Dramaturgy: A Practical Theory of Filmmaking

k 2011

Dramaturgy: A Practical Theory of Filmmaking

SZCZEPANIK, Petr

Basic information

Original name

Dramaturgy: A Practical Theory of Filmmaking

Authors

SZCZEPANIK, Petr (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Lights! Tystnad! Azione! Practices, Sites and Careers in European Film Production. International Conference, 2011

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Prezentace na konferencích

Field of Study

Art, architecture, cultural heritage

Country of publisher

Sweden

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14210/11:00050599

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

Keywords (in Czech)

dramaturgie; český film; produkční kultura

Keywords in English

dramaturgy; Czech film; production culture

Abstract

V originále

In my paper I look at historical developments of basic production teams under the Communist rule and the ways how political and cultural changes interfered with otherwise resistant production routines and hierarchies via so-called dramaturgy. In the state-controlled system of production, the "dramaturg" was basically an equivalent to "producer", though without the usual financial and marketing responsibilities. Dramaturgy was considered the most efficient way for the official ideology to hold control over selection and execution of film projects. It was taught in film schools and discussed on various levels of the government and Party hierarchies. Dramaturgs and so-called dramaturgical units oversaw script development, selection of cast and crew, the actual shooting as well as post-production, and at some points they were even responsible for promotional materials and festival releases. They acted as cultural intermediaries, or interfaces of the production culture: they mediated between writers and directors, as well as between studios, the political establishment and broader cultural trends. After the collapse of the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the virtual disappearance of dramaturgs was identified among key factors of the general production crisis. For today’s historians, dramaturgy stands as a key feature of the socialist mode of film production, as well as prominent example of industrial reflexivity under political and state control: what I would call “the dramaturgical-unit system” (referring to Janet Staiger) distinguishes the Socialist production systems from Hollywood and West-European cinemas.

Links

GAP409/10/1361, research and development project

Name: Historie ateliérů na Barrandově z hlediska organizace a kultury filmové výroby

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, History of Barrandov Studios in Terms of Organization and Culture of Film Production

Citovat

SZCZEPANIK, Petr. Dramaturgy: A Practical Theory of Filmmaking. In Lights! Tystnad! Azione! Practices, Sites and Careers in European Film Production. International Conference. 2011.

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   author = {Szczepanik, Petr},
   booktitle = {Lights! Tystnad! Azione! Practices, Sites and Careers in European Film Production. International Conference},
   keywords = {dramaturgy; Czech film; production culture},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Dramaturgy: A Practical Theory of Filmmaking},
   url = {http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/view_online.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fddata.over-blog.com%2Fxxxyyy%2F1%2F84%2F11%2F48%2FConfStockholm.pdf},
   year = {2011}
}

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AU  - Szczepanik, Petr
PY  - 2011
TI  - Dramaturgy: A Practical Theory of Filmmaking
KW  - dramaturgy
KW  - Czech film
KW  - production culture
UR  - http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/view_online.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fddata.over-blog.com%2Fxxxyyy%2F1%2F84%2F11%2F48%2FConfStockholm.pdf
L2  - http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/view_online.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fddata.over-blog.com%2Fxxxyyy%2F1%2F84%2F11%2F48%2FConfStockholm.pdf
N2  - In my paper I look at historical developments of basic production teams under the Communist rule and the ways how political and cultural changes interfered with otherwise resistant production routines and hierarchies via so-called dramaturgy. In the state-controlled system of production, the "dramaturg" was basically an equivalent to "producer", though without the usual financial and marketing responsibilities. Dramaturgy was considered the most efficient way for the official ideology to hold control over selection and execution of film projects. It was taught in film schools and discussed on various levels of the government and Party hierarchies. Dramaturgs and so-called dramaturgical units oversaw script development, selection of cast and crew, the actual shooting as well as post-production, and at some points they were even responsible for promotional materials and festival releases. They acted as cultural intermediaries, or interfaces of the production culture: they mediated between writers and directors, as well as between studios, the political establishment and broader cultural trends. After the collapse of the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the virtual disappearance of dramaturgs was identified among key factors of the general production crisis. For today’s historians, dramaturgy stands as a key feature of the socialist mode of film production, as well as prominent example of industrial reflexivity under political and state control: what I would call “the dramaturgical-unit system” (referring to Janet Staiger) distinguishes the Socialist production systems from Hollywood and West-European cinemas.
ER  -

SZCZEPANIK, Petr. Dramaturgy: A Practical Theory of Filmmaking. In \textit{Lights! Tystnad! Azione! Practices, Sites and Careers in European Film Production. International Conference}. 2011.

Detailed Information on Publication Record