Medium and Mediators: Tracing Collaborative Authorship

Abstract

Abstract-This paper investigates how stylistic decisions of authors can be tracked in the context of the inherently collaborative mediums of film, television and animated serials. In order to measure and evaluate authorial input, dual sets of cases studies in credit taking, inspiration and collaboration are explored and assessed. The jealously credited script writing and concept development of Aaron Sorkin is compared with the more reflexive and pluralistic credit of Japanese animated series authored by 'Sunrise' creative staff under a shared nom de plume of 'Hajime Yatate'.