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Congratulations to

Regan Lynch

Public Communictions

Television, Radio, and Film

Honors Thesis Faculty Advisor: Ben Frahm

Thesis Title:

Unorthodox: Expanding Women's Representation in TV and Film

My project is an original screenplay titled ""Unorthodox"" which follows fifteen-year-old Sadie O'Sullivan as she finds her identity within the context of her strict Catholic high school, her unstable home life, and her expanding social circle. Throughout my critical statement regarding this creative piece, I discuss the unique perspective/ identity that this project, and my future work as I enter the entertainment industry, will have. I write what I like to call the ""unlikeable, but lovable"" young female protagonist/ hero in my work. As a result of existing in a patriarchal society, young women are typically seen and represented as the most vulnerable population needing to be protected by others- mainly white, heterosexual men. This passive, virginal depiction of young women within the context of a patriarchal society means that within that society, women are conditioned from their youth to behave in a certain way to be deemed as valuable and be seen as likable. They are limited to a very specific, small range of emotions, and most of those emotions include sweetness, pureness, softness, etc. I write young female characters who act in ways that are antithetical to traditionally feminine values- they can be angry, selfish, and crude- but that doesn't make them any less lovable ultimately... and makes them all the more authentically human. This script is a tribute to this message. I would like to give a special thanks to my advisor, Professor Ben Frahm, for always encouraging me to write the stories closest to my heart and for working so closely with me to make this project a success. I also would like to thank Professor Keith Giglio for recognizing the value in a young, female-led narrative and pushing me to begin writing this in his capstone class.

Links to Project Materials:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.formstack.com/uploads/4336933/108624839/808475035/108624839_unorthodox_final.pdf

 

Creative Projects 2021, Newhouse School of Public Communications 2021, 2021