[DiGRA UK] Call for Papers - Writing for Screens Symposium June 14th, 2019

[Peter Howell]

Call for Papers - Writing for Screens Symposium June 14th, 2019

University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK

School of Creative Technologies & School of Film, Media & Communication

Email contact: peter.howell at port.ac.uk/jane.steventon at port.ac.uk

Deadline for Submission of Abstracts: 22nd March 2019

Writing for Screens is a one-day symposium for academics and industry
professionals to explore the intersection of screenwriting practices and
academic research.  There is a particular focus on industry partnerships
and academic collaborations and also on practice-based research.



In today’s burgeoning media landscape, writing for screens reflects on the
broad range of opportunities for the storyteller, from TV & film to
computer & video games and interactive drama. The Writing for Screens
symposium will offer discourse on how the practice of writing for screens
has evolved and how, in a post-Bandersnatch landscape, there are more
opportunities and collaborative methods to present narratives on screen
than ever.

The increasing visibility of interactive, non-linear storytelling outside
of its typical home territory of games, alongside an ever-growing demand
for high quality writing within contemporary games, presents opportunities
for interdisciplinary sharing of theory and practice. The availability of
consumer virtual and augmented reality equipment has created a substantial
sector within the marketplace hungry for new content and unique experiences
that make full use of the new modalities of interacting and experiencing
stories that are available.

But how innovative are the stories that we are presenting on screen? How do
different media forms approach challenges such as the role of the author
and the authorial voice versus an audience that is willing, in some cases
expecting, to be co-creators of a narrative experience? Is there a finite
number of ways to present story in the postmodern vacuum of ideas and
adaptations? Does a hyper-local commissioning approach still mean that a
truly global worldview eludes our streaming content?  Do the statistics
about female and BAME writers offer up cause for concern, in seeking to
find and present different perspectives of the world?  From Fortnite to
Bandersnatch, Killing Eve to Roma, this Symposium seeks to explore
zeitgeist issues in the screen storytelling landscape.

We encourage academics in all stages of study and industry professionals to
attend and welcome proposals for presentations on, but not limited to, the
following possible topics:


   -

   Interactive narratives
   -

   Writing for games
   -

   Writing for film and television
   -

   Gender and storytelling on screen
   -

   LGBTQI+ writing for screens
   -

   Writing for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
   -

   Writing practices for industry & research
   -

   Cross-platform, transmedia storytelling
   -

   ARG: Alternate Reality Games
   -

   Effect of commercial context on artistic freedom
   -

   Constraints imposed by different platforms
   -

   Netflix and the SVOD landscape



If you have any questions regarding the suitability of possible topics and
material for inclusion at the Symposium, please do not hesitate to contact
Dr Peter Howell (peter.howell at port.ac.uk) or Jane Steventon (
jane.steventon at port.ac.uk).



Abstracts of 350 words, for paper presentations of approximately 4000 words
(20 minutes), along with a short biographical note, should be emailed to
both organisers by 22nd March 2019. Successful proposals will be notified
by 18th April 2019. The deadline for complete papers will be 31st May 2019.
Papers and presentations will be published and available for viewing via a
Writing for Screens UoP website and publication will also be sought within
subject-related journals following the symposium.


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Dr Peter Howell PhD, BSc (Hons), PGC, FHEA
Senior Lecturer in Games Design
Leader of the Advanced Games Research Group
Deputy Admissions Tutor

School of Creative Technologies
University of Portsmouth
Eldon Building
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth PO1 2DJ
United Kingdom
Telephone:  023 9284 5925
Email: peter.howell at port.ac.uk
Website: www.whothehowell.co.uk
Blog: www.whatthehowell.co.uk
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