Considering Aaron Sorkin

Author : Thomas Fahy
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 231 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2014-11-01
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9780786451654

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Considering Aaron Sorkin by Thomas Fahy Pdf

Aaron Sorkin is one of the most notable voices in Hollywood, attracting millions of weekly viewers with his television series The West Wing and scoring box office success with films like A Few Good Men and The American President. With a musician's sense of rhythm and writing skills honed in the theater, Sorkin crafts dialogue that brings characters to life. His crisp, tight language is both exciting to listen to and poetic in its beauty and power--but what lies behind the slick, sophisticated exchanges between Sorkin's characters? Does Sorkin's ability to captivate viewers with rapid-fire, humorous dialogue lull them into overlooking an inherent political agenda, a sense of elitism, and gender bias prominent throughout his work? Aaron Sorkin's skill as a writer garners him accolades, even from his critics: complex, nuanced, sometimes subtle but often forceful, Sorkin's work is best understood when viewed from a variety of perspectives. This collection of essays on the work of Aaron Sorkin affords greater insight into the complexities of his writing, drawing connections between the film and television output of today's most prominent and influential screenwriter. Scholars from various fields--film, literature, art history, political science, and more--examine the thematic content and rhetorical strategy of Sorkin's writing. Eleven essayists explore the subtle, pervasive and often contradictory messages woven throughout Sorkin's work, from politics to portrayals of women, and consider his impact on film, television and culture. An interview with Aaron Sorkin precedes the essays, each of which has notes and a bibliography. An appendix covering film and television credits is included. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Author : Aaron Sorkin
Publisher : Samuel French , Incorporated
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Courts-martial and courts of inquiry
ISBN : 0573700516

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A Few Good Men by Aaron Sorkin Pdf

A court-martial thriller in which two Marines stationed in Guantanamo Bay are accused of the death of a weaker Marine in their unit.

Author : Melissa Crawley
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 233 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2014-06-26
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9780786455249

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Mr. Sorkin Goes to Washington by Melissa Crawley Pdf

Before the unprecedented televised presidential debates of 1960, most Americans were able to relate to their leaders in little more than an historical context. In the era of televised elections, however, the media have allowed Americans to witness the paternal, moral and intellectual qualities of their president up close. Television has been so critical to this process of political socialization that, for many Americans, the televised image of the president is the president. As the acclaimed television drama The West Wing demonstrates, fictional representations of the presidency can also be significant civic forces. This book examines how film and television drama contribute to shaping the presidency and the way most Americans understand it, and particularly the processes of political education. The text discusses The West Wing's didactic potential, its representation of White House politics, and its depiction of race and gender, with commentary on how fictional representations of the presidency become important elements of American political consciousness.

Author : María Blanco,Alberto Mingardi
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 305 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2023-06-29
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9781501393785

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Show and Biz by María Blanco,Alberto Mingardi Pdf

How is capitalism represented in popular culture today? Are profits seen as a legitimate reward of entrepreneurship? Are thrift and effort still considered a cornerstone of a healthy society? Or is it that inequalities are eliciting scandal and reproach? How is the ecosystem portrayed, vis-à-vis profit seeking companies? Are they irreconcilable, or maybe not? Are there any established trends with respect to the presentation of entrepreneurship, and that complex legal artefact that is the modern limited liability company? These are questions that will be at the core of this book. But they are not examined through the usual theoretical point of references, but looking at TV series produced in 2000-2020. Each chapter of this book is a case studies, covering some of the most popular, successful and engaging TV shows of the last 20 years. And showing how deep economic ideas and biases lie, at the roots of some of our times' most successful entertainment products.

Author : Aaron Sorkin
Publisher : Newmarket Shooting Scripts
Page : 418 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2002
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 1557044996

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The West Wing Script Book by Aaron Sorkin Pdf

Author : Marek Wojtaszek
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Page : 197 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2014-08-26
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781443866347

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Esthetic Experiments by Marek Wojtaszek Pdf

Contemporary American landscape is wrought with ongoing processes and phenomena of technicization observable at the intersections of multiple layers of society. This book brings to attention their cultural and political aspects, emphasizing timeliness and necessity of academic intervention into, and evaluation of, their specificity and ramifications. Presenting critical and analytical account of cultural narratives which define, speak of, and use diverse technologies (of writing, sound, media representations, surveillance, war), the texts compiled in this volume investigate the coalescence between technological production on the one hand, and the textual on the other. The idea of the book responds to the current academic appeal – inspired by postmodern questioning of the foundations and realized, most importantly, by deconstruction – to dismantle one of the constitutive pillars of Western civilization, namely, between techne and episteme. In their interpretative mode, the texts proceed largely experimentally, bridging the gap between techne and episteme. In doing so, they endeavor to reformulate and complexify an experience of American culture. The book aims to clarify and exemplify that the junction of text and technology implies that meanings are embedded in a material. Consequently, the publication introduces and popularizes the assumption that American cultural experience emerges as a genuine experiment of an esthetic nature.

Author : Richard Ben Cramer
Publisher : Open Road Media
Page : 1712 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2011-08-02
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781453219645

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What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer Pdf

Before Game Change there was What It Takes, a ride along the 1988 campaign trail and “possibly the best [book] ever written about an American election” (NPR). Written by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and New York Times–bestselling author Richard Ben Cramer, What It Takes is “a perfect-pitch rendering of the emotions, the intensity, the anguish, and the emptiness of what may have been the last normal two-party campaign in American history” (Time). An up-close, in-depth look at six candidates—George H. W. “Poppy” Bush, Bob Dole, Joe Biden, Michael Dukakis, Richard Gephardt, and Gary Hart—this account of the 1988 US presidential campaign explores a unique moment in history, with details on everything from Bush at the Astrodome to Hart’s Donna Rice scandal. Cramer also addresses the question we find ourselves pondering every four years: How do presumably ordinary people acquire that mixture of ambition, stamina, and pure shamelessness that allows them to throw their hat in the ring as a candidate for leadership of the free world? Exhaustively researched from thousands of hours of interviews, What It Takes creates powerful portraits of these Republican and Democratic contenders, and the consultants, donors, journalists, handlers, and hangers-on who surround them, as they meet, greet, and strategize their way through primary season chasing the nomination, resulting in “a hipped-up amalgam of Teddy White, Tom Wolfe, and Norman Mailer” (Los Angeles Times Book Review). With timeless insight that helps us understand the current state of the nation, this “ultimate insider’s book on presidential politics” explores what helps these people survive, what makes them prosper, what drives them, and ultimately, what drives our government—human beings, in all their flawed glory (San Francisco Chronicle).

Author : Patrick Webster
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2020-04-17
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9781476639369

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Windows into The West Wing by Patrick Webster Pdf

The West Wing, first broadcast in 1999, is thought by many to have been one of the most significant dramas shown on network television. Despite its overly idealized depiction of American political life, and blatant contradictions in the way we consider America, its values, its aspirations, and its behavior in the world, The West Wing nonetheless succeeds in attaining popular national and international aesthetic appeal. This book aspires to explain the appeal of the show by considering issues such as race, religion, sexuality, disability, and education--from both a practical and theoretical perspective--through the lenses of feminism, gender theory, Marxism, psychoanalytical theories, structuralism, poststructuralism, postcolonialism and more. It seeks to offer informative and revealing readings of one of the most significant television productions of recent times.

Author : Abigail Pogrebin
Publisher : Crown
Page : 400 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2007-12-18
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780307419323

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Stars of David by Abigail Pogrebin Pdf

Sixty-two of the most accomplished Jews in America speak intimately—most for the first time—about how they feel about being Jewish. In unusually candid interviews conducted by former 60 Minutes producer Abigail Pogrebin, celebrities ranging from Sarah Jessica Parker to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, from Larry King to Mike Nichols, reveal how resonant, crucial or incidental being Jewish is in their lives. The connections they have to their Jewish heritage range from hours in synagogue to bagels and lox; but every person speaks to the weight and pride of their Jewish history, the burdens and pleasures of observance, the moments they’ve felt most Jewish (or not). This book of vivid, personal conversations uncovers how being Jewish fits into a public life, and also how the author’s evolving religious identity was changed by what she heard. · Dustin Hoffman, Steven Spielberg, Gene Wilder, Joan Rivers, and Leonard Nimoy talk about their startling encounters with anti-Semitism. · Kenneth Cole, Eliot Spitzer, and Ronald Perelman explore the challenges of intermarriage. · Mike Wallace, Richard Dreyfuss, and Ruth Reichl express attitudes toward Israel that vary from unquestioning loyalty to complicated ambivalence. · William Kristol scoffs at the notion that Jewish values are incompatible with Conservative politics. · Alan Dershowitz, raised Orthodox, talks about why he gave up morning prayer. · Shawn Green describes the pressure that comes with being baseball’s Jewish star. · Natalie Portman questions the ostentatious bat mitzvahs of her hometown. · Tony Kushner explains how being Jewish prepared him for being gay. · Leon Wieseltier throws down the gauntlet to Jews who haven’t taken the trouble to study Judaism. These are just a few key moments from many poignant, often surprising, conversations with public figures whom most of us thought we already knew. “When my mother got her nose job, she wanted me to get one, too. She said I would be happier.”—Dustin Hoffman “It’s a heritage to be proud of. And then, too, it’s something that you can’t escape because the world won’t let you; so it’s a good thing you can be proud of it.” —Ruth Bader Ginsburg “My wife [Kate Capshaw] chose to do a full conversion before we were married in 1991, and she married me as a Jew. I think that, more than anything else, brought me back to Judaism.”—Steven Spielberg “As someone who was born in Israel, you’re put in a position of defending Israel because you know how much is at stake.”—Natalie Portman

Author : Paul Challen
Publisher : ECW Press
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : Television programs
ISBN : 9781550224689

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Inside the West Wing by Paul Challen Pdf

The show that won 9 Emmy Awards - an all time record - in September 2000- is now being screened on British TV. Author Paul Challen takes a detailed look at this hugely popular show: how it's put together, what ideas and political themes drive its plots, and ultimately, why it's so popular. Through in-depth interviews, commentary from political and entertainment industry observers, plus extensive searches of the numerous official and unofficial show websites, Challen provides a comprehensive view for diehard fans and casual watchers alike. Another first from ECW.

Author : Miguel Parga
Publisher : Ilex Press
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2019-09-05
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9781781577530

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What They Didn't Teach You in Film School by Miguel Parga Pdf

In the cut-throat world of the film industry, you need every advantage you can get to rise above the competition and make a name for yourself. This essential guide combines a practical, no-nonsense approach with a lifetime of insider knowledge, giving you the competitive edge to jump-start your career. Packed with hard-working tips and advice, this book shows you how to get the best out of your film-school education, how to navigate some of the most frustrating moments in an artist's life, and how to keep the inspiration going as you battle your way through the filmmaking world.

Author : Amnon Kabatchnik
Publisher : Scarecrow Press
Page : 648 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2012-10-18
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9780810883550

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Blood on the Stage, 1975-2000 by Amnon Kabatchnik Pdf

Discussing more than 80 full-length plays, this volume provides an overview of the most important and memorable theatrical works of crime and detection produced between 1975 and 2000. Each entry includes a plot synopsis, production data, and the opinions of well-known and respected critics and scholars.

Author : Janet McCabe
Publisher : Wayne State University Press
Page : 142 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2012-12-03
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9780814338094

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The West Wing by Janet McCabe Pdf

With its fast and furious dialogue, crackling wit, and political savvy, The West Wing became appointment TV for millions during its seven-season run between 1999 and 2006. The behind-the-scenes ensemble drama about Washington politics premiered on the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, was the first series to respond to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and concluded in the closing years of the Bush administration. Its subject matter was ambitious and germane, its cast star-studded, its production team acclaimed. In this volume, Janet McCabe explores The West Wing as both a space for political and social discourse and a force that reshaped contemporary television. McCabe begins by examining the series' broadcasting history, including its scheduling in the United States and around the world, and how the show defines channels and television markets. McCabe goes on to explore the role of the show's creator Aaron Sorkin as a TV auteur and investigates the program's aesthetic principles, including the distinctive look, feel, and sounds of the series. McCabe concludes by considering the political discourse of The West Wing, as the show spoke back to a U.S. culture divided by politics, race, and gender as well as the trauma of 9/11 and anxieties over terrorism and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. McCabe's analysis of The West Wing provides an intriguing look at the institutional, formal, and cultural politics of television. Fans of the series as well as students and teachers of television history will enjoy this detailed volume.

Author : Fiona Mills,Keith B. Mitchell
Publisher : Peter Lang
Page : 292 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Foreign Language Study
ISBN : 0820478385

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After the Pain by Fiona Mills,Keith B. Mitchell Pdf

As a poet, playwright, novelist, short-story writer, and critic, Gayl Jones has always resisted labels in her quest to find a liberating voice for black women and herself. With a poet's lyricism and a musician's ear for rhythm, she continually seeks new ways to confront the barriers, traumas, insecurities, and prejudices oppressing black women, and, by extension, all women. After the Pain: Critical Essays on Gayl Jones is the first comprehensive collection of essays dedicated solely to the exploration of Jones's work. Ranging from analyses of her use of language and music to reevaluations of her representation of sexuality and gender roles to examinations of the oft-overlooked connections between Latin America and African Americans, each of these essays investigates Jones's desire to continually complicate the process of identity formation.

Author : Leora Hadas
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 199 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2020-04-30
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781000074659

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Authorship as Promotional Discourse in the Screen Industries by Leora Hadas Pdf

This book discusses the use of authorship discourses and author figures in the promotion and marketing of media content, dealing with the U.S. mainstream media, including franchise film, network television, and triple-A video games. The research takes a unique approach studying ideas of authorship in promotion, diverging from extant approaches looking at the text, production, or reception. Conceptualizing authorship within the logic of media branding, the book studies the construction of ideas around creativity and the creative person in marketing and publicity content where media industries communicate with audiences. A cross-media approach allows the book to take a broad look and make comparisons across the increasingly integrated media industries. The book will be of great relevance to academics in the fields of film, television, and media studies, including postgraduate students, conducting teaching and research around authorship, media industries, and media promotion.