Subtitled, ‘Traditions in Narrative and the Age of Visual
Culture’, this tome of nearly 400 pages of erudition is a considerable piece of
work. The book is essentially about storytelling on the screen and is, in fact,
part of a series under that title.
Academic, considered, analytical and full of wisdom, it is a
book for those working in the film industry, for students of that medium, for
critics and reviewers and, ultimately, for those who write screenplays. As a
manual for study and an analytical tool for those involved in film, it is a
wonderful book.
There are many illustrative case histories: unfortunately, I’ve
seen vary few of the many popular films discussed, so this aspect was of less
value to me. In any case, although I’ve dabbled in screenwriting and my fiction
is visually based, I’m essentially a novelist. As such, I have different needs
as a writer. That’s not to say that the book has nothing to offer me. The
analysis of story elements and the explanation of story structure are valuable
elements and I come away with a deeper understanding of the history and purpose
behind story. Myth and legend form the basis of most of what we write today and
the discussions of the various root tales are useful and inspiring.
My writing method is that of the pantster. I don’t plan or
structure, except in the very loosest way possible. Generally, I start with a
theme, develop a story beginning and ending, to which I add characters, and
then allow these invented people to determine the route, the journey, of the
novel. So, analysis and structural planning are of little help to me; in fact,
they can be destructive of a process that relies hugely on instinct and the
subconscious mingling of experience, knowledge and emotional elements. Sorry if
that sounds pretentious, but it’s the nearest I can find to expressing what actually
happens when I sit at the keyboard to create.
Planners and plotters, however, of which there are multitude
in the writing world, will find this book invaluable. It guides and explains,
suggests analogies, prompts with themes, and labels those elements of a story
that such writers need to identify.
So, a book I’d definitely recommend to scholars,
scriptwriters, film directors, those with an abiding interest in film, and to
those writers who find their creative stimulation in plot.
