Modern Film Dramaturgy: An Introduction

Description

What makes a good movie? How can one analyse a film accordingly without primarily interpreting it? Dramaturgy can enrich film understanding, for those who make films, as well as for those who want to understand better why they are made how. Film Dramaturgy supports the creative process of filmmaking, especially the work of the authors, directors and producers. Students and professionals who are involved in the creation of a film also benefit from this knowledge. The understanding of dramaturgy supports film analysis and film criticism too. In some regions of the world, dramaturgy is well established; in other parts, it is less familiar. This book provides a basic introduction to modern film dramaturgy. It emerges from academic research drawn from professional practice. It addresses students, scholars, colleagues, filmmakers and all professionals involved in making films, videos, audio-visual time-based media productions. Cover Copyright information Foreword Contents Preface A Short Backstory of the Dramaturg and Modern Dramaturgy The Beginning Establishing Period Modern Film Dramaturgy Emerging Teaching Modern Dramaturgy for Film Dramaturgy as Discipline and Practice A Solid Foundation from the Outset Explicit Dramaturgy The Construction Principle Recognition and Reverse The End Implicit Dramaturgy Explicit and Implicit in Interaction – The Fifth Element Brief Summary Film Dramaturgy ‘The Big Five’ – Basic Dramaturgic Rules Non-Replaceable and Immovable In the Moment Probability To Surprise within the Familiar Show, Don’t Tell Essential Dramaturgical Features of Modern Films ‘Non-Aristotelian’ Narration Modern and Poetic — Open Dramaturgy Epic Theatre – Poetic cinema Explicit Dramaturgy and Scenic Structure for Modern Film Scenic Narration Ideal Starting Point Prelude and Prologue, Inversion and Framing The Incident to Start the Action The Anchor: the ‘Essential Meaning’ and the ‘Point of Convergence’ Individual and Public Story Lines ivan’s childhood Heroic Anti-Heroes The Central Self The Centre Figure [Mittelpunktfigur] The Open Ending Implicit Dramaturgy and Aesthetic Poetic Narration and the Spectator A Cinema of Meaning Metaphoric Narration and Cinematic Conflict Activation of Space Impact of Time Leitmotif and Acoustic Counterpoint V-Effekt – The Alienation-Effect ‘The Unreliable Narration’ and Irony Analytic, Episodic, Epic, Ensemble, and Multi-Perspective Movies The Well-Made-Movie and its Analytical Structure Intrigue and Counter-Intrigue — The Day of the Jackal Epic Movies as Extended Drama The Technique of Presenting the Epic Self as the Modern Protagonist Episodic Narration Still Life - The Good People of the Three Gorges Narrating a Life – The Biographic Film Dramaturgical Aspects of Multi-Perspective Narratives Babel Ensemble Films The Road Movie TV Series Horizontal Dramaturgy Vertical Dramaturgy Auteur-Series and Visual Dramaturgy European Well-Made Series The Contemporary US Success Model(s) Game of Thrones Postscript Table of Figures Bibliography Index