmaking. American Cinematographer consists of articles on analysis and insider information about the sets, craft, and equipment of cinematography on recent films and/or television. Similar to Variety Magazine, this publication also features several authors per magazine, but each magazine is only authored by three different people with Stephen Pizzello serving as the current executive editor; web content such as blogs, however, is authored by John Bailey, ASC as well as other occasional contributing writers. The American Cinematographer Magazine releases a new publication each month to its subscribers.

Thank you for tuning in, and, as always, join me next week as we move into our conversation on Scholarly Journals! Happy Writing!

CITATIONS

“Variety (Magazine).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variety_(magazine).

“Penske Media Corporation.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penske_Media_Corporation.

“About Us.” Variety, 1 July 2013, variety.com/static-pages/about/.

“Articles: The American Society of Cinematographers.” An International Publication of the ASC, ascmag.com/articles.

“The American Society of Cinematographers.” An International Publication of the ASC, ascmag.com/current-issue.

“American Cinematographer.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Cinematographer.

“The American Society of Cinematographers.” About - The American Society of Cinematographers, theasc.com/asc/about.

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BLOGS

For this week, we will take a glance at blogs dedicated to screenwriting, which could prove to be useful for those of us looking to increase our knowledge on the craft, format, and rules of storytelling. In my research, I have found two blogs that have proven to be worthwhile: “Flying Wrestler” and “Into the Story.”

FLYING WRESTLER

        “Flying Wrestler” is a personally-run blog dedicated to screenwriting in regards to the early stages of concept and development. The blog is created and maintained by Erik Bork, a television writer for HBO miniseries such as BAND OF BROTHERS and FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON; his work on these two shows has awarded him two Emmys and two Golden Globe Awards. In addition to his work as a staff writer for NBC and FOX, Bork has also written feature-length screenplays for Universal, HBO, TNT, and Playtone and also teaches screenwriting for UCLA Extension, National Univesity, and The Writers Store. 

        The intended audience for “Flying Wrestler” are those individuals who are both passionate about screenwriting and looking to further develop their conceptual skills. Bork’s purpose for creating this blog is to share his knowledge of the film and television industry from a writer’s standpoint while offering ways to “sell” a sound and cohesive script. As such, much of the content on this blog revolves around analyzing successful screenplays, drawing on his own experiences, and discussing ways to prepare for jobs or writing assignments in the industry. This much is shown in his recent blog posts I Got This, a post about a short comedy screenplay he wrote that’s debuting at a festival, Screenwriting Outside L.A., a post on the value of living in L.A. as a screenwriter, and Writing Miniseries on Spec, a post dedicated to discussing how to write a speculative script on a limited series. Looking at his post history, it appears that Bork has a rather irregular posting schedule as there are some gaps here and there; however, it seems that he attempts to post four blog posts a month, with each post being a week or so apart.

        “Flying Wrestler” is an amazing resource for those individuals looking to receive professional tips and advice from an established, award-winning screenwriter on how to manage a career in the film and television industry, how to improve one’s own screenwriting skills, or analysis on recent screenplays. If this sounds like you, give Erik Bork’s blog a visit here!

INTO THE STORY

        “Into the Story” is a screenwriting blog dedicated to offering ways to further develop and analyze scripts. The blog is affiliated with and servers under a parent-organization called the Black List, which is a database developed by Franklin Leonard that houses the favorite scripts of hundreds of industry development executives that have not yet been made into feature films. “Into the Story” is personally and solely run by Scott Myers, a writer and producer on films such as K-9, ALASKA, and TROJAN WAR. He also teaches screenwriting at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill which has led to winning the award for Outstanding Instruction from the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.

        The intended audience for “Into the Story” are those individuals seeking interviews, tips, and inspiration on the realm of screenwriting. As such, the purpose of Myers’ “Into the Story” is to increase, encourage, and nourish the skills of aspiring screenwriters within the film industry. Based on Myers’ recent articles Reader Question: How do I ‘find’ the characters in my stories? and Script Analysis: “Mudbound” - Part 2: Plot, it is safe to say that the author is keen on audience engagement and utilizing real-world examples to speak to important components in screenwriting. This is shown through how often Myers updates his website with a whopping FIVE blog posts A DAY. 

        Scott Myers’ commitment to developing professional and creative screenwriters along with their respective works proves that “Into the Story” is an incredible source for those individuals looking to develop any aspect of their writing, whether it be career-related or personally-related. Check out his incredibly resourceful blog here!

Thank you for tuning in, and, as always, don’t forget to join me next week on our discussion about Trade Publications. Happy Writing!

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Eminent Scholars

Through understanding the role of scholars and experts in the realm of television and film as it relates to education, one can identify, learn, and appreciate the cinematic process both through field-work and analysis. Two professors that stand out at George Mason University and are educators under the Film and Video Studies are Hans Charles and Cynthia Fuchs. Both of these professors specialize in different areas but seek to collaborate and educate students through intensive research and hands-on experience.

Hans Charles

Hans Charles is a Film and Video Studies professor at George Mason University teaching cinematography through cross-disciplinary philosophy. Charles attended Morehouse College from 1994-1998 for French Language and Literature and received an Associate of Arts. He received a Master of Fine Arts in 2011 from Howard University in Cinematography and Film/Video Production. Following the completion of his Master's degree, Charles continued at Howard University as a lecturer in cinematography and film editing for five months. Two years later, Charles began as an associate professor in cinematography at George Mason University where he, along with Giovanna Chesler and Lisa Thrasher, spearheaded the development of the Mason Film Lab, an opportunity for students to work on a film directed by a different notable industry professional each semester. From 2012-2013, Charles then served as a camera operator under BET’s television show “The Game.” Concurrently working as an educator, Charles has worked on a multitude of films since 2007 serving as a camera loader, first and second assistant camera operator, and director of photography. Most notably, Hans Charles was the cinematographer of Netflix’s “13th,” a documentary depicting the prison system as it relates to the history of racial inequality. “13th” was directed by esteemed Ava DuVernay, and was nominated for an Oscar and an Emmy. Currently, he is on sabbatical to work on BET’s new network television show “The Start-Up.” Hans Charles’ contributions to the Film and Video Studies program at George Mason University has assisted in naming George Mason University the number one college for Film and Photography in Virginia.

Cynthia Fuchs

Cynthia Fuchs is the director of Film and Media Studies at George Mason University and an associate professor of English, Film and Video Studies, African and African-American Studies, Sport and American Culture, and Women and Gender Studies. In 1989, Fuchs received her Ph.D. from the University of Philadelphia after completing her dissertation on gender, performance, and representation in film; preceding this achievement, she received the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by Graduate Students in 1987. In addition to being an educator, Fuchs writes film and media reviews for the Philadelphia City Paper and Addicted to Noise. She is also a film and television review editor and critic at PopMatters, an international online magazine of “cultural criticism.” Fuchs has researched for several selected publications featuring dialogue on war, race, gender, sexuality, sports, and other cultural analyses as they relate to film such as “A Few Brief Moments: Truth and Image in Sports Documentaries.” She has edited Spike Lee: Interviews (University of Mississippi Press, 2002), Iraq War Cultures (Peter Lang, 2011), and Between the Sheets, In the Streets: Queer, Lesbian, and Gay Documentary (University of Minnesota, 1997). Currently, Cynthia Fuchs is researching and writing a book on post-9/11 war documentaries. Since her time at George Mason University and along with her work on film analysis, Cynthia Fuchs has contributed immensely to the understanding of film analysis as it relates to intersectionality which has led to the promotion of inclusion and understanding amongst members of the film community. 

To conclude, Hans Charles’ and Cynthia Fuchs’ contributions as an educator has led to a significant understanding of film production and analysis. Through their continued work both in the field and as researchers, students will continue to learn and recognize the importance of visual mediums and intersectionality from notable industry professionals.

CITATIONS

1.) “Hans Charles.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/name/nm2648344/.

2.) “13th.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt5895028/?ref_=nm_flmg_cin_7.

3.) “Hans Charles.” LinkedIn, LinkedIn.com, www.linkedin.com/in/hans-charles-ab4a3437/.

4.) “Faculty/Staff – Film and Video Studies.” Film and Video Studies, George Mason University, favs.gmu.edu/facultystaff/.

5.) “College of Humanities and Social Sciences.” Cynthia Fuchs, George Mason University, english.gmu.edu/people/cfuchs.

6.) “Cynthia Fuchs.” PopMatters, PopMatters.com, www.popmatters.com/community/cynthia_fuchs.

7.) “Cynthia Fuchs.” Department of English, University of Pennsylvania, 1 Jan. 1990, www.english.upenn.edu/people/cynthia-fuchs.

8.) “PopMatters.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Feb. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PopMatters.

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Discourse Community & Professional Associations

My name is Rhyan Elliott and I’m a sophomore at George Mason University studying Film and Video Studies with a concentration in Screenwriting and a minor in Business. My intended purpose of this blog is to inform incoming students within the FAVS program about their field of study. Since I have declared my concentration in Screenwriting, my chief goal is to assist those students pursuing a career path with hopes of writing in film or television industry. Specifically, my goal is to become a television writer, so this blog will heavily focus on television writings and, in part, its similarities or differences to film. Two professional associations that are directly related to television and film are Delta Kappa Alpha, a student-based organization, and the Writers Guild of America, a career-based entity.

Delta Kappa Alpha

The first professional association related to cinematic pursuits is Delta Kappa Alpha, a national, gender-inclusive, professional cinematic arts fraternity. The purpose of this organization is to foster lifelong character, collaborative and creative storytelling, ethical and productive business practices, philanthropic action, and fraternal bonds by and between students of the cinematic arts. To become a member of Delta Kappa Alpha, you must be a student at an applicable college or university, submit an application demonstrating your interest in the fraternity, participate in the “rush” events, and complete the pledging process; generally, the organization assesses the prospective member’s alignment, character, and motivation. As a result of seeking and attaining membership to Delta Kappa Alpha, members benefit from being a part of a national, collaborative community that encourages and focuses on professional development and industry education. This is primarily done through bulletin boards hosting opportunities on jobs, internships, and crew positions, as well service opportunities, leadership development, collegiate scholarships, and experience in production. Internal communications between members at a ‘chapter’ are generally conducted through secretarial duties, weekly Chapter meetings, and email or social media correspondence. The weekly Chapter meetings tend to consist of an organized governmental structure featuring a set of rules that members must adhere to in times of voting or updating members on their positions’ progress and upcoming events. The national organizational structure that oversees individual Chapters, however, communicate through emails or the member area of the official national website found on virtual bulletin boards. Each year, a national conference is held during the summer at either the birthplace of Delta Kappa Alpha or at the university of a chapter. Typically, conferences held at the birthplace of Delta Kappa Alpha are intended to celebrate the history of the fraternity and to nurture fraternal bonds between members at different chapters. Other conference meetings are typically held to conduct and discuss business matters on a national level. To conclude, Delta Kappa Alpha is a heavily beneficial student organization to get involved with during one’s college career through its range of professional, goal-oriented opportunities and networking events.

Writers Guild of America

The second professional association related to cinematic pursuits, specifically as related to writing for television and film, is the Writers Guild of America (WGA). The Writers Guild of America is a labor union comprised of thousands of writers who write content for creative development. Primarily, the WGA duty is to represent its members in negotiations through any creative projects requiring a contract, which can include the crediting of writers in film, television, and news programs. With this is the registration of intellectual property with the WGA Registry, the world’s leading screenplay registration service. The Writers Guild of America was chiefly established to provide an administrative baseline for creative writers’ pension and health coverage and to protect financial and creative rights. Additionally, the Writers Guild sets forth to pursue writers’ interests through legislation, international agreements, and public relations. To become a member of the Writers Guild of America, one must earn a certain amount of units to attain current (full) membership or associate (partial) membership. Two fully be considered a full member of the Writers Guild of America, a writer must acquire at least 24 units within three years before submitting their application. Upon approval, a one-time initiation fee of $2500 is due. To attain partial membership, a writer must have had writing employment or sales within the jurisdiction of the Guild under a signatory company, but without meeting the 24 units requirement before submitting an application. Upon approval, a fee of $100 per year is billed to the associate member. There is no limit on age or status of those individuals able to join the Writers Guild of America so long as they are able to meet the requirements of either full or partial membership. In addition to the protections put forth by the policies of the Writers Guild of America, members also benefit from seminars, panel discussions, and special events sponsored by the Writers Guild. Additionally, it is the WGA’s job to monitor, collect, and distribute millions of dollars in residuals to writers every year. To conclude, the Writers Guild of America is a necessary entity for writers to receive and ensure fair working conditions, benefits, and protection of rights for intellectual property.

Although finding a path into the film and television industry as it relates to writing may be difficult, joining Delta Kappa Alpha and becoming a member of the Writers Guild of America could prove extremely helpful in aiding one’s career through established networking platforms and the protection of one’s rights in contract negotiations. To further understand the importance of discourse communities and professional associations, researching notable scholars and their work within the community will prove to be helpful in continuing one’s path into the industry.

CITATIONS

1.) “Recruitment and "What We Look For".” Delta Kappa Alpha, dka.org/join-us/prospective-members/what-we-look-for/.

2.) “What is DKA?” GMU Delta Kappa Alpha, www.gmudka.org/menu/.

3.) “Guide to the Guild.” Writers Guild of America, West, Writers Guild of America, www.wga.org/uploadedFiles/who_we_are/fyi15.pdf.