Abstract
New approaches to writing for ‘immersive media’ are stretching, adapting anddismantling entrenched screenwriting practices that grew out of the Hollywood studio
system of the 1920s and 1930s. In this thesis, I examine the unique challenges posed to
writers by immersive media and recommend some solutions. My broad aim is to open up
participation in these emerging forms to more writers by recommending low-tech ways
to write for often high-tech media. I do this by examining precedents that may provide
replicable approaches in three areas: the history of the screenplay, current approaches to
scriptwriting in Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR), and writing practices for video games. I
begin the thesis by reaching working definitions of ‘immersive’ and related terms such as
‘immersive media’ and ‘immersive storytelling’. In doing so, I propose an ‘immersive
framework’ that can be used to analyse or ideate immersive texts. I then examine the
varied conceptualisations of screenwriting in academic writing on the subject and trace
the development of dominant screenwriting practices, identifying relevant alternative
approaches. I argue for the continued benefits of some form of screenplay in an age of
digital production, both to facilitate participation from writers with barriers to involvement
in the production process and to help establish the conventions of new media forms.
Next, I consider what the equivalent of a screenplay could be for immersive media, first
by mapping emerging practices in Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) and then by looking to
relevant precedents in video game development. I conclude with a series of
recommendations in the form of a ‘Tentative Manifesto for Immersive Media
Scriptwriting’.
| Date of Award | 30 Sept 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Sophie Nicholls (Supervisor) & Ian Sturrock (Supervisor) |