Samuel Marinov

The Script and Beyond: Application of Bakhtin’s Theories of Chronotope and Author and Protagonist in Artistic Activity for Analysis of Autobiographical Screenplays

Screenplay Analytics, LLC

In my 2022 presentation SRN conference in Vienna, I outlined basic principles of Bakhtin’s theory of chronotope and its possible applications for screenwriting research and analysis. In that presentation, I have identified various time-space continuums that are present in any given screenplay. In my re-interpretation of that theory, I have introduced the concept of time/ space continuum related to a screenwriter, something I believe could be particularly relevant to the analysis of autobiographical screenplays.

As anyone who has been working in the area of screenwriting research and analysis knows, there is a substantial number of screenplays that contain at least some elements of screenwriter’s own life and experience, which are relevant to the screenplay’s story and its characters.. And yet, this category of screenplays has not received, in my view, a sufficient attention it deserves.

To study autobiographical screenplays, in addition to the chronotope theory, I will also utilize certain elements of Bakhtin’s other work, called: “Author and Protagonist in Artistic Activity”, aimed to further illuminate the dynamic interactions between the screenwriter’s own life and experience and those presented in her/his screenplay. To illustrate my point, I will use the following autobiographical screenplays, which rely very heavily on screenwriters’ own life and experience such as: the 1962 film “Long Journey into Night “, based on the eponymous stage play; one of the plays from the Neil Simon’s autobiographical trilogy : “Bridgton Beach Memoirs”, “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound, as well as Larry Cramer’s “Normal Heart.”.

After retiring from his faculty position at Georgia State University, Samuel Marinov (SRN member since 2010) has joined Film-TV Screenplay Analysis, LLC, a company dedicated to helping both aspiring and experienced screenwriters to improve their works, as well as providing screenplay consulting services to various film and TV production companies. The company is also involved in research and development of computer-based screenplay analysis.