This thesis is premised on the question: Whether writing ‘Unlikeable female protagonists’ can lead to greater, authentic female representation in my screenplay?
In reference to my feature-length screenplay, What I know now. My thesis will explore the representation of authentic female protagonists in screenplays, identifying a recent influx of unlikeable female protagonists in film and explaining the increase of this character trope. Exploring the importance of authenticity in protagonists, and whether previous cinematic tropes and sub-genres have enhanced authenticity or reduced representations of female protagonists. Conducting a character analysis of the female protagonist from the screenplay Young Adult (Reitman, 2011) as a methodology to analyse how the writer effectively creates an authentic female protagonist. And lastly, using a combination of analytical data and first-person testimonies to explore the relationship between female screenwriters and authentic female characters.
The encompassing purpose of each chapter is to give a greater insight into how, as a screenwriter, I can improve the authenticity of the writing for my protagonist, Older Lily. Researching the representation of unlikeable female protagonists is an essential area of research, as I found few academic studies that explored the topic, so my thesis will aim to fill this gap in research. Additionally, through this thesis, I have determined that there has been a general lack of authentic female protagonists in film. Therefore, my thesis will identify the importance of portraying female protagonists in a way which is representative of the female experience and identify ways in which this authenticity can be enhanced. Ultimately, this thesis will conclude that unlikability is an equally human and realistic trait to being likeable; thus, a writer can subvert expectations with an engaging and authentic outcome by creating unlikeable female protagonists.
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