Date
9-17-2026
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)
Chair
Kornel Gerstner
Keywords
screenplay, feature screenplay, screenwriting, family drama, unconventional family dynamics, tension
Disciplines
Creative Writing
Recommended Citation
Hansen, Sheroquai M., "Voice, Vision, and Structure: Developing a Creative Identity Through Screenwriting" (2026). Masters Theses. 1541.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1541
Abstract
This thesis examines the development of my voice as a screenwriter by integrating personal narrative, craft analysis, and scholarly research. Through an artist statement grounded in lived experience, I explore how screenwriting became the form that allows me to express my ideas with clarity and cinematic intention. I situate screenwriting within broader conversations about creative labor, truth, and the relationship between theory and practice with support from academic frameworks from Craig Batty, Bridget Conor, and Margaret McVeigh. My practitioner-based sources provide insight into the realities of drafting, revision, and professional expectations, highlighting the discipline and adaptability required of active writers. The critical component extends this by examining how dramatic structure functions across three contemporary films. Using principles from Aristotle and Lajos Egri, the analysism maps key structural elements onto each film to demonstrate the flexibility of classical and nonlinear approaches and their influence on narrative meaning. Together, these elements establish the foundation for my thesis screenplay which is a feature-length narrative shaped by themes of resilience, family conflict, and emotional persistence. By integrating a feminist critical lens, close reading and craft-based reflection, this project articulates the creative, analytical, and organizational commitments that guide my work and evolving identity as a screenwriter.
