Comedy writing as method: Reflections on screenwriting in creative practice research

Comedy writers use their practice to raise questions and create awareness about social, political and cultural issues, but can these practitioners be considered academics? With creative modalities of enquiry now commonplace in universities – where research is used to shape one’s practice, resulting in creative work that embodies that research – when does comedy writing start to take on a different function? In this article, we discuss comedy screenwriting in an academic setting, arguing that it has potential as a rigorous mode of research that can sit happily alongside art, design, creative writing and media practice. Much has been written about creative practice research, yet not so much has been written about the form this type of research takes; specifically, why one might choose comedy to express, embody or otherwise perform the findings of research. Here, then, we draw on our experiences of undertaking screenwriting projects using comedy to discuss the ways in which researchers might use the comic mode to present their findings in imaginative, innovative and fun ways that can expand understanding and, potentially, garner impact

Interrogating writing practices: Perspectives from the screenwriting industry

This article contributes to the developing body of research on screenwriting practice by outlining a set of perspectives from the screenwriting industry that speak of writers, their practices and their creative works. Drawn from interviews undertaken with screenwriters, script editors, script executives and script consultants, these perspectives relate not only to issues specific to screenwriting and screenwriting pedagogy, but also to the discipline of creative writing more broadly. Taking as our approach the argument that some works "aimed at helping screenwriters with their screenplays [are seen as being] beneath academic value", whilst as the same time there is a need "not to theorize practice per se, but to interrogate and intellectualize practice in order to generate new knowledge and new ways to practice" (Batty 2014), our intention here is to speak directly to creative practice concerns by presenting viewpoints from the field. We have themed these concerns into the following discussions, which we posit as useful for practitioners, educators and students alike: Screenwriting and Education; Screenwriting and the Human Condition; Becoming a Screenwriter; Being a Screenwriter; and Screenwriting and Collaboration

Script development and the hidden practices of screenwriting: perspectives from industry professionals

This article contributes to the emerging body of research on screenwriting practice by drawing together perspectives from industry that reveal an often hidden aspect of the creation of a screen work – script development. Using the same set of interviews that informed a previous work, this article mines those same discussions for insights relating specifically to what is to date a largely unexplored element of screenwriting practice. The perspectives we draw together – from our pool of screenwriters, script editors, script executives and script consultants – serve to both highlight the ambiguity that troubles the term ‘script development’, and also contribute to wider research seeking to define both the concept and the practice for screenwriting scholars and practitioners from an industry outlook. It has been 10 years (at the time of writing) since Peter Bloore wrote of his research that, ‘none of the books available about the film industry and scriptwriting really covered the reality of development [and none] really dealt with the development process as I knew it’. His book is still one of only a few attempts to address this gap in screenwriting research, and so by focussing specifically on the people who experience it, the intention of this article is to try and articulate how we might better understand extant practices of script development

Teaching screenwriting through script development: Looking beyond the screenplay

In this chapter, we focus on screenwriting pedagogy through the lens of script development, asking what we might glean from industry that helps our students to learn about aspects of writing for the screen beyond the screenplay itself. In other words, is script development a more viable pedagogy for teaching and learning the craft of screenwriting, one that exposes students to the wider world of industry and career'success' than merely focusing on the writing of a script? This is a sentiment shared by Noel Maloney (2018) in his study of screenwriting curricula in Australia, the UK and Europe. For example, he reported on those pedagogies that focus on holistic script development, such as the National Film School of Denmark (with an integrated writers' room approach to teaching), which, as we go on o outline here, are perhaps more useful for the contemporary writer trying to navigate the expanding yet precarious screen industry

The comedy web series: Reshaping Australian script development and commissioning practices

This article argues that, for Australian comedy series creators, the web platform has opened a new space in which the ‘rules’ of script development are being expanded, enhanced or otherwise refashioned through having direct connection with and input from their audience. With the audience’s potential as a ‘comedy gatekeeper’, the web series audience becomes integral to the ways in which these texts are developed, namely skipping the erstwhile second-guessing of demographic tastes by more traditional broadcast development executives and commissioners. Referring to a range of well-known Australian comedy web series, such as Bondi Hipsters (2011–2017) and The Katering Show (2015–17) – including what their creators, writers and audiences have said about them – we investigate the processes behind the success of these series to argue that a new form of script development has emerged: namely, that development is both facilitated and influenced by the direct line that exists between comedy creators and their viewers. Furthermore, we suggest that through such a collaborative and open-access process of script development, comedy writers and performers might also benefit from an expanded form of talent development

The screenwriting PhD: creative practice, critical theory and contributing to knowledge

This article explores ‘the exegesis now’ from the perspective of the screenwriting practice PhD. Using as a playful homage to traditional screenplay structure, the archetypal Hero’s Journey, it maps the landscape and offers examples of how the screenwriting exegesis/dissertation is occurring at RMIT University. This includes a comedy feature film about gender and perspective; a multiple-protagonist feature film set in the world of avid Doctor Who fans; and a hybrid form, the screen novel, set in the politically corrupt world of contemporary Melbourne transport infrastructure. Guided by their supervisor ‘mentor’, two candidates and one recent graduate embark on a collaborative journey that probes, prods, prises open and proposes what the screenwriting practice PhD can do and look like, and by doing so raise important points about the purpose and form of the dissertation. Collectively, the authors assume the simultaneous roles of the candidate who is doing, completing and has completed; the experienced supervisor; and the in-training supervisor

The theoretical underpinnings of Internet addiction and its association with psychopathology in adolescence

This paper reviews the psychological and theoretical underpinnings that might help to explain the reported relationship between Internet addiction (IA) and psychopathology in both children and adolescents. Drawing on cognitive-behavioural models and social-skills theory, IA shows a strong relationship with depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and time spent using the Internet use. Mixed findings are reported for social anxiety. Loneliness and hostility were also found to be associated with IA. Gender and age moderated these relationships with greater psychopathology generally reported among males and younger Internet users. This paper adds to the growing body of literature showing an association between IA and a range of mental health problems in both children and adolescents. A dependence on the Internet can potentially result in significant harm both socially and psychologically. While research has identified a potential pathway commencing with mental health problems and concluding with IA, few studies have examined the alternative direction and this may provide the impetus for future research endeavours. © 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Average acceleration and intensity gradient of primary school children and associations with indicators of health and wellbeing

Average acceleration (AvAcc) and intensity gradient (IG) have been proposed as standardised metrics describing physical activity (PA) volume and intensity, respectively. We examined hypothesised between-group PA differences in AvAcc and IG, and their associations with health and wellbeing indicators in children. ActiGraph GT9X wrist accelerometers were worn 24-h·d−1 56 over seven days by 145 children aged 9-10. Raw accelerations were averaged per 5-s epoch to represent AvAcc over 24-h. IG represented the relationship between log values for intensity and time. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was estimated using youth cutpoints. BMI z-scores, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), Metabolic Syndrome risk (MetS score), and wellbeing were assessed cross-sectionally, and 8-weeks later. Hypothesised between-group differences were consistently observed for IG only (p<.001). AvAcc was strongly correlated with MVPA (r=0.96), while moderate correlations were observed between IG and MVPA (r=0.50) and AvAcc (r=0.54). IG was significantly associated with health indicators, independent of AvAcc (p<.001). AvAcc was associated with wellbeing, independent of IG (p<.05). IG was significantly associated with WHtR (p<.01) and MetS score (p<.05) at 8-weeks follow-up. IG is sensitive as a gauge of PA intensity that is independent of total PA volume, and which relates to important health indicators in children

Rewriting, remaking and rediscovering screenwriting practice: When the screenwriter becomes practitioner-researcher

Screenwriting as a research practice is rapidly emerging in the academy, extending the boundaries of the discipline beyond its history in vocational training. Offering a space in which new and established practitioners can incubate ideas and processes in ways that might otherwise not be possible – particularly in mainstream industry contexts, where writing can often be in service of production – a research environment offers academic stimulation that encourages innovative methodologies of creative practice to develop. In this way, the screenwriter becomes a practitioner-researcher who, through deep reflection on previous works and experiences and creative-critical engagement with new ideas and concepts, is able to develop new screenplays that are writer- and research-oriented. In this paper we discuss the role that academic research can play in shaping the work of the screenwriter. Through personal case studies and reflections, we explore how practice can be rewritten, remade and rediscovered in the academy. There has been very little written about the phenomenon of screenwriting as a research practice, therefore we hope this paper will contribute important and timely insights into this emergent discipline

'Utmost good faith and accountability in the spotlight of the Banking Royal Commission: Time to revisit the scope, applicability and enforcement of the duty'

The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry considered the insurance industry by reference to case studies involving all stages of the insurance process. This examination revealed serious problems and issues within the life and general insurance industries in relation to the handling and settling of insurance claims, the sale of insurance products including direct selling techniques, unfair contract terms including outdated definitions and misleading and deceptive conduct. This misconduct by a broad cross section of insurers demonstrates a deliberate disregard and/or ignorance of the statutory obligation upon the parties to an insurance contract that they observe utmost good faith towards one another in the formation and performance of an insurance contract. This inalienable obligation is rooted in the common law and is enshrined in the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth). The duty of utmost good faith requires parties to act toward one another with fairness, reasonableness and decency and to have regard to the other party’s reasonable expectations. Clearly any organization voluntarily embracing such good faith contracting and performance standards as part of their standard business practices will be setting a high standard of ethical behavior. This in turn will have the potential to enhance trust and address the deficiencies of culture, governance and risk management within entities that the Banking Royal Commission highlights as being core to many of the problems and concerns it identifies. This article examines the current scope, applicability and enforcement of the duty of utmost good faith and concludes with recommendations arising out of the Banking Royal Commission and otherwise. As the intrinsic value of any insurance product lies in the ability to make a successful claim when an insured event occurs, particular attention is given to claims handling and settlement and to the enforceability of utmost good faith duties. Furthermore, consideration also is given to recent case law that reveals continuing uncertainty around the operation of the duty in circumstances when it is very difficult to conclude that the insured, or the insurer, is acting in accordance with this overarching duty