Playwriting, Screenwriting, Media Writing

Discourse on theatre theory and the importance or otherwise of the writing and presentation of drama has always occupied the consciousness of theory and practice in the theatre. In this chapter, I consider my playwriting work as research, with specific reference to recent practice. I approach examples from my own and others’ original theatre-making as a form of research and the importance of its relationship to social reality. The playwright then lives and speaks in the world and not in the theatre. By viewing the work in this way, it transforms what we are doing in the theatre when we make plays. The theatre becomes a location for social research and criticism, a forum for discussion, beyond the bounds of artifice.

Έχεις παιδιά; ΝΟΣΟΚΟΜΑ: Ένα, αλλά το θέλει ο άντρας μου. Θα μπορούσες να πάρεις αυτό του νοσοκομείου. ΦΙΛΗ: Είναι μεγάλο. ΝΟΣΟΚΟΜΑ: Καλύτερα, θες να κάθεσαι να νταντεύεις μωρά; ΦΙΛΗ: Έχει γονείς. ΝΟΣΟΚΟΜΑ: Δεν το αγαπούν. ΦΙΛΗ: Έχει τα χάλια του. ΝΟΣΟΚΟΜΑ: Τα έχει. [Μικρή παύση.] ΦΙΛΗ: Μητρικά φίλτρα έχετε; ΝΟΣΟΚΟΜΑ: Μόνο για ώρα ανάγκης.

‘I want theatre in Kenya to be truly professional. You, as an actor, can be a brand. And make money…The quality of the shows has really gone high because the professionalism of the performers.’ – David Opondoe, Managing Director of Phoenix Theatre, speaking at the Kenya Cultural Centre in August, 2013

This unparalleled analysis of Kenyan theatrical activity and the lessons we can learn from other theatre communities, like Broadway, is invaluable for thespians, art critics, theatre students and  other stakeholders.

Wrestling is one of the most celebrated cultures of the Ikwerre people, especially in Elimgbu community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State of Nigeria. Wrestling is dialectically known as " Egelege " both in Elimgbu and Otah and other parts of the Ikwerre communities. It is one of the physical calisthenics that tend to foster unity amongst the people. The idea is to situate the (Egelege) wrestling contest as a typical traditional theatre. This work goes into the study of rituals and wrestling festival in Ikwerre land, but with a focus on the theatrical dimension in Elimgbu wrestling festival in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The work looks at such relevant aspects as the performer and performing styles, dialogues, music, dance, movement, and performance area. The study identifies the problems and prospects of wrestling festival in Ikwerre clan and its attraction to tourists. The work concludes that there is a mutual relationship between ancestors and performers, and that ritual and performance are in harmony before metamorphosing into entertainment. Finally, it is recommended that the festival be given greater relevance as a tourist based project.

Much work remains to be done to develop a historical-critical integrated knowledge of the show business of the twentieth century capable of considering cinema and stage as the two main fields of a single area of artistic creation. The Hollywood’s Golden Age is a very important moment in the history of the relationship between the forms of the stage and the ones of cinema. To enter into a critical analysis of this relationship in that historical period, it is very useful adopt the point of view of the screenwriting manuals. At the beginning of this paper, we will ask how the techniques of theatre playwriting have remained in the production practices of classical Hollywood cinema and if its professionals had awareness about it. I will show some common traits of playwriting and screenwriting, with a focus on an issue constantly debated in the circle of screenwriters: the usefulness and the validity of the three-act structure. Jumped again to the headlines in the Seventies, this structure was already known by the early writers of the silent film era because of a legacy of centuries of playwriting and literature.

Mama o insfaca pe Tina de par, incep amandoua sa urle.) SCENA 2 Casa prietenilor burghezi ai Mamei si ai Tatalui. Stau de o parte si de alta a mesei. FEMEIA: Astazi la serviciu… BARBATUL: Maine ma duc la tribunal. FEMEIA: Ghici cu cine s-a dovedit pana la urma ca se culca seful? BARBATUL: Trebuie sa incep din timp. FEMEIA: Cu mine. BARBAUL: Tata spune numai tampenii. FEMEIA: Dar am terminat-o ieri. BARBATUL: Oh. ( Scurta pauza.) FEMEIA: Doar stii ca n-ar trebui sa te temi de el. BARBATUL: De cine? FEMEIA: De taica-tu. BARBATUL: Ce te face sa spui asta? FEMEIA: Intotdeauna te descurci la procese. BARBATUL: Cat mai e pana la STIRI? FEMEIA: Am obosit. Dupa atatia ani. BARBATUL: Ce vrei sa spui? FEMEIA: La serviciu. Am nevoie de ceva ca sa treaca timpul mai repede, nu stiu, as vrea… BARBATUL: Telecomanda. Unde-I telecomanda? FEMEIA: Ai nevoie de ea? BARBATUL: Lasa. ( Pauza.) FEMEIA: Tu castigi atat de mult; de ce trebuie sa lucrez si eu? BARBATUL: Tu castigi atat de mult; de ce trebuie sa lucrez si eu? ( Suna telefonul.) BARBATUL: Daca-I tata, nu sunt aici. FEMEIA: N-ai ajuns inca. BARBATUL: Nu ajung niciodata. ( Barbatul isi ia farfuria si se asaza in fata televizorului.) 5 6 FEMEIA ( la telefon): Tu erai… unde-ai fost? ( incet, Barbatului) Nu-I el. ( la telefon ): La politie? De ce, ce s-a intamplat? E ranit? Nu-ti fa griji, vine imediat sa va scoata de acolo. Doar pentru asta sunt prietenii. ( Barbatului) E pentru tine. BARBATUL: Ce s-a intamplat? FEMEIA: Fiul lor a avut un accident de masina. S-au luat la bataie cu o nebuna in timp ce erau la spital, a iesit scandal, I-au dat si la STIRILE LOCALE, iar acum sunt la sectie. BARBATUL: Iar… FEMEIA: Asa se pare. BARBATUL: Al cui fiu? ( Ia receptorul): Buna…( cu o ingrijorare disimulata) Sunt sigur c-o sa fie bine….Unde sunteti, mai exact? Vin imediat. (inchide) FEMEIA: Pot sa vin si eu? BARBATUL: De ce? FEMEIA: Niciodata nu ma iei cu tine nicaieri. BARBATUL: Eu vin cu tine la serviciu? FEMEIA: Urasc sa merg la srviciu. Nu-mi vine sa ma mai intorc acolo. Vreau sa-mi gasesc altceva, ceva mai… BARBATUL: Ceva mai important? FEMEIA (disperata) : Te rog, te rog. BARBATUL: Ce ? FEMEIA: Lasa-ma sa vin cu tine. O sa tac malc, ca si cum nici n-as fi. BARBATUL: Stiu si eu. FEMEIA: Ca si cum nici n-as fi. BARBATUL: Stiu si eu. FEMEIA: Ca si cum nici n-as fi. SCENA 3 Un cabinet in spital. O parte a camerei e acoperita de o perdea. DOCTORUL si ASISTENTA si-o trag dupa perdea. ASISENTA: Putin mai jos, da, asa e bine, asta e, acolo. DOCTORUL: Aici? ASISTENTA: Chiar acolo. DOCTORUL: Unde-s parintii? ASISTENTA: Doar maica-sa e aici. Ea e in regula. DOCTORUL: Era si ea pe motocicleta? ASISTENTA: Dupa cum arata, da. DOCTORUL: Nu te misca. 6 7 ASISTENTA: Ai terminat? DOCTORUL: Aproape. ASISTENTA: Hai! Acum! Hai! DOCTORUL: Asa! Te asteptam si pe tine. ( Dupa o scurta pauza DOCTORUL si ASISTENTA ies de dupa perdea cam sifonati.) ASISTENTA: Ti-ai facut de cap azi. DOCTORUL: Si ce daca? ASISTENTA: Acum sa vedem ce-I cu baiatul care a avut accidentul cu motocicleta. Maica-sa vrea sa te vada. DOCTORUL: A, da, baiatul. ( Doctorul incepe sa repete discursul pe care o sa-l tina Mamei baiatului.) DOCTORUL: Acum mai e doar o chestiune de timp…Mi-e teama ca nu mai are multe ore de trait…Ma aflu in ingrata pozitie de a trebui sa va anunt…..Cum e? ASISTENTA: O sa mearga. DOCTORUL: Atunci e bine, du-te si nu uita, intrarea in camera baiatului e strict interzisa. ASISTENTA: Chiar si parintilor? DOCTORUL: Mai ales lor. ( Asistenta iese si se apropie Tina care zangane o "bucata " smulsa din masina ei.) DOCTORUL( pentru sine): Nenorocita meserie. Cineva trebuie sa o faca totusi. ( ASISTENTA se intoarce cu Tina care arata ingrozitor, cu un ochi invinetit si cu mainile bandajate. ASISTENTA iese.) DOCTORUL: Va rog sa luati loc. TINA: Multumesc. DOCTORUL: Ma aflu in ingrata pozitie de a trebui sa va anunt ca… TINA: E grav, nu? DOCTORUL: Da, si ma aflu in ingrata pozitie de a trebui sa va anunt ca situatia e mai grava decat ar putea parea la prima vedere. TINA: Oh, Doamne, la cat se ridica paguba? Spuneti-mi. DOCTORUL: Paguba? Ce paguba? TINA: Cat o sa ma coste totul? 7 ( Doctorul o pocneste peste fata, incapabil sa se controleze. Tina tipa.) SCENA 4 Femeia ajunge la spital. ASISTENTA are un pachet de carti in fata ei. Joaca pasente. FEMEIA: Am venit pentru baiatul care a avut un accident de motocicleta. ASISTENTA: Altul. FEMEIA: Am venit sa donez sange. ASISTENTA( dintr-o data foarte excitata) : Oh! Trebuia sa spuneti din prima. Numai dvs sau mai vin si altii? 8 9 FEMEIA: S-ar putea sa mai dureze pana sa vina si ceilalti. Trebuie sa semneze niste hartii inainte de a-I lasa sa paraseasca sectia de politie. ASISTENTA: Sectia de politie? In sfarsit, ce mai conteaza daca sunt buni sau rai, atata timp cat au sange in vene? Asta e tot ce conteaza. Avem nevoie de sange. FEMEIA: Oricum, pana una alta m-au trimis pe mine sa donez sange. ASISTENTA: Ati venit exact la timp. Ma saturasem sa joc pasente. FEMEIA: Intotdeauna se nimereste sa trebuiasca sa fac eu ce e mai greu. Nu ca mas plange. Imi gasesc si eu o ocupatie, altfel as muri de plictiseala. Toata ziua m-am plictisit. ASISTENTA: Eu m-am plictisit toata saptamana. ( Pauza.) ASISTENTA: N-o sa se termine niciodata. FEMEIA: Ce anume? ASISTENTA: Saptamana. FEMEIA: E ca si cum as fi suspendata in spatiu. ASISTENTA: Am ascuns toate ceasurile din casa. FEMEIA: De ce? ASISTENTA: Ca sa treaca timpul mai repede. FEMEIA: Chestia asta n-am incercat-o niciodata. ( Pauza.) FEMEIA: Stiti, de fapt eu nu vreau sa donez sange. ASISTENTA: Nu fiti prostuta. FEMEIA: E dureros? ASISTENTA: A fost un accident grav, dar in acest moment situatia lui pare sa se fi stabilizat. FEMEIA: N-am mai donat niciodata sange pana acum. ASISTENTA: Rusine. FEMEIA: E dureros? ASISTENTA: E in coma. Vino. FEMEIA: Sa nu-mi patati rochia. ASISTENTA: Sunt intotdeauna foarte atenta. FEMEIA: Sangele pateaza. ASISTENTA: Sa mergem. FEMEIA: Lesin numai cand vad o seringa. Asistenta o impinge pe FEMEIE in cabinet. ASISTENTA: Inchideti ochii. TATAL, MAMA si BARBATUL sunt pe coridorul spitalului. Mama are o plasa cu mere. Stau toti trei pe scaune. Mama le da la amandoi cate un mar. Barbatul scoate 9

"Karaghiozis as nostalgia’ s aspect: Shadow Theatre and Greek Immigrants"

Researching on Greek immigrants’ bibliographically unknown activity connected to Shadow Theatre (Karaghiozis) leeds to some very interesting conclusions.
It proves that a significant number of Greek immigrants at some point connected their nostalgia, amusement, education with Shadow Theatre, mainly by performing but by play/screenwriting as well. Samples of such action (ca. 1970’s and on), were traced in Sweden (Ladopoulos brothers, Y. Greveniotes, Chrysovitsianos, “Your Black Eyes”), Denmark (“Berdes’ friends”), Finland (Il. Missyres), Germany (“Griechischen Schattentheater Aachen”, Chr. Filippides), France (Chr. Kyriazis), Switzerland, U.S.A. (G. Kefalopoulos, N. Dennis, T. Yannoules ?, A. Diakovasiles, F. Antonakos, L. Kassapides, Al. Malaos-Ev. Alexiou), Australia (K. Zouganelles, D. Katsoules, V. Kalamaras. Chr. Kassimides), etch.
In their majority, Greek immigrants’ Karaghiozis performances were embodied within Greek Community’s nest and attracted Greek and philhellenes’ audience. Since performers may be divided into two main categories (students and workers) their special features are presented considering special circumstances: motivation of their immigration and activity, language and texts used, painting ability, experimentation, partnerships, audience, impact, etch. Regardless to their differentiation however it becomes clear that both faced Karaghiozis as a genuine Greece’s reflection and used their performances as a connecting point to homeland.

The Hollywood Golden Age was a revolutionary moment in the history of cinema and is pivotal to understanding the historical passage of a peculiar new art form-screenwriting. This early film period, from the Tens to the Sixties, was determined by key interactions between the respective forms of cinema and stage. Together, these interactions form a wider screenwriting "discourse." There are reoccurring disputes in film scholarship over the paternity of the conventions and techniques of screenwriting. One solution is that techniques of theatre playwriting persisted extensively in the production practices of classical Hollywood cinema. Whether or not its professionals were aware of this is at the heart of this dispute. It is possible to identify the contribution of screenwriting manuals from Hollywood's Golden Age toward the standardization of screenwriting techniques. The article aims to examine in the screenwriting manuals of this period some statements by practitioners who document the normalization and codification of the narrative structures used in screenwriting over time-in particular, the three-act structure. The validity and origin of the three-act structure are constantly debated among screenwriters. While this formula was known to the early writers of the Silent Era due to its legacy throughout centuries of playwriting and literature, it reappeared in the Seventies in the guise of a new theory. This article attempts to fill in certain gaps in the history of the theorization of screenwriting practices by juxtaposing statements found in screenwriting manuals and the statements of scholars and educators of this field. Ultimately, narrative conventions belonging to the tradition of theatre, as well as technological exigencies were integral in shaping the cinema techniques in use today.

The meaning of literacy in different times and periods, was varied and special, because of different indicators and branches of human sciences. Because of the plenty of resources, the advancement of technology and the impacts of cyberspace on communications, there are various definitions of literacy. In current century one of the most important indicators for measuring of literacy rates of people, is Media Literacy; The Media Literacy is an ability for receive and understanding the information and datas which transmitted by all kinds of media. This process can change the concepts and definitions by multiple complicated methodes to improve the ability of the audiences, for understanding to learn and analyze this type of literacy -Media Literacy- Fine Arts as a media can help us in this process. Among this kind of arts, the Theatre –as a mass media- must be analyze by the newest method and index. Based on this essential introduction, this study tries to compare the techniques of Bertolt Brechet`s playwriting with key concepts of media literacy, with a focus on dramatic and social aspects and then analyze them. To achieve this goal, in the first step, by offering nine features of Brecht`s playwriting-rationalism, history, removal of anticipation and apprehension, building something, use of repetition, emphasis on story content, role Language, rewriting and dialectical vision in building of Drama- in some of his plays - Baal, Drums in the night, Driving out a Devil, Lux in Tenebris, Mysteries of barbershop, The life of Edward ll of england, man equals man, little Mahagonny, The Baden-baden lesson on consent, Happy end, The decision, The mother, Kuhle Wampe, Round Heads and Pointed Heads, Fear and Mysery of the Third Reich, Mother Courage and Her Children, Mr Puntila and his Man Matti, The Good person Szechwan, The days of the Commune, The tutor, Trumpets and Drums- and the most important views and definitions of the concept of Media Literacy, the analysis roadmap was draw and after that, these items are analyzed. The final results of this research, are confirm the hypothesis-matching the Brechte`s votes whit the principles of Media Literacy, and the beginings of the practical form of media literacy by Brecht`s theatre- and another finding of this study is introduce Brecht as a leader in the field of media literacy noted. In addition to, he worked on the field of action and implement ideas. In the end, it is hoped that this study is a small step to improve interdisciplinary research in the field of theater and the underlying research deeper and more insightful writing plays for contemporary audiences. It can be also added that the votes of Brecht on theater and drama features contrasting with his ideas and Aristotle, in addition to building a new world in the theater, Brecht as the first theorist in the field of media literacy; and he Primer in the realm of art and media literacy in the general sense it can be considered; Introducing the theater as a tool for teaching media literacy.
Keywords: "Media Literacy", "Brecht", "Theater", "Playwriting", "Audience".

Abstract

The Indigenous language film industry in Nigeria has increasingly come under attack by critics who argue that the filmmakers are so obsessed with shooting mainly stories with superficial themes that appeal to their audience who are ignorant about accepted standards in movie production.  Comments about some filmmakers who produce films in Yoruba language have not been salutary. They have been derided for being so fixated on sex, misfortunes and humour to such an extent where the film medium has not succeeded in raising the consciousness of the audience nor has it been  effectively deployed to lift the audience into an idealist plane of understanding.
This paper analyses the sociopolitical import of Nigerian indigenous home video films and argues that in the midst of these films with superficial themes are works that have served as a platform for engagement and mass re-orientation. By examining Yomi Ogunmola’s Alaga Kansu- a film with strong political motif as its model- the paper extends the argument that some indigenous filmmakers have responded to the transformation of Nigeria’s socio-political structure, even though some of the films may not have been done in the explicitly anti-imperial mode as can be seen in most better known films produced in English.  In arriving at this conclusion, the film is textually analyzed to reinforce the capacity of film as a vehicle for mass re-orientation and the role of politically themed indigenous films in deepening people's participation in the process of democratization and development.

"THE «HERETIC» SHADOW PERFORMER PAVLOS MARMARAS THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND HIS EQUIPMENT, SHELTERED IN STATE AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS"

The contribution of Ionian Islands, although seems to be an important chapter of the History of Greek Puppet & Shadow Theatre («Karaghiozis») due to its geographical spot, has not yet been studied. Greek and Italian performers came from or toured the Ionian Islands, whilst typical Karagiozis puppets represent Ionian islanders. Between performers, the karaghiozis player P. Marmaras, who was borned (1922) in Zante and performed mainly in Athens and Peloponnese.
Having watched elder performers like Agiomavritis, K. Manos, Koutsouris, Kouzaros, etch. and ignoring his family disapproval, he started performing on his own nearly after the 2nd World War. In the ’70s he built a Karaghiozis theatre in Athens, among popular cinemas. During the ’80s, only a few years before his death, it was pulled down.
His plays varied from traditional comedies to typical dramas inspired by the Greek Revolution or the German Occupation. He also enjoyed performing and recording his own plays, depicting social problems of his time and embodying in them several autobiographical elements. The influence of cinema in his technique and themes, as well as that of popular literature, is quite clear. In order to construct his equipment (shadow puppets, settings, advertising posters or fly-sheets) he cooperated with several colleagues of his.
Today his archive (manuscripts, shadow puppets, settings, advertising means, tapes, sound equipment, photographs) finds shelter in museums, institutions, antique shops and private collections. His passion and effort in combining modern technology with tradition is well mirrored in it.

That Nigeria is in recession is no longer news but what is news today is how to wriggle out of it. Recession is always catchy and visible in industrial production, employment, even in real earnings, causing maximum hardship, which include unemployment. The results of recession which include amplified unemployment, a drop in the stock market, the loss of personal income and business profits and a decline in the housing market. This paper discusses recession in relation to theatre arts, anchoring its communication in drama, especially in the playwriting. The paper observes that the nation's economy has been indented in the centre of cornucopia, leaving the drama (playwright) as its last option. Provoked by the recent loss of jobs, as a result of the dastardly recession currently witnessed in Nigeria and the inability of some scholars, entertainers and theatre practitioners, etc, to take advantage of it in turning this "so-called" misfortune into a great economic opportunity or gains through creativity, instead of further creating multiplying poverty, scarcity in all dimensions and maximum burden to the government struggling to stabilize in the midst of all these. The paper frowns at the so-called scarcity in the land and the stagnation of ideas which are currently ravaging the atmosphere of the creative practitioners of letters, thereby starving the society of its salvation through the purest and freshest works of arts. This paper recommends that theatre arts, especially playwriting can always turn around misfortunes to fortunes of great honour and proffer solutions to any problem ravaging the nation of ours by telling the government to display political will in addressing the societal anomalies, instead of cosmetic treatments. It submits that constant exposure in the practice of creative writing will be clearly evident in the contemporary thinking of theatre practitioners as the panacea for solution.

Theatre Arts as a discipline is the manifestation of any society with collaborators, working for its unity and sustainability. The theatre which broadens our intellectual horizon and possibilities also increases our awareness of our society and admiration of life in general. In

Recepção. O HOMEM está de pé, em frente da RAPARIGA. HOMEM: Com que então fazes o meu trabalho melhor do que eu! RAPARIGA: Tive um bom professor. HOMEM: Pois tiveste. RAPARIGA: Por que é que ela quer despedir um de nós? HOMEM: A empresa vai para o maneta. No teu lugar começava a ver anúncios. RAPARIGA: A sério? Achas que estás em melhor posição? HOMEM: Antes de arranjares este trabalho, passaste por quarenta…entrevistas. RAPARIGA: E tu precisavas de dez vezes mais. HOMEM: Com a minha experiência, até não. EXERCÍCIOS PARA JOELHOS FORTES /ΑΣΚΗΣΕΙΣ ΓΙΑ ΓΕΡΑ ΓΟΝΑΤΑ 5 RAPARIGA: Em que planeta é que vives? Ninguém contrata ninguém. Todos despedem ou são despedidos. O que for embora, sai a perder. HOMEM: Não te preocupes. O HOMEM abraça-a. RAPARIGA: Mas que merda! HOMEM: Estas coisas acontecem. RAPARIGA: E agora? HOMEM: Vamos resolver o assunto entre nós. Por exemplo, poderia ser eu a ir embora. A RAPARIGA põe-se em frente dele. RAPARIGA: (desconfiada): Ah sim? HOMEM: Mas tenho um filho e um empréstimo às costas. RAPARIGA: Queres que seja eu a sair.

In adapting the murder ballad Duncan and Brady for the stage as a one act play 'Been on the Job Too Long, and setting the story within that adaptation in three different places and times periods, the playwright made a decision to stage a meditation on how the true murder story of Duncan and Brady is an ideal tale to be told and retold. Telling and retelling the tale in different times and places had its own rewards for the writer, and potentially for performers. In writing three versions of this tale, the playwright stretched, challenged and gave himself increased scope as a writer and researcher, as well as stretching, challenging and giving a showcase to actors who perform the piece. This paper explores some of the key decisions, techniques and discoveries made in the process of adapting the ballad for the stage. It tells how this process gave the writer increased clarity in terms of his writerly objectives and personal vision.

From the past centuries, realism and its attendant understanding has been the subject of numerous academic and artistic discourses, observations, analysis, findings and recommendations. Today, the shape of realism and her scholarly projections therein is gradually becoming outdated and has subsequently transformed into contemporary artistic movements. The drive to be constantly engaged in academic postulations have kept academics restless , pontificating in different intellectual round-tables, which have led to adaptation, alteration, imitation, replication, and above all, freshness of ideas and scholarly improvements in all ramifications. This article reflects on the prism of re-tilting the dramatic realism as the only adequate mirror in concretely reflecting the society the way it is. This paper anchors its analysis on Obari Gomba's Guerrilla Post with the character of Kafta on the centre of magnetism. This research relies on the Lifestyle theory which alleges that human beings are targeted as a result of their lifestyle choices. The aim of this consideration is to show how Guerrilla Post interrogates and reflects the modern day Nigerian society with the pockets of agitations, insurgencies, insurrections, hate speech propaganda, political inconsideration, rape, and police brutality thereof. The paper recommends that equitable distribution of wealth, political appointments and justice for those killed by the state apparatus and insensitive administration is the only panacea for national stability and economic productivity.

ABSTRACT

Within the discipline of Communication – and the domain of movie-creation, including movie screenwriting – this study explores aspects of the problem-situation around accurate guidelines for movie success.

Movie performance research reveals that 70% of movies do not `break even’ or recoup their production budget in cinema release (Vogel 1990, 2014) and that 98% of screenplays presented to producers go unmade (Macdonald 2004, 2013). Successful (thus, creative) screenplays and movies are rare.

In order to illuminate this problem-situation in ways that may be useful to both screenwriters and screenwriting instructors, this study examines fifteen key guidelines of the screenwriting orthodoxy, derived from a set of four contemporary screenwriting manuals: guidelines which partly-comprise the current `doxa’ or how screenwriting is often taught. In this study these movie story-creation guidelines are then compared to the relevant observed story traits of the 20 highest, and also to the 20 lowest Return-on-Investment movies (with RoI defined as: `audience-reach / production-budget’) in order to test these fifteen (15) guidelines of the current screenwriting orthodoxy.

The Theoretical Perspective of the study is Evolutionary Systems Theory, including the Systems Model of creativity (Csikszentmihalyi 1988-2014) and Bourdieu’s practice theory (Bourdieu 1977-1996) to examine, understand and explain key aspects of movie-creation by screen storytellers, and movie-reception by audiences. The research perspective also draws on David Bordwell’s neo-formalist film poetics (1997-2013), Macdonald’s screenwriting poetics (2004, 2013) and scholarship in the domain of Evocriticism (Boyd 2009, 2010, Carroll 1995, Gottschall 2012) and Evolutionary Psychology (Buss 2012), influenced by E. O. Wilson’s (1998) vision of consilience.

As a result of this comparative analysis of `the screenwriting orthodoxy versus movie RoI’ it is demonstrated that certain of the screenwriting-manual guidelines are contradicted by the empirical evidence, and thus some revised and additional screenplay guidelines are presented, also noting suggested areas for further research.

[300 words]

To download a free PDF of this PhD dissertation, (PhD conferred in 2016) see: https://storyality.wordpress.com/2016/10/18/storyality-135-phd-dissertation-addendum/

Έξι πρόσωπα σε κατάσταση limbo…Ένα έργο για την επιθυμία, την απώλεια, τις ενοχές.

«Το Angelstate είναι ένα έργο οριακό. Όχι γιατί οι χαρακτήρες του είναι αρχέτυπα μιας εμμονικής ή ακραία απαρνημένης σχέσης με το ανθρώπινο σώμα ή και με την ίδια τη ζωή, όχι γιατί οι σχέσεις τους κινούνται διαρκώς γύρω από την οδύνη, την πειθαρχία και την καταπίεση. Όχι γιατί καταρρίπτουν στερεοτυπικά κατασκευασμένες φυλετικές ταυτότητες. Όχι γιατί το σώμα τους γίνεται ένα πεδίο μάχης ανάμεσα στην ατομική επιθυμία και την επιθυμία του άλλου. Ανάμεσα στην ατομική ελευθερία και την κοινωνική καταπίεση. Ανάμεσα στο σώμα και στην εξαΰλωση του. Ανάμεσα στην επιθυμία για ζωή και  στην επιθυμία θανάτου, αλλά κυρίως γιατί, δραματουργικά, παρότι εξελίσσεται στο παρόν, όλες οι «ζοφερές και ανίερες» πράξεις των ηρώων έχουνε ήδη συμβεί. Εμείς παρακολουθούμε τον απόηχο του τραύματος και της ενοχής, μια μακρά και αργόσυρτη πορεία συμφιλίωσης με το ανεπίστρεπτο.
Το Angelstate είναι ένα έργο προκλητικό. Όχι με την έννοια ότι θέλει να σοκάρει. Αλλά γιατί δε φοβάται να μιλήσει ανοιχτά και να θίξει δημόσια όχι μόνο την κοινωνική καταπίεση της επιθυμίας και το σύμπλεγμα πειθαρχία/αυτό-τιμωρία και ενοχή. Γιατί δεν φοβάται την αμεσότητα. Το Angelstate είναι μια βαθειά ανθρώπινη ιστορία. Μιλάει κατευθείαν μέσα μας.»

Αλέξανδρος Μιχαήλ

Depicting the television career (part B΄ 1978-early 1990s) of shadow puppet performer E. Spatharis’, repertoire, partners, interviews, staging and editing tactics are presented. It becomes obvious, that via Educational Public Television, together with a promising team, Spatharis became a link of Folk and Art Theatre, experimenting with different forms, in order to attract and educate wider audience. Taking technological achievements and renovating ideas into consideration, although risking his reputation, he attempted to refresh the traditional spectacle, that he first met as a child, behind his father’s white screen.

The concept of playwriting and the playwright have remained invaluable assets to the theatre industry across the ages. This is premised on its documentation power and critical disposition that have not only crated the mirror for the society but also a resource material for the different collaborators in the theatre. This paper examines the art of playwriting as a medium of criticism and the place of the playwright as a critic using Alex Asigbo and his plays. The paper through the content analysis and literary methods observe that what stands Alex Asigbo as a distinguished playwright among his peers is his unique approach of crafting plays that are not just for entertainment and pedagogy but magnum opus that are embodiment of criticisms on the playwriting processes in particular and the society at large. His technique is thereby encouraged to be maintained while calling on budding playwrights to emulate this unique approach in other to remain relevant and creative in the theatre industry and improve the craft of playwriting and the society

Writing about Nigeria's past experiences and her future possibilities as she recently clocked fifty, sounds an easy one, but as I sit down to put it in black and white, it dawns suddenly on me that the assignment is a daunting one. This may be partly so because Nigeria is a country of paradoxes: a country abundantly blessed with natural and human resources which unfortunately remain largely untapped and mismanaged; a country with obviously great potentials and opportunities for self improvement but which has rather remained in doldrums with a chequered past and a seemingly doubtful future.

Abstract
Facebook is one of the online social networking websites which provides the user with a platform to build a social relationship. The user can gather information, share and communicate. This research examines the "how" and "what" of the new media with a focus on the Facebook, using this social media platform to illustrate how plays’ ideas can be generated and adapted. The drive for originality to replace the sluggish concept of playwriting has driven and motivated this research. This research adopts the content examination methodology to scrutinize playwriting in content and form in social media banter, using Reno Omokri’s observation on Big Brother Naija 2018, especially the scene where two housemates publicly had sexual intercourse on international TV. The aim of this research is to let the people know that they can generate original and challenging documents from the social media, as resource materials, which can be adapted into true-life plays with the intention of sensitizing the society on diverse topical issues such as Big Brother Naija. The study identifies that numerous conversations on the social media are lying dormant, depriving the people of the raw and original discourses, which can be easily adapted into plays with moral lessons for the society. With copious examples, this research through the elements of drama adapts facebook banter on Big Brother Naija 2018 into a play sketch. This research recommends that wannabe playwrights and other theatre practitioners can use Facebook as resource materials for their creativity, generate, and discuss particular subjects with passion and originality artistically.

Keywords: digital technology, facebook, playwriting, social media and theatre.

1 2 OSOBY: OJCIEC MATKA ON ONA TINA LEKARZ PIELĘGNIARKA Miejsca akcji: szpital, salon kobiety i mężczyzny, dom rodziców, łaźnia. 2 5 TINA Jedno nie ma nic do drugiego. OJCIEC Ile mam zapłacicź za ten cholerny samochoź d? TINA Chwileczkę, juzż moź wię. (odczytuje sumy nabazgrane w notatniku) Dwa tysiące za zderzak, tysiąc siedemset za drzwi, tysiąc siedemset za lakierowanie, po dwiesź cie za oponę, dwa tysiące za bagazż nik, po dwiesź cie za kazż de sź wiatło. Razem osiem tysięcy szesź cź set. Plus VAT. OJCIEC (puszcza MATKĘ) Zabij sukę. MATKA chwyta TINĘ za włosy, obie zaczynają wrzeszczeć. Scena 2 -ONA, ON Dom zamożnych przyjaciół MATKI i OJCA. ON i ONA siedzą naprzeciw siebie przy stole, jedzą kolację. ONA Dzisiaj w pracy… ON Będę jutro w sądzie. ONA Zgadnij, z kim w konź cu pieprzy się moź j szef? ON Trzeba będzie rano wstacź . ONA Ze mną. ON Tata gada bzdury. ONA Ale wczoraj zerwalisź my. ON Och. ONA Wiesz, zż e nie musisz go się tak bacź . ON Kogo? ONA Twojego ojca. ON Czemu tak moź wisz? ONA Zawsze sobie radzisz w sądzie. ON Ciekawe, ile to potrwa? ONA Mam dosycź . Po tych wszystkich latach. ON Co masz na mysź li? ONA Pracę. Chciałabym, zż eby czas się tak nie dłuzż ył, sama nie wiem, chciałabym… ON Minionego. Gdzie ono się podziało? ONA Nie wiem. 5 6 ON Niewazż ne. ONA Tyle zarabiasz, dlaczego muszę chodzicź do pracy? ON Tyle zarabiasz, dlaczego muszę chodzicź do pracy? Dzwoni telefon. ON Jesź li to moź j tata, nie ma mnie tutaj. ONA Jeszcze cię nie ma. ON Nigdy mnie nie ma. (bierze talerz i siada przed telewizorem) ONA (do słuchawki) No proszę… co się z wami działo? (cicho do NIEGO) To nie on. (do słuchawki) Komisariat…? Dlaczego? Co się stało…? Jest ranny? Nie przejmujcie się, jasne, zż e wpadnie i zabierze was stamtąd. Od tego są przyjaciele, prawda? (do NIEGO) Do ciebie. ON O co chodzi? ONA Ich syn miał wypadek samochodowy. Pobili się w szpitalu z jakąsź wariatką, wybuchło piekło, zrobiła się z tego lokalna sensacja, a teraz wylądowali na komisariacie. ON Nie… znowu? ONA Na to wygląda. ON Czyj syn? (bierze słuchawkę) Halo… (z większym przekonaniem) Na pewno się wylizż e… Gdzie dokładnie jestesź cie? Zaraz tam będę. (odkłada słuchawkę) ONA Mogę jechacź z tobą? ON Po co? ONA Nigdy nigdzie mnie nie zabierasz. ON A czy ja chodzę z tobą do pracy? ONA Tam to nawet ja nie cierpię chodzicź . Nienawidzę tam wracacź . Chciałabym czegosź jeszcze, czegosź bardziej… ON Sensownego? ONA (desperacko) Błagam, błagam, błagam. ON Co znowu? ONA Zabierz mnie. Będę cichutka jak myszka, jakby mnie tam wcale nie było. ON No, nie wiem. ONA Jakby mnie tam wcale nie było. Błagam. Scena 3 -LEKARZ, PIELĘGNIARKA, TINA 6 7 W szpitalu, w gabinecie LEKARZA. Część gabinetu jest oddzielona parawanem. Za nim słychać LEKARZA z PIELĘGNIARKĄ. PIELĘGNIARKA Trochę nizż ej, tak, dobrze, o tak, tu. LEKARZ Tu? PIELĘGNIARKA Własź nie tu. LEKARZ Gdzie są rodzice? PIELĘGNIARKA Została tylko jego matka. Jest w dobrym stanie. LEKARZ Jechała razem z nim na tym motorze? PIELĘGNIARKA Tak przynajmniej wygląda. LEKARZ Nie ruszaj się. PIELĘGNIARKA Skonź czyłesź ? LEKARZ Prawie. PIELĘGNIARKA Tak, dalej. Dalej. Teraz! LEKARZ No i doszłasź . Poczekałem na ciebie. Po krótkiej przerwie oboje wyłaniają się zza parawanu, lekko rozchełstani. PIELĘGNIARKA Trochę ci to dzisiaj zajęło. LEKARZ To jakisź problem? PIELĘGNIARKA Ten chłopiec, ktoź ry się rozbił na skuterze. Jego matka na ciebie czeka. LEKARZ Prawda, chłopiec. Robi próbę generalną tego, co zamierza powiedzieć MATCE. LEKARZ To teraz kwestia czasu… Obawiam się, zż e nie zostało zbyt wiele godzin… Mam smutny obowiązek poinformowacź panią… No i jak? PIELĘGNIARKA Mozż e bycź . LEKARZ No dobra, to lecź do niej i pamiętaj, zż e do pokoju chłopca nikt nie ma wstępu. PIELĘGNIARKA Nawet matka? LEKARZ Zwłaszcza ona. Przysź lij ją tu. PIELĘGNIARKA wychodzi. LEKARZ (do siebie) Pieprzona robota. PIELĘGNIARKA wraca w towarzystwie TINY, która wygląda żałośnie z podbitym okiem i ręką na temblaku. PIELĘGNIARKA wychodzi. 7

Chambre du Jeune Homme. Le JEUNE HOMME décroche du mur un poster de Che Guevara et colle un drapeau grec à la place. Il a les cheveux rasés, porte des vêtements noirs et des Doc Martens. Il se met au garde-à-vous, puis sort sa console et joue.

We extract textual and content data from the pilot episode scripts of 181 new, dramatic television series and use it to predict the 18-49 demo ratings for the first five episodes of the series' first seasons. As expected, we find that the originality of a series' premise, the track record of success of the its creator(s), and the cognitive complexity of its pilot episode script each explain a statistically significant proportion of the variance in ratings between the 181 series but none of the variance within series.