2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Generic innovation and collaborative scriptwriting: the Narutaki Group and their films within global and local contexts
| Project/Area Number |
21K12894
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| Research Institution | Tokyo University of Foreign Studies |
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Principal Investigator |
Haukamp Iris 東京外国語大学, 世界言語社会教育センター, 講師 (70826205)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Narutaki-gumi / collaborative filmmaking / scriptwriting / jidaigeki |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The 2021/22 stage of the project was dedicated to archival research and interviews with people connected to the Narutaki group. Both aims were severely impeded by COVID-19, as I refrained from travel. Furthermore, the necessity for online classes resulted in far less effort being available for the project.
I was able at least to sight, categorise and organize the material already gathered and develop a structure for the monograph out of the argument that seems to emerge from the material. I gave a presentation at the Archival Kismet Conference at Mississippi University, which provided great feedback for the project and helpful input re the question of multiple authorship I was grappling with. A book chapter proposal on the Narutaki-gumi/Zenshin-za connection was accepted for an edited volume on 1930s Japanese film (ed. Sean O'Reilly, publication in 2024).Finally, an increased engagement with the question of film sound (the Narutaki group was active precisely at this important watershed) in the context of a co-edited book helped me to include this aspect more into my thinking about the Narutaki project(Asian Sound Cultures, withSmith and Hoene, Routledge, October 2022).
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
4: Progress in research has been delayed.
Reason
As mentioned above, COVID-19 and the necessary responses took a) much time away from the project and b)impeded my ability too travel to archives, libraries, studios, etc. and meet people in person.One blessing in disguise was that I was forced by necessity to concentrate on the material already hat hand rather than getting distracted by new material, and so I was able to develop a sound structure and line of argument for the planned monograph. In other words, at least part of my research went deeper rather than widening out. Still, the project is delayed and I wished I had had more time to dedicate to research rather than creating online classes and consultation sessions...
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
As mentioned above, I was able to place a chapter on the Zenshin-za collaboration in an edited volume. Since this director/scriptwriter/actor triad is going to play a major part in the monograph, I will focus on some more research (Zenshin-za HQ in Kichijoji etc.) and writing the chapter over the summer. This should add some more necessary groundwork in terms of theoretical framework for the book, and I will then go and continue my research and manuscript writing with this as a backbone. If travel restrictions are indeed over by next year, I will then be able to go and gain more input from related places (archives and museums in Kyoto, etc.). I hope that I will be able to make up for some of the time lost.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Most of the budget was dedicated for screening equipment (in order to analyse the related films as much as possible in the environment intended by the filmmakers). Due to COVID, I decided to postpone these group screenings with students and will purchase the equipment this year (with the lightened restrictions).
The travel budget (50,000) was unused for the same reason. I therefore plan to make up for the time lost with longer stays in Kyoto that enable more intensive research.
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