Unpacking critical theories to enhance creative practice: A PhD in screenwriting case study

Drawing from my own experiences of the practice-based research degree, this article outlines some of the key principles I consider to be necessary for negotiating a PhD in the specific area of screenwriting, for both the candidate and the supervisor. Referencing my own and others' ideas of the practice-based PhD, the article places the screenwriter at the centre of its investigation, celebrating their role in the interplay between the creative and the critical; between practice and theory; between doing and thinking. It argues that just like the protagonist of a screenplay, the screenwriting PhD should take its candidate on a journey: one that improves not only craft skills, but also an understanding of what it means to write for the screen.