Best Feature Script
A Fire in the Mind
Joseph Campbell, John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts are pursuing their individual dreams – Campbell is seeking knowledge; Steinbeck is working on the great American novel; and Ricketts is trying to save Mother Earth.
Through a fateful turn of events, their lives intersect at a critical crossroads for each personally and professionally in 1932 in Monterey, California.
Through a fateful turn of events, their lives intersect at a critical crossroads for each personally and professionally in 1932 in Monterey, California.
KENNETH WHITE is a designer, writer, and producer of informational, promotional, and entertainment media for companies in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan. He has designed, written, and produced a variety of interactive and entertainment projects, radio and television commercials, corporate communications, and new media.
A Fire in the Mind by Kenneth White tells the story of a young writer, Joe Campbell, who embarks on a journey across Great Depression-era America in search of his creative voice. During his journey, he meets various interesting characters, such as writer John Steinbeck and
scientist Ed Ricketts, who become his mentors and friends. Joe faces many trials and hardships, but gradually finds his place in the world and realizes the importance of following his dreams and passions.
“A Fire in the Mind” can be called quite a classic example of a psychological drama described in the form of a road movie. The protagonist experiences a transformational journey, which is a
metaphor for a personal crisis and the way to overcome it. The author maintains the style dictated by the genre and the stated historical exposition, perhaps somewhat overdoing the “postcard-like” and stereotypical images presented. Also, Kenneth White proposes to root the action in “reality”, including chronicle footage into the fabric of the narrative, which in turn also works to blur private specifics, overgeneralizing the plot.
The most successful solution to the script of “A Fire in the Mind” is the technique of doubling, multiple repetition of mise-en-scene and events, which saturate the plot with the leitmotif of uncertainty, duality of the hero. Fabulously, Joe is brought to the situation of moral choice, the dramaturgy of which is developed in detail by the author at all stages of the plot.
Also, it is worth noting the detailed elaboration of character portraits, their psychological motivations, which, in the end, articulate in the psychological characteristics of the protagonist. The initial functions of John and Ed, the introduction of Joe's character into the story, the marking of his path, the plotting and the key conflict of A Fire in the Mind are fully served by the secondary characters. On the one hand, this authorial decision somewhat shortcircuits the dramaturgy, on the other hand, it allows us to focus on the psychologism of the action being described. In the end, the dichotomy of unspecified generalizations and accuracy of private portraits can be balanced at the expense of each other, and “A Fire in the Mind” has all chances for a successful cinematic embodiment.
I will note some inaccuracies in the script that make it somewhat difcult to present. Thus, it would be worth paying attention to the topological connections of spaces, which in the genre of road-movies do not tolerate violations and conventions. For example, John's house and the canary house where the protagonist supposedly lives are in an unclear relationship with the world - already at the exposition stage there is some confusion and substitution of these two spaces. Also, the logic of consequence sufers, for example, an important turning point in the course of events - Joe and Carol's kiss does not receive commensurate and expected consequences on John's part.
With the exception of a couple of nuances, A Fire in the Mind is quite a solid script with dramaturgical and stylistic potential. Let's hope that Kenneth White's scripted work finds a worthy director who will add to the body of work of the source material.
scientist Ed Ricketts, who become his mentors and friends. Joe faces many trials and hardships, but gradually finds his place in the world and realizes the importance of following his dreams and passions.
“A Fire in the Mind” can be called quite a classic example of a psychological drama described in the form of a road movie. The protagonist experiences a transformational journey, which is a
metaphor for a personal crisis and the way to overcome it. The author maintains the style dictated by the genre and the stated historical exposition, perhaps somewhat overdoing the “postcard-like” and stereotypical images presented. Also, Kenneth White proposes to root the action in “reality”, including chronicle footage into the fabric of the narrative, which in turn also works to blur private specifics, overgeneralizing the plot.
The most successful solution to the script of “A Fire in the Mind” is the technique of doubling, multiple repetition of mise-en-scene and events, which saturate the plot with the leitmotif of uncertainty, duality of the hero. Fabulously, Joe is brought to the situation of moral choice, the dramaturgy of which is developed in detail by the author at all stages of the plot.
Also, it is worth noting the detailed elaboration of character portraits, their psychological motivations, which, in the end, articulate in the psychological characteristics of the protagonist. The initial functions of John and Ed, the introduction of Joe's character into the story, the marking of his path, the plotting and the key conflict of A Fire in the Mind are fully served by the secondary characters. On the one hand, this authorial decision somewhat shortcircuits the dramaturgy, on the other hand, it allows us to focus on the psychologism of the action being described. In the end, the dichotomy of unspecified generalizations and accuracy of private portraits can be balanced at the expense of each other, and “A Fire in the Mind” has all chances for a successful cinematic embodiment.
I will note some inaccuracies in the script that make it somewhat difcult to present. Thus, it would be worth paying attention to the topological connections of spaces, which in the genre of road-movies do not tolerate violations and conventions. For example, John's house and the canary house where the protagonist supposedly lives are in an unclear relationship with the world - already at the exposition stage there is some confusion and substitution of these two spaces. Also, the logic of consequence sufers, for example, an important turning point in the course of events - Joe and Carol's kiss does not receive commensurate and expected consequences on John's part.
With the exception of a couple of nuances, A Fire in the Mind is quite a solid script with dramaturgical and stylistic potential. Let's hope that Kenneth White's scripted work finds a worthy director who will add to the body of work of the source material.