does syd field exist in Japan?

[Abe' Mark Nornes]

At 11:04 PM -0800 11/15/99, Ted Mills wrote:

> I'm curious if the Japanese have a "tradition" of cinematic scriptwriting,
> .....Is there a lot of theory written about this, as in the States, with our
> bookshops full of "How to Write a Screenplay in 30 Days" books, or is it
> still the domain of apprentice and studio?

This is a great topic for anyone looking for a research program. There is an
amazing amount of material out there. Lots of books and primers, and
starting from at least the 1920s. If you go into any of the bookstores with
large film sections, you'll find quite a few books in print...and obviously
a hot item considering how many there are. They also cover screenwriting for
television drama.

Also, you'll see from the ads for "film schools"---most of which are
independent---that screenwriting is one of the ways people try to get into
the film business. There are lots of courses being offered, including a
school for screenwriting with Shindo Kaneto as figurehead.

If you're interested in the topic, your first stop is Shindo's history of
screenwriting in Koza Nihon Eiga. This is also published in book form, which
would probably be easier to get through interlibrary loan if you don't have
the Iwanami series.

Markus