Abstract
Despite contrary and eminently reasonable claims of many prominent experts in the field of screenwriting, such as Syd Field, we side with those who take the position that screenwriting can be an art form in and of itself; and we argue that, if the writing is approached and practised as an art, immeasurable benefits accrue. This is not to say that the writing of the screenplay is an end in itself, but that the approach to the writing can have wide-ranging influence on the quality of a finished film.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, W. and Coppola, R. (2011) Moonrise Kingdom, New York: Faber & Faber Film.
Ball, A. (1999) American Beauty, New York: Newmarket Press.
Batty, C. and Waideback, Z. (2008) Writing for the Screen: Creative and Critical Approaches, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Coen, J. and Coen, E. (2000) O Brother, Where Art Thou? New York: Faber & Faber.
de Weille, K. (2009) ‘How We Are Changed by the Rhythms of Poetry’ in The Writer’s Chronicle, 42(1), https://www.awpwriter.org/magazine_media/writers_chronicle_view/2009/how_we_are_changed_by_the_rhythms_of_poetry.
Field, S. (2006) The Screenwriter’s Workbook (revd edn), New York: Bantam Dell.
Goldman, W. (2001) Which Lie Did I Tell? More Adventures in the Screen Trade, New York Vintage Books.
Holden, S. (2012) ‘A Rowdy Tale, Told by Cellphone Cameras’ in The New York Times, 29 November, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/movies/king-kelly-a-satire-of-lust-for-internet-fame.html?_r=0 [accessed 5 November, 2013].
Krasny, M. (ed.) (2004) Toward the Open Field: Poets on the Art of Poetry, 1800–1950, Middlewown, CT: Wesleyan University Press.
Longenbach, J. (2008) The Art of the Poetic Line, Minneapolis, MN: Graywolf Press.
Perkins, D. (ed.) (1967) English Romantic Writers, New York: Harcourt, Brace & World Inc.
Riley, C. (2009) The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style (2nd ed.), Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions.
Scott, A.O. (2013) ‘Twirling in Oklahoma, a Dervish for Love: Terrence Malick’s To the Wonder, with Ben Affleck’ in The New York Times, 11 April, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/movies/terrence-malicks-to-the-wonder-with-ben-affleck.html [accessed 5 November, 2013].
Shyamalan, M.N. (1997) The Sixth Sense, Berwyn, PA: Blinding Edge Pictures.
Stevens, W. (1957) Opus Posthumous, New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Trottier, D. (2002) Dr. Format Answers Your Questions, Cedar Hills, UT: Applewood Arts.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2014 Elisabeth Lewis Corley and Joseph Megel
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Corley, E.L., Megel, J. (2014). White Space: An Approach to the Practice of Screenwriting as Poetry. In: Batty, C. (eds) Screenwriters and Screenwriting. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137338938_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137338938_2
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-46424-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-33893-8
eBook Packages: Palgrave Media & Culture CollectionLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)