SRN Executive Minutes – November 2022

SRN Executive Council Meeting

(via Zoom)

Monday, Nov. 21, 2022

7am Los Angeles =

Rosanne 7am

Anna W, Clarissa 10am

Jan, Isadora 4pm

Rose 11pm

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Anna Weinstein (AW).  ECR Clarissa Miranda (CM)

 

  1. Apologies / Take group photo

 

  1. Approval of Minutes of previous meeting

 

JC proposes / CM seconds.

 

  1. Status on officer handovers – web, ECR, Membership Officer, Secretary. Does anyone need any assistance completing the handover?

 

Rose updates on website progress, all going smoothly. Clarissa updates on Facebook site. Clarissa will send Rosanne ideas about posts for FB until she has access. Rosanne makes a call for all of us to email Clarissa with ideas for postings on FB. Rose suggests that one posting per week would be helpful. We can all help come up with ideas.

 

  1. Status on Posts to Make to Members: Call for Papers for SRN 2023 out / Approve new Call for Hosts to follow 2024 Palacký University in the Czech Republic/ Check in w/judges/ Post about this year’s Awards w/deadlines and judge’s emails.

 

Rosanne suggests that she will craft a call for hosts for the conferences beyond 2024.

 

  1. Institutional memory: YouTube/Creating password repository-Institutional memory/Creating a Discord site/Support Working Groups more/ Updating Social Media with postings of scholarships, residencies, teaching/collaborating opps/ Exiting Twitter?Rosanne suggests that we create a calendar for when different working groups should put out calls via the listserve. Jan says he will add any announcements to the newsletter. Rosanne said the web designer at her college is working on the conference website and will have it ready to go live the first week of December.
  2. Working Group: JC: Sharing site for online lectures and encourage international cooperation/Repository of Screenwriting Curricula developed by SRN members (Motion: shall one member of EC join each Working Group as liason?)Rosanne tells about her work with the WGA and making use of a liason so people know who to contact for more information. Suggests a liason on the EC who can be the liason to the working group. Rosanne will be the liason for Romana’s group, and Anna will be the liason to Max’s group.Rose suggests a new role for a Working Group Coordinator because it will give us more immediate interaction with working groups. Jan suggests that we invite Romana and Max to attend some of the EC meetings. This suggesting moves forward and Rosanne will invite Romana and Max to attend next meeting.

 

  1. RF: Record 2-3 SRN Conversations this year to catch up so we can do new ones only a year after a new conference has been held…Rose says it’s relatively easy to coordinate. She has three SRN members in mind and plans to send out invitations in mid-January.

 

  1. RW: Website brainstorm – other info of interest to include (Add info on where members come from to the About section of the website/make map of the world with numbers in each country showing who is from where/-put the animation on the front of the website or as the first thing when you click “Conferences” tab

Rose suggests a scrolling ‘Welcome All (different countries)’ banner. She doesn’t have the capacity to learn the software at this time but will reach out to Paolo. Anna suggests an email to the SRN members to ask

 

  1. AW: Teaching Award Research / Lifetime achievment award to Tom Stempel at SRN 2023Anna presented idea for the teaching award. Rose suggested it might overburden the EC and we’re not familiar enough with our colleagues’ teaching to fairly judge. Jan thinks the connection between research and teaching is important. Anna will draft the paragraph/proposal for the next meeting.

 

  1. Adjust Constitution: Reorganizing EC member titles and duties/Update Website / ADD ECR

 

  1. Other business

 

Decided date of next meeting:  Jan 23 – same time as Nov meeting

SRN AGM Minutes – Vienna, September 2022

Vienna 23 September

In person – EC + full membership

 

Minutes of previous meeting – unanimously Approved

 

Chair Margaret McVeigh presented the 2021-22 Activity Report which also appears on the SRN mailing list and website. She covered these areas:

 

1.)Introduction of Executive Council:

  • Margaret McVeigh (Chairperson), Griffith Film School, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
  • Rosanne Welch (Secretary), Stephens College, USA
  • Rose Ferrell (Membership and Inclusion Officer), Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
  • Rafael Leal (Web Coordinator), Pontifical Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Jan Cernik (Newsletter Editor) Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Isadora Garcia Avis (Newsletter Editor) Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

ALSO – Shaopeng Chen, China was appointed as Early Career Representative by the Executive Council and co-opted to the EC for the academic year 2021/22.

 

2.)The Executive Council held meetings on a monthly basis from 2021 to 2022 (for  a total of nine not including the March meeting cancelled due to illness). All these meetings were held online via Teams with the last meeting held face to face in Vienna before the day before the AGM. In addition to the regular meetings, its members maintained ongoing communication with one another and with the Membership.  Minutes of all meetings are published on the SRN website.

 

3.)COMMUNICATIONS (Newsletter, Website and Social media)

All relevant activities were publicized via the SRN Newsletter, JISCMail mailing list, and via social media.

 

a.)The Newsletter was regularly sent out to Members and extracts of news items were posted on Facebook. We wish to thank Jan and Isadora who collected all the news from colleagues the world over. Over the past year, the EC has discussed and implemented ways to continue to develop the circulation and outreach of the Newsletter. To that end Jan and Isadora:

  • Developed a completely new design for the newsletter
  • Established a new section with short interviews in order to share the ideas of some members, whether they are scholars or professional screenwriters, or both.

They follow this news cycle: all new items go to the Newsletter first, then are added to the News section on the SRN website and/or to the Local Initiative section (if applicable).

 

b.)The University of Leeds continues to host the SRN website. This has been the case since the SRN’s inception and will continue to be so until July 2026. The hosting cost (£100 yearly) is covered by the School and Media and Communication of the University of Leeds. We thank the University of Leeds for their continuing support.

More details on the EC’s activities regarding the Website and our Social media outlets are included in the Activities section below.

 

3.)MEMBERSHIP

As of 30 June 2022, the Network consists of 731 members. This is an increase of 109 members (+ 17.5%). This is the third year in a row where we have grown by more than 100 members. According to an analysis of JISCmail, the range of countries represented amongst our members is in the vicinity of 40.

 

a.)Diversity and inclusivity

As our membership grows, we are also beginning to see an increasingly wider range in nationalities represented each year. Over the previous 2 years, Rose Ferrell, Membership Officer has periodically put out a call to all our members to invite colleagues, students and admired mentors to join the SRN. This is part of our endeavour to expand the relevance of the Screenwriting Research Network across film industries in diverse regions in the world. This is an ongoing initiative which requires the action of every member of the SRN. Is there a scholar you admire, students who would benefit from the SRN community, or a colleague who is interested in screenwriting and film, we ask you to speak to them honestly about the value you receive from being in the Screenwriting Research Network and you will be assisting us to expand. The EC thanks Rose Ferrell for her constant dedication in liaising with new and existing Members.

 

b.)Reaching Across Borders – Asia Pacific Story Patterns

One of the initiatives taken this year to reach out to new members in the Asia Pacific and to provide opportunities for joint research projects around screenwriting was the Panel Asia Pacific Story Patterns.

 

In July 2022 the SRN Chair, Margaret McVeigh opened the conversation into research into screenwriting patterns in Asia Pacific Storytelling with the panel Asia Pacific Story Patterns held face-to-face and online for SRN Members at the ASPERA (Australian Screen Production Education and Research Association) Annual Conference Creativity Matters: Poetics. Pedagogy. Production. Policy held at Griffith Film School, Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia on Tuesday July 12 2022. The panel session was titled: Opening the Conversation – “How do you tell a story?” — Asia Pacific Story Patterns and involved a presentation by and discussion with filmmakers and screenwriters from the Asia Pacific. Panellists included:

  • Dr Anne Demy-Geroe (Panel Moderator) (Course Convenor Asia Pacific Film, Griffith Film School: President NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema, author, Iranian National Cinema)
  • Dr Anthony Mullins (Award Winning Australian Screenwriter and Showrunner, author Beyond the Hero’s Journey) Professor Park Ki-yong (Chairperson KOFIC [Korean Film Council]; awardwinning Director, Editor, Screenwriter)
  • Ms Anjali Menon (Script writer & Director Ustaad Hotel, Bangalore days, Manjarrikurru; filmmakier India, United Kingdom and the Middle East.)
  • Ms Kodie Bedford (Award winning Australian Indigenous screenwriter & filmmaker)

 

The session involved over 55 participants including the panel members, 30 ASPERA face to face delegates and 20 SRN online participants and was concluded by a Call for Chapters to Asia Pacific Screenwriters and Scholars for a publication proposal in the area. The editors (Margaret McVeigh, Anne Demy-Geroe and Anthony Mullins) welcome proposals that involve collaborations between academics and industry screenwriters and filmmakers.

 

4.)ACTIVITIES

 

a.)Conferences

The current annual conferences is to be held in Vienna, Austria (2022), the next conference is Missouri, USA (2023). The conference to be held Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2024) will now be held in Olomouc, Czech Republic. The Executive will put out a call for conference hosts after 2024 as part of its Action Plan 2022/2023.

 

b.)SRN Awards

The SRN Awards apply to eligible publications between June 2021 and May 2022.

The categories for the Awards are for the Best Monograph by a single author, and the Best Article or Book Chapter in a peer-reviewed journal or other publication. The Executive Council has worked throughout the year to consolidate the process by liaising with the expert jury (i.e. Professor Emeritus Tom Stempel, Associate Professor Eva Novrup Redvall and Professor Carmen Sofia Brenes). The submission guidelines have been added to the SRN website.

The SRN Awards will be announced at the Vienna Conference by jury chair, Eva Novrup Redvall.

 

c.)History and memory archive of the SRN

The EC has continued to develop the historical/memory archive of the SRN, through conversations with previous conference organizers. This includes the work commenced under the previous Chair, Paolo Russo, where the EC began the project of creating a historical/memory archive of the SRN. The result of this was the SRN ‘Conversations’ series, which is on our Youtube channel.

The first conversation is between Ian Macdonald, Kirsi Rinne, Eva Novrup Redvall and Ronald Geerts and is about the early beginnings of the Screenwriting Research Network. In July 2022 we recorded a second ‘Conversation’ with the conference organisers of our 2012 Sydney, Australia conference and our 2013 Madison, Wisconsin conference. Executive Council Secretary, Rosanne Welch, hosted the ‘Conversation’, speaking to Kathryn Millard, Macquarie University, Sydney; Alex Munt, University of Technology, Sydney; and J.J. Murphy (retired) previously of University of Wisconsin, Madison. (Unfortunately, Kelley Conway, who collaborated with J.J. in organzing the Wisconsin conference, was not able to be with us). This Conversation has also been uploaded to the SRN website (screenwritingresearch.com) for you to access.

We began this project because we believed that the SRN is a valuable organisation precisely because of its ‘grass roots’ beginnings. These beginnings saw researchers who were isolated from each other in a field which had barely become recognised as a field of research, reach out to each other. Beginning with a one-day Symposium in Leeds in 2008, the group grew to hold its second conference in Helsinki in 2009, a third in Copenhagen in 2010, and a fourth in Brussels in 2011. One of the important legacies of this beginning is the friendly and open way that SRN members in general welcome newcomers who join us. It drives our enthusiasm for embracing screenwriters and researchers from around the globe – not just the Western world, and is evidenced too, by the fact that we do not charge a subscription fee, as many other organisations do. Another way this is shown as important is that the conferences are organised in such a way as to keep costs down to give the opportunity for all to participate no matter what their circumstances. This culture has been embedded since its inception, and we endeavour to maintain this legacy as we grow larger. For this reason, the Conversations were mooted as a way to preserve a culture of sharing and of friendship which had been so successfully developed through those early years.

 

d.)While looking at our history, it became obvious that we each are holding photos which preserve shared memories. This led to the scoping of another project by the Executive Council, that of creating a Photo album (available via Google Photo) which Members can access to share their past conference photos. Currently, the EC is considering how to administer such a project while addressing privacy issues. We will be continue to work on this over the coming year and welcome your thoughts regarding this.

 

e.)Website and social media action and development

The SRN website was streamlined in 2020-2021. The Executive continues to update and work to make the site informative and rich with knowledge important to SRN Members.

The information below is data generated according to Google Analytics. This allows us to gather useful statistics on our users’ engagement with the website, and helps us plan and put to good use as part of our new inclusivity and diversity strategy.

From August 2020 to June 2022, we had 7,418 users in 9,548 sessions and a total of 17,292 pageviews.

Data data collected so far shows us that:

– users are mostly between 25-34 years old (28.3%) or younger (23.1%);

– 46.8% male, 53.2% female; (we are sorry that Google Analytics does not show any non-binary data regarding gender)

– nearly a quarter of them accessed through mobile devices;

– users come from 134 different countries (in the last report it was “only” 92 countries;

– users come from the US (21.13%), UK (15%), China (6.62%), Australia (6.43%), Brazil (4.41%), Finland (4.15%), Netherlands (3.17%), India (2.68%), Austria (2.47%) and Japan (2.39%).

The Analytics provides several resources that will allow us to spread the word of Screenwriting Research more efficiently, as we make our website more reachable to audiences searching for related content.

The EC wishes to thank Rafael Leal for his excellent coordination and management of our website.

 

f.)Social Media

This year Executive has worked with advice from Marketing experts to fine tune the interconnection of elements of our online print (the newsletter) and social media to create a cycle of news and alerts that links current events but maintains a semi archival repository of interviews, reviews and reports on the website via the Newsletter.

Our social media activities (with particular emphasis on our Facebook presence) were run most effectively by Shoaopeng, Jan and Isadora.

Our Facebook followers are:

  • 41 % female and 57% male;
  • still come mostly from USA, UK and Australia but also from India, Germany,Brazil, Portugal, Canada, Chile, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Austria, Sweden, Ireland,Colombia, and Egypt as per the previous year with new followers from Nigeria and Vietnam
  • still mostly speak English and prefer posts about “international” content (e.g.CfPs, trade news, new publications, etc.)
  • still distributed rather evenly between age groups, which means that the pagestill offers content that is interesting for both young and advanced researchers.
  • The age distribution of our FB followers is below:

Age Group Female Followers Male Followers

25-34    9% 11%

35-44    10% 17%

45-54    11% 14%

55-64    5% 8%

65+       4% 6%

 

g.)The Youtube channel is one year old this year. A reminder it is still possible to access lectures from the SRN 2021 via registration on SRN2020.com website. The lectures do not appear on the YouTube page but can be accessed via this website using a password you will receive when you register. These lectures are available until late in 2023.

 

h.)Working Groups

The SRN has four working groups: one focused on Practice-led research, one on Collaborative Screenwriting, another one on Women and Screenwriting, and one on Teaching Screenwriting.

Last September, the Practice Based/Led working group organised its first panel at the annual conference which involved table reads of research screenplays. This year, the working group once again has organised a Practice focused panel, with actors reading research screenplay excerpts, for the Vienna conference. Maxine Gee the convenor of this working group aims facilitate more activities in the coming academic year.

 

Information about content and contacts for the working groups can be found on our website (http://screenwritingresearch.com/working-groups/). We encourage anybody who wishes to join any of the current groups to contact the relevant coordinators; drop into working group face-to-face meetings at the annual conference or, if you would like to establish a new working group, to initiate discussion among the members so as to set it up.

 

i.)Early Career Representative

The role of the Early Career Representative was introduced to explore pathways that could showcase the work of our early career and PhD candidate members. This last year the role was taken on by Shaopeng Chen who has worked with Jan and Isadora in curating the SRN social media presence as well as contributing to all EC discussions.

The ECR is not elected and remains in post for one year (although the ECR can stand up for re-appointment or for election to an EC position). The Call for Nominations for the new academic year was issued in June 2022. The EC appointed a new ECR at the September 2022 meeting – Clarissa Miranda, Brasil.

 

5.)ELECTIONS

The Executive Council consists of elected members who stand for two years as well as the invited and appointed ECR representative.

  • Two members of the EC ended their terms this year so a Call for Nominations was regularly posted in May 2022 to fill the vacancies.
  • Rosanne Welch, Rose Ferrell stood for election unopposed.

 

The EC encourage all members to consider standing for elections so that the Executive Council itself can continue its role of coordination and steering.

 

6.)MEMBER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

We wish to congratulate all members who completed their PhD, and who have had publications in 2021-22, including for example, the many members whose work has been published through Sightlines: Filmmaking in the Academy and in Palgrave Handbook of Script Development.

 

7.)PRESENTATION OF NEXT CONFERENCE LOCATION

Secretary Rosanne Welch gave a 15 minute powerpoint on Stephens College, Missouri, USA where the 2023 SRN will be held from September 20-23, 2023.  The website:

https://www.stephens.edu/srn2023/

offers information on travel and discounts on lodging. Abstracts due January 6, 2023. Acceptance and Registration opens mid-February.

 

8.)PRESENTATION OF AWARDS

Eva Novrup Redvall presented the SRN award for Best Monograph to s. Anthony Mullins for his book Beyond the Hero’s Journey

and to Alison Pierce for Best Article for her“The Hidden Work of Women in Commissioning and Development in British Television Drama.”.

 

Meeting adjourned 17:30. Next full AGM will be held at Stephens College, Missouri, USA – time TBA

SRN Executive Minutes – September 2022

SRN Minutes of Meeting – September 2022

Date Thursday 22 Sept Conference lunch break

Venue: TBA

  1. Apologies

RF not in attendance

  1. Minutes of previous meeting

Approval proposed / Seconded / Approved

  1. Conference executive activités – previous minutes action,  report, action plan, élections, forthcoming conferences, awards etc

MM discussed format of AGM presentation, suggestions for order of presentations of upcoming conferences, announcement of which award judge would announce awards.

  1. Newsletter

Ready to go post conference.

  1. ERC nominations and other positions vacant action

MM announced she is stepping down from EC for family reasons.  RL also stepping down.  EC will need to recruit a new ECR (as we do every year) and MM has someone in mind to ask here at conference.  Discussion of changes in duties. IG will take on Membership, RF will take on Website, RW will take on Chair.  JC is fine managing newsletter alone.  RW proposes Anna Weinstein for Secretary.  Approval unanimous. Answer pending.

  1. Other business

(From email from Rosanne Welch, of 14th November 2022 to rosieglow@westnet.com.au)

SRN Executive Minutes – October 2022

MINUTES

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Anna Weinstein (AW), Indranil Chakravarty (IC).

ECR Clarissa Miranda (CM)

 

  1. ApologiesRose F.

 

  1. Minutes of previous meeting

 

Approved and seconded.

 

  1. Discuss Meeting Dates/Times – rotate each month?Some members would be away from home on Saturday/don’t want to infringe on weekends.

IG – every 3rd Monday works best/stability in schedule makes it easier to plan.

 

Decided to meet Nov 21 @:

 

Rosanne: 7am

Anna W, Clarissa:  10am

Jan, Isadora: 5pm

Indranil: 7:30pm

Rose: 11pm

 

  1. Reorganizing EC member titles and duties/Update Website

 

Current language in the constitution:

 

5.1 The Association shall be managed by an Executive of a minimum of five persons, and a maximum of nine persons aged 18 or over, and who have been members for one year or more. The current Executive shall decide on the total number of Executive members for the following year.

 

5.2. The Officers of the Executive Council shall be Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Officer and Membership Secretary. One office may be combined with another office, if this is deemed appropriate by the Executive

 

Members new duties for 2022-2023 =

Chairperson – Rosanne

Deputy Chairperson – Indranil

Secretary – Anna

Webmaster – Rose

Membership – Isadora

Newsletter – Jan

ECR – Clarissa

 

Rosanne suggests we consider new titles for committee members. Jan is happy to change his title to Newsletter Editor, which is more specific. Rosanne suggests Webmaster for Rose’s position, rather than Communications Officer. Rosanne will write something up so we can put it to a vote for the network.

 

  1. ADD ECR to Constitution

 

–ECR definition to be written

 

  1. Updating Social Media/YouTube/Creating password repository-Institutional memory/Creating a Discord site/Support Working Groups more…Rosanne mentions creating a Google Drive folder for SRN-related passwords for institutional memory.

 

  1. Put out new Call for Hosts to follow 2024 Palacký University in the Czech Republic

 

  1. JC: Build a platform within the SRN for early career researchers and PhD candidates to build on our experience with online lectures and encourage international cooperation.

 

Jan discusses this briefly. Everyone thinks it would be a good idea. Jan will bring a more formal presentation to the next meeting to discuss.

 

  1. IC: Creating Repository of Screenwriting Curricula developed by SRN members

 

Indranil suggests creating a repository of curricula. Everyone seems to like the idea. This leads to a discussion about exchanging ideas and classroom visits. Isadora discusses COIL program where screenwriting educators can collaborate/have students collaborate on projects with students from other countries. She suggests that this curricula repository will be useful to facilitate these discussions.

IC – Different countries/cultures – we have all designed special courses/redesign our courses every year so we could learn so much from each other. Limited to members/not open to all to avoid plagiarism since curriculum is IP. Declaration about IP and its ownership.

 

RW – How can the university own the distinctive lectures I create/clips I show to a class.

 

IC- But a curriculum can’t be monetized.

 

CM – Brazil docs on curriculum are private, but they put them online for students.  I can ask colleagues to share. I think it’s a good idea to share.

 

IG – Question is up to how to keep the database – our college has it all online.  But my curriculum is all basic info. The daily details are only known to the professors.

 

IC – We don’t need the lesson plan, but perhaps sharing assignments. I started “Who are you?” All these should be typed so I can’t identify their handwriting, submitted anonymously.

 

RW – I do the History of Your name as an introductory activity.

 

IC – It will help us keep our courses fresh.

 

IG – The question is, how do we share these things? Also, interesting to know name of course and year of student. If Indranil can design the template for people to fill in, we can use that to send it out.

 

IC – Semester (?) /Course title /  Course Objective / List of topics / Credit hours? / Assignments / Filmography / Bibliography

 

IG – A shared folder on GoogleDrive can have a password – JISCmail can share the folder. Then all the pdfs country.

 

JC – A good idea to share such things. How many members in SRN?

 

IG – 700-800 members

 

JC – Would it be just about sharing assignments or offering to participation in others courses? COIL – shared online learning – is it like that?

 

IC – One issue with GoogleDrive is needing to give permission…

 

IG- It allows access to those with the link to avoid too many permission requests to one person’s email.

 

  1. RF: Record 2-3 SRN Conversations this year to catch up so we can do new ones only a year after a new conference has been held…

 

  1. RW: Website brainstorm – other info of interest to include (Add info on where members come from to the About section of the website/make map of the world with numbers in each country showing who is from where/-put the cute animation on the front of the website or as the first thing when you click “Conferences” tab

 

  1. Lifetime achievement award to Tom Stempel at SRN 2023?

 

Rosanne suggests this addition to the awards. Everyone thinks it’s a good idea. Indranil suggests teaching awards as well. Anna gives explanation of how it was organized for UFVA when she was on the committee. Everyone agrees it could be a nice addition to the awards, particularly if we offer three teaching awards. Anna will gather materials as examples from UFVA for the next meeting.

 

  1. Other business

 

Discussion of possibility of raising money for various projects, whether shared curricular projects, teaching awards, etc. Rosanne says it will be difficult to organize intake of money and where to hold the funds. Isadora reminds us that the network is not set up like an association. It’s currently in the constitution not to charge membership fees.

 

Date of next meeting:  Nov 21

Rosanne 7am

Anna W, Clarissa  10am

Jan, Isadora 5pm

Indranil 7:30pm

Rose 11pm

 

 

SRN Executive Minutes – August 2022

MINUTES SRN Executive Meeting

 

Tuesday 23 August 2022 3.00 pm GEST 

Tuesday 23 August 2022 9.00 pm AWST 

Tuesday 23 August 6.00am PST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

 

1. Apologies

Rose F, Jan C., Rafael L.

 

2. Minutes of previous meeting

IG proposes acceptance / RW seconds.

 

3. SRN AGM 

MM – Action plan and report posted, announcement of next meeting posted.  Link to Minutes from last year to be posted for approval.  Will plan one general email with further information.

MM- per Schedule from Claus – one hour for us including the election. Need to make sure in AGM we present Minutes from last minute.

SC – cannot attend Vienna because of quarantining issues when I return to China. 

IG – I was at a conference recently that set up some people to attend online so we can do that as well if we ask Claus. 

 

4. SRN 2022 Awards Update (Margaret)

Eva N has contacted with names of winners – Claus is making certificate.  Eva will present.

 

5. SRN Elections Update (Rosanne)

RR – Only 2 nominations – so Rose Ferrell and Rosanne Welch automatically reelected.

-Need to ask for someone to step forward and take Rafael Leal’s place as web master

-Need to thank Rafael for his work on the web, especially he and Paolo’s securing the Leeds server for another few years.

IG – We should announce it out loud at the AGM so we can reach as many as posible.  

 

6. SRN ERC Nominations (All)

MM – I can add that to the next email along with the next Early Career Representative.

IG – We need ask folks members in letter for being Early Career Representative.

 

7. SRN Newsletter (Jan & Isadora)

IG – Next newsletter after AGM – interviewing Claus about the conference.

 

8. SRN Exec Sept Meeting Vienna conference confirmation – date, time, place (Isadora)  

IG- meeting Friday at lunchtime (12:50) – need to check with Claus about a location. 

MM – It should be Thursday the 22nd at lunchtime so we have the date ahead.

 

9. Other business 

SRN Executive Minutes – July 2022

Monday 25 July 2022 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 26 July 2022 7.00 am AEST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

  • Apologies

Rafael Leal,  Isadora Garcia

  • Minutes of previous meeting

RF – Motion to approve. 

RW – Seconded.

  • SRN Annual Report Confirmation

JC – Need to update the Working Group section?  

MM – Maxine replied with her group’s update. Syri replied that her group was on pause but about to catch up.

RF – Maxine’s group is doing a reading at this year’s conference.  She has a call out for more leaders to join the Practice Lead Working Group.

MM – As per last year’s Report we can approve by today and be done before the Summer holidays in Europe.  Then we have 1 hour to present at the AGM in Vienna.

JC – I can do the graphics for the presentation covering new member countries and other graphs.

  • SRN Action Plan Confirmation 

Ratified by full EC present.

  • SRN Newsletter (Jan & Isadora)

  • SRN 2022 Conferences & Awards (Margaret)

MM – Jury will short list at beginning of August.  

RW – How do we manage telling the winners?  And shortlisted people? Did the winners have time to plan remarks?  

MM – I believe all  3 shortlisted plan something and when the announcement is given the winners speak.  There is ½ an hour given for this – it might end early which will give member the chance to rest before the dinner.

  • SRN Exec meetings August & September 

MM – Who will be on holidays in August?

JC – I can join from break.

MM – We might need to change our 8/29 date to the 22nd if that works with all EC members.  Due to internet access issues, I will have to use the university offices so the time will change to 3pm (Spain), 6am (Los Angeles). Next month’s meeting will discuss Elections, final meeting at the Vienna conference, other issues? Final meeting 1pm Vienna Thursday the 22nd.

  • Other business 

JC – 2024 conference dates chosen – Sept 12-14th, 2024

RW – Can we fit in one more SRN Conversation before the conference?

MM – We should show a clip of it at the AGM.

RF – We’d need to find and cut a clip to make it easier.

RW – I can do that.

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:53pm PDT.

 

SRN Executive Minutes – May 2022

MINUTES SRN Executive Meeting – MAY 2022

 

Monday 16 May 2022 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 17 May 2022 7.00 am AEST (via Teams)

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

Meeting begun :02 after the hour

 

Apologies

All present.

 

Minutes of April meeting

RF proposed/MM seconded. Accepted.

 

SRN Conversations (Rose)

RF – Here are some notes on the SRN Conversations for discussion at our meeting tomorrow. They are made after considering ideas put forward by others, and rewatching the youtube clips “SRN Conversations #1 – Memories from SRN Conferences (2008 – 2011). In summary, after looking at the recording of the first Conversation I think it has a robust framework. We should continue with the same.

The theme of the Conversations as ‘Memories from SRN Conferences’ is a strong identifying factor. I think we should continue to honour that endeavour – make it historical, to build a picture of the developing SRN

Points which were repeated by different speakers: 

  • the sense of being alone as a scholar of screenwriting in the early 2000s (which led Kirsi, Ian and then Eva to reach out to others);
  • the way that the colleagues who came from other parts of the world to join in a conference became strong friends; it was a welcoming place to be;
  • historical moments – the first JoS coming out; Adam Ganz dealing with a Mac Computer no one could work; technology not up to online meetings until Covid etc.
  • putting names to faces –  Steven Maras’ book led to theme of Copenhagen conference/Steven as Keynote; Ian’s welcome to Eva at his 2008 conference led her to organise the 2010 conference; Eva was encouraged by Ian and thus wrote her book – now English language best seller;
  • Online is better than nothing
  • POINT OF INTEREST – that the Conversation itself was created in the midst of Covid. Occurred prior to the first SRN Online Seminar Series (ie annual conference online).

 

Issues we still grapple with:

language – doing everything in English (its practical!) – Ronald Geerts conference was bilingual (Fr, Eng). Didn’t work for everyone!

DIVERSITY in all things – Encourage greater diversity of all sorts!! Esp’ly nations whose filmmaking tradition / history is non-European..

Things to follow up on: the ongoing development of the field;

its relationship to new technologies;

its breakthrough moments – important scholarly arguments, works, introduction of new streams of inquiry

To consider: – a slideshow of photos to follow on from the world map animation.

NB – we should publicise the animation (link in newsletter; post on facebook)

 

PROPOSE Next Conversation: 

TO DISCUSS – 2,3  or 4 conferences per session? Ask coordinators whether they have synergy with other coordinators / speakers eg. to put Davinia NZ and Carmen Santiago together? Set questions / topics, issues to discuss.

 

Chair – Rosanne / Rose

Coordinator – Rose

Tech support – Rafael

 

2012 – (Sydney) Alex Munt; Kathryn Millard;

2013 – (Madison) Kellie Conway, J.J. Murphy

2014 – (Germany) Kerstin Stutterheim 

 

2015 – (Santiago) Carmen Sofia Brenes

2015 – (London) Steven Price; Rosamund Davies; ??

2016 – (Leeds) Ian McDonald; ??

 

2017 – (Dunedin) Davinia Thornley; Amie Taua

2018 – (Milano) Armando Fumagalli, Paolo Brassa

2019 – (Porto) Maria-Guillhermina 

 

2021 – ONLINE Paolo Russo

 

RW – I could see doing 2 organizers at a time – Sydney/Dunedin from one part of the world and Madison/Santiago from the Americas.

RF – Would like them to continue showing the way the previous conversations highlighted the friendships and memories noted.

MM – 3 is a good number to get the conversation going/4 is too much and 2 is too little.

Chronological is more important than geographical because we are all writing and teaching the writing of universal stories so why recognize borders.

RF – I prefer chronological but recognize scheduling might require other mixes. It would still highlight the friendships.  

 

SRN Collective Sites/Archive (Rose)

RF – Wondering if we could have links to the photographs from various conferences with the YouTube Conversations so people could see them when they are interested.

RL – I sent the link to the GoogleDrive but others need be editors to post photos.

Can we share such a link to all members to post photos during and after confernces…?

We can discuss this next meeting after some technical research.

ACTION ITEM:  ADD to next month’s AGENDA 

MM – Wonderful to have all this on the web as a history of the Network.  Connecting them could be a full project for someone to take on in the future.

 

SRN Elections & Pitches (Rosanne & Rose)

RW – What’s the process since I’m Secretary?

MM – Rose, Rosanne and Rafael are up for election this year.  SC is an invited emerging scholar for one year.

RW – Is the process for Re-election the same as election in that you need a letter of nomination and a second – and then a statement.

MM – Yes. And it is a real election from the floor.  We’ll run this in Vienna at the AGM.  

As we will be in person this time voting will be open to those present.

RF – If you run uncontested you still need those letters.

MM – In person we vote on paper handed to the Secretary and a Scrutineer.

RW – We’ll need to choose the Scrutineer and have them in place since I’m the Secretary.  

MM – Will the 3 not up for election be in Vienna?

SC – I won’t be able to attend due to Covid restrictions.  

RF – We should send letters 

RW – Put the call for nominations in the newsletter and on FB – deadline July 15. 

Then we’d send out via email by top of August.  Voting during Vienna conference.

MM – Requirements proposer/2nd-er and word count for statement.  Members need to be in place over one year in the Network.  

RW – I’ll put out the Call for Elections – email to Council to put in newsletter/on FB, post to Jiscmail.

RF – We can add a sentence about “if you’re new to the org and want to understand the process” they can contact Membership Rep.  

ACTiON ITEM – Gathering data for Chair’s annual report next meeting.

 

RF – Should we describe each role?  In video for YouTube or in writing in the Call for Nominations?

MM – Another point is that in the Chairman’s report I’d rather not be just the Chair since we are a collaborative industry – screenwriters and academics alike – so I would like you each to tell your own accomplishments in that report.

RW – Great idea!

MM – We can discuss practicalities of that next meeting.

 

SRN Asia Pacific Story Patterns ASPERA Panel link (Margaret)

MM – Been interested in this idea for a while – started this conversation with RL and Nadia in Milan.  Part of my platform – and now it is going to happen.  As part of ASPERA we will have Asia Pacific Story Patterns. Tue July 12 – 4:30-6pm Australian Eastern Standard Time — a good time for people in Asia Pacific to engage online.  Panel of AP cinema experts including CAPA (International Assoc of Film School – CILECT), rep from NePac – (Promotion of AP), Anthony Mullens wrote book about patterns from AP films.  In process of inviting filmmakers from AP to add to panel.  My head of school and member of CAPA will moderate.  

Looking to open a call for papers on AP story patterns.  One panel won’t answer the question but will start the conversation.  Panel will be open to members of SRN, CAPA, etc.  Not all panelists will be academics.  Part of our work is to educate practical filmmakers from areas where there are not schools of cinema.  Will be live but might record (based on permissions).   

We can do an alert in all our social media/newsletter.

 

SRN Exec Meeting prior to conference (Isadora)

MM – Preliminary program shows registration at 8:30 on first day.  

JC – Should we meet on Wednesday the day before?

IG – Cocktail hour is 9pm – we could meet 5:30-6:30/17:30-18:30. 

MM – We could meet close to the Town Hall so we could walk over afterwards.

Can I ask IG to organize with Stephanie of a place to meet?

SRN Newsletter – ideas for June? (Isadora)

IG – Will send out beginning of June.  We are looking for next newsletter – can we ask Claus as the organizer of the next conference?

JC – Others could be members of awards committee first in June – then Claus in September to welcome members to the conference.

MM – Call for nominations next – then notice of Asia Pacific Story Patterns Panel, then interviews.

JC – Note that conference reg is open.  

RF – We could add the cute gif of where all the conferences have been.  

 

Other business 

RF – Anything new with the FB page?  Can we help in any way?

RW – Sept. 20-24, 2023 – Columbia, Missouri

 

Adjourned – On the hour 3:00pm PDT

June 20/21 next meeting 

SRN Executive Minutes – April 2022

MINUTES SRN Executive Meeting

Monday 25 April  2022 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 26 April 2022 7.00 am AEST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

 

1. Apologies

  • JC
  • SC

 

2. Minutes of February 2022 meeting

  • Approved – unanimous

 

3. SRN Conference 2022 

  • Carmen Sofia new member of SRN Awards committee – confirmed; Eva attending Conference; Tom Stempel & CSB may not be in attendance.
  • Claus says registrations are opening soon.
  • Lifetime achievements  award (a surprise) organized by Claus Tieber;
  • Information about flights on website; SRN EC meeting at conference, time will be Thurs am coffee/breakfast 9am before the conference at University.

 

4. SRN Conversations

  • RF – Confirming that we’re happy with list of next interviewees.  RL will be tech person.  Need Coordinator role, Chair to do interviews/coordinator of discussions.  Looking to make the session run faster/reconsider format.
  • IG – We can use quick prompts – to get quick responses.  

 

5. Other business

  • RF – Still discussing ways to change banner on website – RL recommended using animated GIF for ‘Welcoming’ banner.
  • IG – Newsletter running smoothly over email with Jan. We have to decide who will be our interviewee for the next one. We want to include quick questions for others in the network. Editors find it easy to work together on line and on drive. 
  • MM – Need to send reminder that awards close.  Will do on 3rd of May. 
  • INCLUSION – RF to send out new reminder on asking members to invite colleagues;
  • SRN EC Elections – Submit EOI by date? End of July; Next agenda item pls 
  • IG – Won’t be another newsletter until June.  
  • MM – In Vienna – 9am Exec meeting Thursday of that week – conference starts at 10am.  Next meeting is May 16/17th – relatively soon to this date but due to members not being free the 23/24th.
  • RW – Elections for three of us – 
  • MM – Expression of interest needs to be sent by end of July? Will double check.
  • RF – Do we have a provision for voting online? Have we done that in the past pre-Covid?

 

Meeting adjourned 2:33pm PDT

May 17th – next meeting

 

SRN Executive Minutes – February 2022

MINUTES – SRN Executive Meeting February 2022

 

Monday 21 February 2022 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 22 February 2022 7.04 am AEST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

  • Apologies


  • Minutes of previous meeting

IG – nominates acceptance

JC – seconded

Minutes approved

  • SRN Action Plan 2022 Review

 

MM – JC sent CV for possible judge of SRN book/article award 2022. Dina Iordanova.  Now she is one of the keynote speakers for the Vienna conference.

JC – I did not know that would happen when I sent in her CV.  We had talked about choosing someone from a non-Western country and she is from Eastern Europe but teaches in Scotland.

IG – my PhD professor had worked with her and she was impressive. I second the nomination.

MM – Thank JC for that nomination.  She is quite suitable.  Let us all offer up names by next meeting and discuss them.  Focus on people with closer focus on screenwriting studies (as creative practice) more than film studies.  We have many esteemed elders who were instrumental in our SRN who drove the network and maybe we should approach some of them.  The prize is meant for best practices in screenwriting as an art form.  

RW – I’m all for asking those folks for their interest – some near retirement might not want more work or others might find this just the right kind of retired contribution to make.

JC – What are our conceptions of the requirements for judges?  

IG – Last meeting notes mention an attempt to replace the female who is leaving with another female. 

 

Action Item – Add choosing to next month’s agenda.

 

JC – We can put the new call in the next newsletter – it is coming out after one more interview is completed.

IG – Newsletter will go out first week of March so we can include this reminder for submissions for the prize.  Deadlines are May 31 each year.

IG – I remember receiving a call for the submissions – did it include the awards?

MM – Let’s put out our reminder in the newsletter.  

RL – One person on the Executive Council can receive the submissions…?

MM – So next month we will decide who to approach and do it one at a time.

IG – Suggestion:  Let’s ask Carmen Sofia Brenes now. 

RF – We had 3 judges – Eva is who we are replacing.  Kristin is staying and Tom Stempel.

MM – I will also confirm the returning judges.  

  • Membership and Diversity

 

RF – Steven Maras has asked for suggestions for some new editors and reviewers for the JOS.  We agreed to pool a number of names for him to peruse. We sent some and agreed to add more when they come to us. Ian MacDonald and Claus Tieber suggested some names as well.  We could use a central point to gather those names – I can do that so if you have names send them on to me and I’ll send them on to Steven.

IG – Do they all have to be in Screenwriting Studies?

RW – Just checked Steven’s email and he wants:  “As Co-editor of Palgrave Studies in Screenwriting we have been seeking ways to make our editorial advisory board more diverse and inclusive. The pool of people we draw on is very similar so it makes sense to collaborate and continuing to build bridges into South America, Asia and Africa, especially.” 

MM- Let’s move to the Action Plan.

RF – Now that we have the YouTube Channel I’m motivated to record another conversation with former conference organizers. It was motivated to help future organizers but also as an oral history of the founding of the SRN and the casual friendships that have come from joining.  We’ve been following chronology using the first 4 conferences so now we’re ready to do the next 4: Sydney, Wisconsin, Chile, Potsdam.  We need a coordinator to figure out times to suggest, then a technical back up (Rafael in the first one), someone to do the introduction – an anchor who then also formulates a set of questions to keep the conversation going and moderating between speakers.  I coordinated the last one and will happily repeat that.  I would like some feedback on the last one as we prepare for the next one.

RL – I’m happy to be tech on that again.  I think one-to-one interviews or smaller round tables might be smoother.  To record the memories of our organization we can do smaller ones every other month.

MM – Good idea.  Putting a time limit on each speaker can be good.  If you had fewer people we could go for shorter times as well.  A tight set of questions can help. 

RF – Speakers were primed with questions ahead of time. 

We can do just two right now.  Sydney and Wisconsin. 

MM – I can moderate Wisconsin and whichever other one.  I didn’t attend Sydney. I had not Heard of the network yet.

RF – Also I wonder if there’s a difference betwwen recording how to organize a conference and what the cultural aspects of the SRN is – the fact that we don’t charge a fee so we can be as welcoming as posible.  So we could do 2 kinds of interviews  – one with organizers and another on memories of specific conferences.  

Action Item – RF will send out synopsis of ideas.

 

RF – Then by next meeting we will have something scheduled.  And I don’t have to be the coordinator of all of these – I’m more than happy to open up the opportunity to whoever is interested.

MM – JC and IG will have the newsletter ready next week.

SC – I have been posting to social media and am working on being as regular as possible with them.

RF – I wanted to repost another message about diversity in newsletter and on FB if there’s space.

  • Other business 

 

MM – I have been planning an event to bring together Asian-Pacific screenwriter academics.  I have meetings next week with my Herman Van Eyken is Head of Griffith Film School – he is president of CILECT – The International Association of Film and TV School so we hope to be able to make these connections.  Many emerging countries want to study screenwriting and we want to expand this to those academics and filmmakers.  Our film school has a focus on Asia and one of our key mission statements is to connect with Asia.  We have other colleagues who are specialists in Asia-Pacific film who will help me with this. Perhaps we can organize a master class online.  

RW – When will your conference happen?

MM – ASPERA (Australian Screen Education production and research association) conference is in July (11-13th) and this might be connected to that so we can open a bit of it to SRN in some way.

Meeting Adjourned 12 past the hour.