Re-thinking Screenwriting – second call for papers

A conference organized by the University of Art and Design Helsinki (TaiK), School of 
Motion Picture, Television and Production Design, Aristotle in Change Project
in collaboration with
The Louis Le Prince Centre for Cinema, Photography and Television, at the Institute of 
Communication Studies, University of Leeds, UK

Following the first conference on screenwriting research organized at the University of 
Leeds in September 2008 we are pleased to announce the call for papers for the second 
arena for discussion and project presentation. The call is aimed at researchers who are 
actively reflecting on screenwriting, whether through traditional or practice-based 
research.

The conference will be arranged at the University of Art and Design Helsinki, Media 
Centre Lume, Finland, on September 10-12, 2009.

Aims
The purpose of the Helsinki conference is to continue to discuss different aspects of 
screenwriting research. 
Screenwriting is the common term for much of the conceptual part of the creative 
process of moving image production, an area which until recently has been neglected in 
academic circles.  The Leeds conference showed there is healthy and increasing interest 
in researching screenwriting, both via practice and traditional research, and this Call is to 
invite colleagues to contribute further to the development of the field.  We wish to 
encourage a critical approach to practices, processes and values of screenwriting, and to 
seek new insights into the creative practice of screenwriting as part of film production 
culture.

Questions include, for example, what are the elements, phases and purpose of the 
documents intended to describe the development process from a screen idea to a 
screenplay, shooting script and produced film? How should these actions, documents, 
intentions and visions be approached, interpreted and developed theoretically and 
practically?   Moreover, practices and technologies are changing and inspiring new ways 
of thinking about moving image narrative, so what might the future of screenwriting be in 
such circumstances?
‘Re-thinking screenwriting’ includes consideration of the practice as a whole. Linking this 
to the theoretical is important for the academic study of the topic, and we are expecting a 
strong set of presentations from both practical and reflective approaches. 

Topics
We welcome proposals and areas of investigation in any aspect of screenwriting studies.  
We particularly encourage papers discussing the following topics:
1. Defining authorship
- different roles of screenwriter
- autonomous and individual practices
- collaborative authorship

2. Practice and methods of screenwriting 
- consideration of radical or alternative methods 
- discussion of industry’s conventions

3. Methodology of research in screenwriting
- how to approach actions, documents, intentions and visions of screenwriting
- how to interpret and develop them theoretically
- methodology of practice-based research

4. Poetics of screenplay
- new interpretations of Aristotelian dramaturgy
- new and alternative approach to screenwriting theory
- genre-oriented considerations of screenwriting or screenplay

5. History of screenwriting
- re-evaluations of history of screenwriting 
- national heritage of screenwriting practices

Keynote speakers
Professor Torben Grodal from the University of Copenhagen will discuss screenwriting as 
part of the conceptual framework for a film.
Dr Ian Macdonald from the University of Leeds talks about screenwriting research and the 
development of the field.
Professor David Howard from the University of Southern California. The title of his lecture 
is “Beginning, Middle and End – Not Necessarily in that Order”. 

Call for papers
The conference has two types of sessions: 1) research or scholarly papers, 2) discussion 
forum which addresses controversial issues or presents early stage or preliminary 
research questions and results. Presenter will offer an outline of what will be discussed 
and be prepared to chair the forum. 

Time allotted to both type of presentation is 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes for 
discussion. Please send your proposal to 
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by February 28, 2009. You will be contacted by the conference committee by the end of 
March. The conference fee is 75 euros including two lunches, coffee and one reception. 
For doctoral students the conference is free of charge.

Please check the conference website 
taik.fi/rethinking
for updates.
The conference is supported financially by the Academy of Finland.
Contacts
Jukka Vieno, professor of screenwriting, University of Art and Design Helsinki, 
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Kirsi Rinne, coordinator, University of Art and Design, [log in to unmask]