CFP: From Text to Screen in science fiction and fantasy genres

From: matthew wilhelm kapell <[email protected]>
:

*From Text to Screen: Spinning Words into Film in the Science-Fiction and
Fantasy genres *

The translation of pre-existing works (plays, novels, short stories) to the
big screen remains a problematic process fraught with difficulties of
cultural translation and updates as well as differences media forms and
traditions. How do filmmakers take a work =96 especially one that existed i=
n
a different cultural and historical time =96 and translate it for
contemporary audiences?
Such films are seeing unprecedented success in American and world cinema.
Having received initial interest from an academic publisher the editors
seek chapter proposals on films and the pre-existing texts they are based
upon for a work that asks questions about the two kinds of =93translation=
=94
happening here: How do filmmakers produce a film based on a non-filmic
text? And, at the same time, how do they update the cultural ideas in those
pre-existing texts for a modern audience without losing the inherent ideas
of the original work?
Proposals should consider the following list in assessing their idea=92s
suitability for this project:
1. Proposals should include either recent films, =93classics,=94 or films
underrepresented in academic discussions.
2. Films should be based on non-film texts (preferably written) that are
either genre or non-genre.
3. Preference to texts/films that have a somewhat significant period of
time between the original text and the filmed version (i.e., *Ender=92s Gam=
e*)
unless the film/text are undeniably popular (i.e.: *Jurassic Park*).
4. Emphasis on the needs of the filmmaker to "culturally update" the
original text to make it relevant for contemporary audiences, especially
along lines of =93race/class/gender=94 and technology/philosophy.
5. Emphasis on the cultural/mythic/folkloric importance of both the
original text and the film version.
6. Preference to works that have seen more than a single film production.
7. The editors also wish to indicate a strong preference for avoiding
unnecessary academic jargon and emphasizing clear writing and readability.
8. The editors also prefer not to receive proposals on the works of Philip
K. Dick at this time.

*Proposals:*
Chapter proposals should provide a brief abstract (200-400 words) for a
chapter of 5,500 to 7,000 words and detail the main thesis of the proposed
chapter. Proposals should also include the name, discipline, and current
affiliation (if any) of the author(s) with a separate, single page C.V. The
editors are willing to consider proposals from graduate students and
independent scholars. Proposals should be sent, as a Word and
Word-compatible attachment to [email protected] by 1 March. Decisions
on proposals will be made by 31 March and initial drafts are expected by 2
June with final drafts due by 18 August. The dates listed are subject to
modification as deemed appropriate by the Press but the editors do not
anticipate moving the dates up in the calendar.
The editors are interested in proposals on all possible films or film
franchises, but are especially interested in the following:
*War of the Worlds* (Wells/Haskin [1953]/Spielberg [2005])
*Oz* (Baum/Semon [1925]/Fleming [1939]/Raimi [2013, *Oz The Great and
Powerful*]
*The Day the Earth Stood Still* (Bates/Wise [1951]/Derrickson [2008])
*The Thing* (Campbell, Jr./Nyby [1951, as *The Thing from Another
World*]/Carpenter
[1982]/Heijningen, Jr. [2011])
*Planet of the Apes* (Boulle/Var. Directors, 1968-2014)
*Ender=92s Game* (Card/Hood)
*Harry Potter* (Rowling/Var. Directors, 2001-2011)
*I, Robot* (Asimov/Proyas)
The editors also welcome general queries and questions concerning possible
proposals and the suitability of specific films/texts at
[email protected] address.
Editors: Matthew Wilhelm Kapell & Ace G. Pilkington
 _______________________________
 Matthew Wilhelm Kapell |  matthewkapell.com

And the new book
Playing With the Past:
Digital Games and the Simulation of History
Playingwiththepast.com  <http://playingwiththepast.com/>


<http://americansuperhero.com/franchiseindex.html>

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