Truth and Storytelling: Scripting the Visual Narrative

by Emily Edwards

Overview

The goal of this book is to guide writers toward creating more authenticity in visual storytelling. One of the needs for art is the mirror, a reflection of human existence and what is glorious, tragic, wonderful, and funny about life. In an age of “post-truth,” where derivative and grotesquely bogus stories are abundant, globally networked, and digitally streamed, this book examines what it means to both artists and audiences when the mirror is consistently distorted, inaccurate, and biased. The book offers a guide for finding authenticity in fictional narrative, regardless of genre or form. The book is intended as a compass for writers to better understand and confront the truths they want to reveal through narrative stories and how to find legitimacy in the fictional characters and situations they create. One element that sets this book apart from others is the use of storyboarding to explain ideas. There are many books that teach fundamentals of writing and producing for the screen, promising the reader great success through formula. This book is a guide for writers in finding their unique creative voice. While the emphasis of this book is on creating scripts intended for production of moving image media, the guide can be adapted to the creativity of various types of storytellers working in a variety of media fields. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781785273094
Publisher:	Anthem Press
Publication date:	03/01/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	234
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Emily D. Edwards is the writer/producer/director of many films and has also published books and articles on popular media. She is currently a professor of media studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations; 1. Truth and the Search for Story; 2. Creating Authentic Characters; 3. The Shapes of Visual Narrative; 4. The Structures of Time and Perspective; 5. Outlines and the Spines of Stories; 6. The Truths of Style and Format; 7. Guarded Dialogue and Candid Silence; 8. The Scene and the Story; 9. Honest Revisions; Index.

Editorial Reviews

Emily Edwards offers a fresh approach to ideation and the development of screenplays, laying out existing character types and genres and suggesting ways to mix them up in unique and interesting ways. She also emphasizes the pursuit of truth in fiction that can be more truthful than the recitation of facts.” — Paul Gulino, Professor, Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Chapman University, US

“This is a smartly written, comprehensive book that includes many nuances of screenwriting that other guides ignore.” —Evan Smith, Newhouse School at Syracuse University, US

“The overriding thesis of bringing truth to the writing experience, and having that truth reside in someone’s experience, or life, makes this book a valuable contribution to the field.”—Bob Arnett, Old Dominion University, US

From the Publisher