Revised Proposal

Proposal for Capstone I
TO: Scott Abbott, Mark Jeffries, Jans Wager (tentatively), Dr. Julie Nichols.
FROM: Benjamin Lewis
DATE: May 3, 2011
SUBJECT: Proposal to complete a finished screenplay that comments on genre.

Statement of Thesis and Project Summary
With my emphases in English (particularly creative writing and critical literature) and Cinema Studies, the most effective way that I believe I can exercise all that I have learned is by writing a screenplay that makes a statement on the medium. The screenplay naturally springs from the creative writing and script writing that form equal parts of both of my emphases, but I believe that it is important to include the other half of my studies in film and English, and have something to say about the literature of film.
The screenplay will detail the life progression of the main character, Johnny, and the several shifts in his mental development. To designate the shifts in his world view, genre shifts will occur, where the movie will follow stereotypical or common tropes and trends of certain genres that portray his morals or struggles at any given time in the script. Broadly, the script will use the progression of Fantasy, War, and Dark Urban Drama, before finally ending on life-told-backwards Dramas (like Forrest Gump), that have moments that synthesize whole life experiences.
The genre shifts are intended to be blatant. In fact, they will be the most noticeable aspect of the script. This examination is meant to have the reader or audience experiencing several changes in their expectations for the movie, creating a deeper sense of genre awareness.
To make it clear that genre changes are occurring, I will use common elements from movies of these genres and make explicit references to them, whether in music suggestion, direct quotation or parody. While I intend the script to be direly serious at times, this deliberate attention to genre will naturally create an awareness in the reader that will lend itself to humor, despite dark themes.

Review of the Idea
The main goal of this project is to create a finished script. I went into English as my major when I first entered college because I wanted to learn how to write stories. I haven’t yet lost that goal, but I have learned about many other important things that are incredibly valuable to me. Since academics have taken priority, I have only been able to focus on creative writing minimally. This is my attempt to marry the skills I learned as a writing student and the knowledge and concepts I learned as a critical literature and social awareness student.
I was first introduced to the academic side of mixing genres while in Jans Wager’s Film Theory class while discussing Film Noir. In class we discussed whether Film Noir was accepted as a genre or as something else. One of the most intriguing discussions was how Film Noir was used in the film Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945), and how Film Noir was contrasted with what might be called a Domestic Drama, both inside the same film, but at different times. This marrying of themes and techniques made a film that was so powerful and lasting that it has been revived now, more than 50 years later, as a television miniseries on HBO (http://www.hbo.com/mildred-pierce/index.html).
I have since wondered how much genre affects a viewer’s watching experience. Audiences are aware of the genre of film they choose to watch, and they have basic expectations for what will be involved. When these expectations are met, the movie is received, but when they are exceeded, the movie is lauded. When these expectations are not met, the movie is not often well received. With this in mind, I wonder how much a casual viewer is aware of his own expectations in his viewing experience. Questions like: what makes the film Lilya 4-Ever (Lukas Moodysson, 2002) “brutal and realistic” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilya_4-ever) when it is just as imagined as Short Circuit (John Badum, 1986).
Included at the end of this proposal is an annotated bibliography that outlines the sources I currently intend to use for my genre bases and my screenwriting techniques.

Preliminary Outline
Johnny, a typical media-drenched American teenager, has his life thrown upside down when he is drafted in a sudden war of aggression with China. His optimistically youthful outlook on life is shattered, and Johnny is forced to change his perspective on life repeatedly, through comparisons with movies, until he can finally find a compromise that he can live with.—The pitch.
The beginning of the script takes Johnny from his idyllic suburban home to the war front. These sequences will emphasize the genres of Fantasty and War through The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Peter Jackson, 2001), Spiderman (Sam Raimi, 2002), Platoon (Oliver Stone, 1986), and The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008). In this part of the movie his expectations for life and morals are formed and crushed. He is left mostly empty without these fantasies of faith.
The second act will take Johnny through a series of more domestic challenges represented by the movies like Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008), Crash (Paul Haggis, 2004), and The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946). Possibly The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972). In this main section of the movie, Johnny is made aware of how imperfect his pre-war life was. His hopes for a return to innocence are blasted and he attempts to navigate a world that he doesn’t trust. The major issues here will be the death of Johnny’s father while Johnny was away; the revelation that his mother is less than perfect; and the tempting life his brother offers. Naturally, all of the movies that are reviewed are more domestic and neighborhood oriented, even if extraordinary things happen in them.
The final act will bring the conflict between himself and his brother to a head, and he will have to decide what sort of a life he wants. He realizes that life is not black and white, but also that it is not necessarily more black than white. Forest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994), It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946), The Road Home (YiMou Zhang, 2000) and Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood, 2004) are all potential candidates for emphasizing the synthesis. Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950) is a definite inclusion. With the exception of Million Dollar Baby, all of these films are about life told backwards, They all begin with the ending and they have a sort of acceptance that seems to create a full meaning out of a full life. Million Dollar Baby is only has that factor in retrospect, when you realize the narrator is not merely a disembodied voice, but a deliberate story teller; however, it too has a wise eye that refuses the idea of complete hopelessness.
 
Works Cited
Berliner, Todd. "The Genre Film as Booby Trap: 1970s GenreBending and The French Connection." Cinema Journal 40.3 (2001): 25-46. Print. A critical review of the topic of genre bending. Berliner reviews how movie makers have tried to bend the system before and how they did. He even discusses how far a filmmaker goes before he is not just bending genres, but breaking them.
Cramer, Kris. "Kris Cramer – author & screenwriter." Kris Cramer – author & screenwriter. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. . This entire website is loaded with good information. Techniques, tips, and a lot of professional experience.
Crash (Widescreen Edition). Dir. Paul Haggis. Perf. Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton. Lions Gate Films, 2004. Film. An illustration of Johnny's experience in real life.
Dancyger, Ken, and Jeff Rush. Alternative scriptwriting: successfully breaking the rules. 4th ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Focal Press, 2007. Print. A How-to book with alternatives to the three-act structure. Since I want to write a challenging structure, this will prove as a useful guide rail.
Eisele, John. "The Wild East: Deconstructing the Language of Genre in the Hollywood Eastern." Cinema Journal 41.4 (2002): 68-94. Print. Eisele discusses the "Eastern" and how Hollywood has stood by this stereotype. I intend to apply its principles to genre stand-bys.
Forrest Gump [VHS]. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise. Paramount, 1995. VHS. An illustration for Johnny's reaction to life's spectrum of experiences.
Gates, Tudor. Scenario the craft of screenwriting. London: Wallflower, 2002. Print. "Presents a system of logical analysis of the basic structures of successful screenplays." I intend to use it as a measuring stick to avoid as much as I dare.
Gorman, David. "Modern Genre Theory." Poetics Today 22.4 (2001): 853-861. Print. An extended article on how genres have developed and been theorized throughout criticism. I can use this to help me further understand genre and how it is used.
Hauge, Michael. Writing screenplays that sell . New York, NY: HarperPerennial, 1991. Print. Has an extensive section on protecting written material, finding venues to sell, and the life style of a screenwriter. Though dated before the digital age, the copy writing and pre-sell prepping is still valid.
It's a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. Perf. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore. Paramount, 1946. Film. An illustration of Johnny's acceptance of life.
Landrum, Jason. "Rethinking Genre Theory." Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media 48.1 (2007): 109-111. Project Muse. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. A review of Barry Langford's "Film Genre: Hollywood and Beyond," Landrum explains Langford's concepts. These will help me to understand how genre is being discussed.
Meyers, Ashley. "SellingYourScreenplay.com — Practical tips and advice about how to sell your screenplay." SellingYourScreenplay.com — Practical tips and advice about how to sell your screenplay. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2011. . An excellent website with a lot of good, practical advice and a personal manner. She has experience.
Million Dollar Baby. Dir. Clint Eastwood. Perf. Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood. Warner Home Video, 2004. Film. An illustration of Johnny's acceptance of life.
Platoon. Dir. Oliver Stone. Perf. Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe. Mgm (Video & Dvd), 1986. Film. An illustration of Johnny's war experience.
Rashomon. Dir. Akira Kurosawa. Perf. Toshiro Mifune. Criterion, 1950. Film. An illustration of Johnny's acceptance of life.
Slumdog Millionaire. Dir. Danny Boyle. Perf. Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla. Twentieth Century Fox, 2008. Film. An Illustration on Johnny's adaptation to real life.
Spider-Man (Widescreen Special Edition). Dir. Sam Raimi. Perf. Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe. Sony Pictures, 2002. Film. An illustration of Johnny's innocent beginning.
Suite101. "Developing Memorable Characters:: 45 Questions to Create Backstories." Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. . A short list to help develop characters from names into people. Very useful for defining character motivations, which means action, in a movie.
The Best Years of Our Lives. Dir. William Wyler. Perf. Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy. Mgm (Video & Dvd), 1946. Film. An illustration of Johnny's experience of life after the war.
The Godfather (Widescreen Edition). Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan. Paramount, 2004. DVD. An illustration of Johnny's reactions to morally questionable decisions.
The Hurt Locker. Dir. Kathryn Bigelow. Perf. Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty. Summit Entertainment, 2008. Film. An Illustration of Johnny's war experience.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Widescreen Edition). Dir. Peter Jackson. Perf. Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom. New Line Home Video, 2001. Film. An illustration of Johnny's innocent beginning.

Proposal

Proposal for Capstone I
TO: Scott Abbott, Mark Jeffries, Jans Wager (tentatively), Dr. Julie Nichols (tentatively).
FROM: Benjamin Lewis
DATE: April 25, 2011
SUBJECT: Proposal to complete a finished screenplay that comments on genre and how expectation, not unique content, shape movie experiences.
Statement of Thesis and Project Summary
I intend to mix my studies of literature, film theories, and creative writing to create a script that will entertain, challenge genre stereotypes, and be accepted in a professional contest or other reviewing process. To achieve this, I have an expanding bibliography of sources that will help me investigate and emulate acceptable screenplay writing form and accessible genres. I will then attempt to comment on basic film genres through the script’s narrative to create an experience that makes the views (reader) aware of the genre at play at any given moment, and to create a new experience from that awareness. While the film theory involved may not be cutting edge, my research will be a valuable tool for strengthening my skills as a creative writer, and may give me more of a chance when trying to begin a professional writing life style, which is also goal in creative writing studies.
Review of Literature
The main goal of this project is to create a finished script. I entered into English as my major when I first entered college because I wanted to learn how to write stories. I haven’t yet lost that goal, but I have learned about many other important things that are incredibly valuable to me. Since academics have taken priority, I have only been able to focus on creative writing minimally. This is my attempt to marry the skills I learned as a writing student and the knowledge and concepts I learned as a critical literature and social awareness student.
I was first introduced to the academic side of mixing genres while in Jans Wager’s Film Theory class while discussing Film Noir. In class we discussed whether Film Noir was accepted as a genre or as something else. One of the most intriguing discussions was how Film Noir was used in the film Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945), and how Film Noir was contrasted with what we call a Domestic Drama, both inside the same film, but at different times. This marrying of themes and techniques made a film that was so powerful and lasting that it has been revived now, more than 50 years later, as a television miniseries on HBO (http://www.hbo.com/mildred-pierce/index.html).
I have since wondered how much genre affects a viewer’s watching experience. Audiences are aware of the genre of film they choose to watch, and they have basic expectations for what will be involved. When these expectations are met, the movie is received, but when they are exceeded, the movie is lauded. When these expectations are not met, the movie is not often well received. With this in mind, I wonder how much a casual viewer is aware of his own expectations in his viewing experience. Included at the end of this proposal is an annotated bibliography that outlines the sources I currently intend to use for my genre bases and my screenwriting techniques.

Preliminary Outline
I will examine different genres and place them along the three-act arc that most movies follow as they are most effective. For example, the fantasy genre is notorious, to me at least, for having obvious conflict set-ups from idyllic beginnings. This will progress to a thriller, to a gangster movie, to a war movie, and settle again on a domestic compromise conclusion. Not only do these progressions move through genres in a basic degree of rising action, but they also comment on, perhaps, the development in the perception of reality, taking us from make believe to the darkest sides of human nature, and finally settling on a compromise that can be lived with.
This will be accomplished during the next several weeks, reaching conclusion on May 31, when it will be prepared and submitted to The Film Makers International Screenwriting Awards 2011 competition. I don’t expect to create a major award winning script because my content will be fairly chaotic, but I hope to at least place in the top 100. Notification for that achievement will not happen until October, and is not my major concern with this project. Finishing and submitting the script is.
 
Works Cited
Berliner, Todd. "The Genre Film as Booby Trap: 1970s GenreBending and The French Connection." Cinema Journal 40.3 (2001): 25-46. Print. A critical review of the topic of genre bending. Berliner reviews how movie makers have tried to bend the system before and how they did. He even discusses how far a filmmaker goes before he is not just bending genres, but breaking them.
Cramer, Kris. "Kris Cramer – author & screenwriter." Kris Cramer – author & screenwriter. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. . This entire website is loaded with good information. Techniques, tips, and a lot of professional experience.
Dancyger, Ken, and Jeff Rush. Alternative scriptwriting: successfully breaking the rules. 4th ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Focal Press, 2007. Print. A How-to book with alternatives to the three-act structure. Since I want to write a challenging structure, this will prove as a useful guide rail.
Eisele, John. "The Wild East: Deconstructing the Language of Genre in the Hollywood Eastern." Cinema Journal 41.4 (2002): 68-94. Print. Eisele discusses the "Eastern" and how Hollywood has stood by this stereotype. I intend to apply its principles to genre stand-bys.
Gates, Tudor. Scenario the craft of screenwriting. London: Wallflower, 2002. Print. "Presents a system of logical analysis of the basic structures of successful screenplays." I intend to use it as a measuring stick to avoid as much as I dare.
Gorman, David. "Modern Genre Theory." Poetics Today 22.4 (2001): 853-861. Print. An extended article on how genres have developed and been theorized throughout criticism. I can use this to help me further understand genre and how it is used.
Hauge, Michael. Writing screenplays that sell . New York, NY: HarperPerennial, 1991. Print. Has an extensive section on protecting written material, finding venues to sell, and the life style of a screenwriter. Though dated before the digital age, the copy writing and pre-sell prepping is still valid.
Landrum, Jason. "Rethinking Genre Theory." Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media 48.1 (2007): 109-111. Project Muse. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. A review of Barry Langford's "Film Genre: Hollywood and Beyond," Landrum explains Langford's concepts. These will help me to understand how genre is being discussed.
Meyers, Ashley. "SellingYourScreenplay.com — Practical tips and advice about how to sell your screenplay." SellingYourScreenplay.com — Practical tips and advice about how to sell your screenplay. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2011. . An excellent website with a lot of good, practical advice and a personal manner. She has experience.
Suite101. "Developing Memorable Characters:: 45 Questions to Create Backstories." Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. . A short list to help develop characters from names into people. Very useful for defining character motivations, which means action, in a movie.

That Damned Bibliography

Works Cited

"Basic Screenplay Glossary: A Look at Screenwriting Terms and Screenplay Formatting." Find Health, Education, Science & Technology Articles, Reviews, How-To and Tech Tips At Bright Hub - Apply To Be A Writer Today! Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

"Developing Memorable Characters:: 45 Questions to Create Backstories - StumbleUpon." StumbleUpon.com: Discover the Best of the Web. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

"Don’t Let These Problems Ruin Your Screenplay — Kris Cramer." Kris Cramer – Author & Screenwriter. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. . Finally, a well-known writer telling me not to include directions. Among other valuable tips.
Drew's Script-O-Rama: Free Movie Scripts and Screenplays, Baby! Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

Field, Syd. Screenplay: the Foundations of Screenwriting. New York, NY: Delta Trade Paperbacks, 2005. Print.

Hoffman, Gordy. "Screenwriting Help - Writing The Classic Movie Ending (How To Finish Your Screenplay!)." BlueCat Screenwriting Competition. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

"How Do You Protect Your Work? Screenplay Copyrights and WGA Registration." SellingYourScreenplay.com — Practical Tips and Advice about How to Sell Your Screenplay. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

"How to Format a Screenplay." Script Frenzy. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. . A lot of good technical info to remember to be an expert on format.

"How to Sell Your Screenplay (in a Nutshell)." SellingYourScreenplay.com — Practical Tips and Advice about How to Sell Your Screenplay. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

King, Stephen. On Writing: a Memoir of the Craft. New York: Scribner, 2000. Print.

McKee, Robert. Story : GD to Screenwriting. ReganBooks, 1997. Print.

"News: Quick Tips for Improving Your Writing - StumbleUpon." StumbleUpon.com: Discover the Best of the Web. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

"SoYouWanna Write a Screenplay?" SoYouWanna.com | Learn What You Wanna Do. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. .

OK. In truth, this was a good exercise. I know I'm late again, but I really struggle for time to do this during the week. I should even still have some of these books at my parent's house. Syd Field, Robert McKee, and Kris Cramer will be my most important sources. I haven't actually read anything from Steven King, but I've been told that his book is inspirational, and no one can say that he's not a great writer to learn something from. The script database will be great, too, and I know its not the only one.

Out of Town

Class this last Monday was really great. It helped me problematize some of the issues I was having with my scenes I was doing. I recognize that they are mostly bare bones, but I recall one of my classes from years ago stressing that screen plays were not movies and that you can't put in too much directorial things. So, I've been simply stating things that happen, ignoring some techniques that might make the screen play itself more enjoyable to read. But then, my goal is to write something that might get picked up.

So, here's a good research question: what should it look like? I can look at scripts off of many websites and simply make my own connections. I could return to some of the texts I used to have, like Robert Mckee's "Story. I could also find some other options.

Question two: how do screen plays become successful. This will be an essential thing to discover before I finish.

Question 3-- What the hell am I writing. I am not taking the time to flesh these stories out, not am I trying to evolve my characters. The dream sequence I have, and basic idea for the story are good starting places, if I can get them to mesh.

Problem, I'm leaving tomorrow morning to go to Texas to visit my very sick granddad for the first time in ten years before I miss the chance. And I'll be staying in house in the country about two hours from Houston. I don't think I'll have the chance to type.

Result--I'm just going to write on Scratch paper and try to get it up here by next wednesday, since I won't return until next tuesday.

So, I'm going to be doing a lot of character sketches and hopefully story outlining. Thank you.

And again

Well, I'll be honest. I figured this class would be more about simply defining the project, with the actual doing being in the second semester. Of course, that was before I switched my project. What I'm trying to get at is that it is tough to find time to do this. I've started a few different sketches and side-stories, like I mentioned, but they are not the main story yet. Not only that, but they feel terrible. I'm really going to have to go over these with a pretty fine editing brush. Hopefully, they're at least a little funny before their prettied up.

It doesn't look like Christmas, yet, but writing needs to be done. We'll work out the cohesion better. This is how I'm designing characters and figuring out other elements of the story. It's a round-about process, but here we are.

DREAM SEQUENCE

SIDE STORY

Ok

Alright. I've taken enough writing classes that I should know something about myself as a story teller. I'm not well prepared enough to just write a story from beginning to end and expect it to be perfect. Of course not. It needs to be sculpted properly, with each vignette in the right place and with a purpose, etc, etc. So, I've decided that, with the goal of one movie, I'm going to have to write several things at once. If I have a gag that I want to fit it, I'll go ahead and write it, hoping it fits in later. If I have a side story, that'll have its own place, too. That way I only have o focus on one thing at a time as I go.

I've decided that this is going to be a kind of romantic tragedy nerd movie. Hopefully with enough side story that the romance does get over bearing, but it's not going to be a necessarily happy ending. The relationship shouldn't work in the end, but I want the guy and the girl to be happy with each other and the experience, so it's still up beat. If anyone saw PS I LOVE YOU, I want a similar kind of conclusion, but a very different movie.

So, nerd fest. That's a big thing. I have a solid gag for that I'll try to flesh out. I also have another side story that I think I can work on, so that's what's doing. I'll include links to those as I do them.

Feb. 4-11,2011

I've gotten a lot of feed back on favorite movies, and one piece of advice to ignore all of those suggestions as anything but information on what not to write. I'll admit, thinking about all of this makes me kind of sick to my stomach, since I don't feel like a creative machine.

Honestly, I have very little to do with holidays and traditions. I haven't seen half of those movies, so I'd be a poor candidate to try to replicate the experience. What I do have is a personal history that is probably under represented in movies, so maybe that'll be good enough. Does that mean multi-ethnic? Probably not, unless I can swing a "lost in translation" sort of culture clash.

I kind of want to write a Wes Anderson style Christmas. A little draggy, nothing too unrealistic. You know, kinda of dull but quirky. As is, I'm a little worried it will look more like a Michael Cera sort of pity party, so that'll be something to watch out for.

Here's a link to my drafts. I figure that's a good way to track some progress...scripped.com

I guess the next step would be to outline or draft more. Or watch more movies in the style I'm trying to evoke.

My Furthered Consideration

Again, I am majoring in English and Cinema. My original choices were either to write a script or do a research paper and project on subtitling. While I enjoy the idea of subtitling research, the script was receiving more attention from the class, which I did not expect. Also, Prof. Jeffries gave me some great advice on what to do with that interest outside of this assignment.

After our discussion last class period, I am more heartened on the prospect of a professional script. Some of the class questions were about how I would rate my project completion, on either submission, acceptance to whom I submitted to, or what. I will of course want to complete writing, but I will probably consider my project complete on the response from whom I submit it to. If I submit to a contest, I will await contest results. If I submit to a person or company I will want to go through at least a second stage of communication (ie. Hear what they have to say about it).

I was once doing odd jobs for a very wealthy man who was interested to hear that I was a potential script writer. He told me that if I ever write a Christmas script, to let him know. Apparently, there are too few Christmas scripts but they are always money-makers, so favorable to producers. With that being said, I will attempt to write a Christmas script of some sort and attempt to contact this man as well as look into other options of submission.