Screening the Past - Guidelines for Contributors

Guidelines for Contributors

This section should be read in conjunction with the editorial policy of this journal.

General submission guidelines are provided here, and should be read first. Requirements specific to each section are also provided: First release, Re-runs, Classics and revivals, Short subjects including reviews, Trailers.

1. General submission guidelines:

1.1 In general, follow these procedures:

Less than 500 words - send as email.
More than 500 words - send as an email attachment, in Microsoft Word format (DOC), or in "rich text" format (RTF).

Email address: a.dzenis@latrobe.edu.au, r.thompson@latrobe.edu.au

1.2 All submissions should be accompanied by the following information at the beginning of the text:

name, institutional affiliation, email and surface mail addresses and fax no. of the person submitting;
title of the text and the section for which it is submitted.

All original submissions (of articles and reviews) should be accompanied by a short paragraph (40-60 words) about the contributor, giving the kind of information that readers may wish to know, such as name, institutional affiliation, leadership roles, recent publications, research interests.

1.3 Style guidelines:

1.3.1 Layout

General rule - keep it simple, avoid formatting (leave that to us). This means: Use single spacing between lines, justify on left only.
Do not use tabs at any time. Mark paragraph breaks with one extra "hard return".
Do not use bold or underlining at any time: for emphasis or titles use italics (see 1.3.6 for how to present titles).
Do not put any full words in upper case (see 1.3.4 below for principles of capitalisation).

1.3.2 Quotations

Use double quotation marks round quotes less than two lines long, and run these in the text. Indent quotes three or more lines long without quotation marks.
Quotes within quotes should be distinguished by single quotation marks e.g. Hansen (110) speaks of a 1908 article which "emphasizes a German exhibitor's efforts to procure 'scenes from the Rocky Mountains, forest views, and flowing cascades'." (double quotation marks surround the quote from Hansen at p. 110, single quotation marks surround the words quoted by Hansen at this point)

1.3.3 Numbers and dates

For dates use the form 24 December 1972.
Spell out numbers, unless the number is a statistic. (e.g. In 1917 two hundred and four films were censored, of which 34% were cut.)

1.3.4 Capitalisation

Use minimal (sentence) capitalisation within citation, i.e. only for the first word and proper nouns. For example: My brilliant career.
Use maximal capitalisation for proper nouns and their equivalent phrases e.g. in discussion of a report on International Conference on African Film and History.

1.3.5 Titles of films and other media programs

Titles of all books, films, television programs or multimedia programs in the text should be italicised, using minimal capitalisation (see 1.3.4).
In the case of films, the country of production and year of production should be provided in brackets after the first (but not subsequent) use of the title.
As this is an English-language publication, it is acceptable to use a common English translation of film titles e.g. Bicycle thieves (Italy 1948), but if you prefer to use the original language title it is necessary to provide the common English translation e.g. Ladri di biciclette (Bicycle thieves Italy 1948). The original language alone is acceptable if a translated title is not in common use e.g. La strada (Italy 1954), or if the film has not been distributed in the English-speaking world e.g. Il processo di Verona (Italy 1963).
For other media, do your best to help the reader with similar information, though the editors acknowledge that it is not always possible.

1.3.6 Referencing

This journal uses the documentary-note or humanities style described in Chicago manual of style, 14th edition, chapter 15, (Summarised at http://www.wisc.edu/writetest/Handbook/DocChicago.html), with the following exceptions:

We require minimal (sentence) capitalisation (see 1.3.4 above, which replaces 15.104 in the Chicago manual).
We have two options for citing a source a second or subsequent time (see 2.2.2).
For electronic sources we prefer the following method of citation:
AuthorFirstname AuthorSurname, "Title," LastUpdateDate, http://full.url.etc (Access Date).

Specific referencing guidelines are provided for: 2. First release, 3. Re-runs, 4. Classics and revivals, 5. Short subjects, Referencing is not used at all in Trailers.

1.4 For all sections except "Trailers", your submission will be acknowledged within two weeks of receipt: if you do not hear within that time, please send again.

Writers of articles submitted for "First Release" will be required to complete a [contract form] before work is uploaded. Please DO NOT send this form with your initial submission: you will be given instructions when it is required. The only intention of this contract is to cover the editors and La Trobe university from legal problems, not to make unreasonable claims on writers. So, please check that it is acceptable to you before you submit, and if you have any doubts about it please contact the editors (at a.dzenis@latrobe.edu.au, r.thompson@latrobe.edu.au).

2. First release

(i.e. substantial articles, usually 3-5,000 words, not previously published)

2.1 These articles will be blind reviewed, so do not identify the author within the text. Provide, at the beginning of the paper:

the information listed in the general guidelines (1.2) about the person submitting, and about the paper; - a 50-100 word abstract, headed "Abstract" and indented;
the title of the paper repeated at the head of the first page of the main text.

2.2 Referencing With the exceptions noted in the general guidelines (1.3.6), this journal uses the documentary-note or humanities style described in Chicago manual of style (14th edition, chapter 15), or at http://www.wisc.edu/writetest/Handbook/DocChicago.html (Chicago style, sample notes, first references).

2.2.1 Use endnotes (not footnotes, not intext citation, except as indicated in 2.2.2), and be as economical with these in both number and length as is consistent with good academic practice, or the editor may feel obliged to reduce them.

2.2.2 Do not use ibid or op.cit. or loc.cit. at any time. For second or subsequent citations of the same source use one of two options, remembering that clarity and brevity are the major goals:

2.2.2.1
Author and page e.g. Smith, 26. If more than one work by the same author is referred to, then add an abbreviated title e.g. Smith, "Two reasons", 26. This form is recommended when there are very few subsequent references to a source, or when subsequent references appear only in notes.

2.2.2.2
Append to the endnote giving the first citation of that source the words "Further references to this text appear as page numbers in brackets".

On every subsequent reference to this work, make sure that your text makes clear to any reader precisely which author is being referred to, and if more than one work has been cited by the same author then include an abbreviated title. Use forms of words such as "Gunning, in his article on 'The cinema of attractions' argues that...", or "In Carroll's opinion (23) ...".

Notice that, in the above examples, when reference is intended generally to the whole of a work previously cited (in this case, to Gunning) no page number is given, but when reference to a specific page is intended (in this case to Carroll) the page number appears in brackets in your text.

2.2.3 For your assistance, examples of some common types of works to be cited are provided here:

Eileen Bowser, The transformation of cinema 1907-1915, vol. 2 (Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press, 1994), 24.
Anne Ross Muir, "The status of women working in film and television", in The female gaze: women as viewers of popular culture, eds. Lorraine Gammon and Margaret Marshment (London: The Women's Press, 1988), 73.
Tom Gunning, "Chaplin and American culture: the evolution of a star image," Film quarterly 42, no. 3 (1990): 46.
Stanley Hawes to John Grierson, 15 November 1956, Stanley Hawes papers, box 10, ScreenSound Australia, Canberra.
Editorial, Sydney morning herald, 15 September 1976.
Peter Hughes, "Innovation or audience: the choice for documentary?," Screening the past, 15 September 1998, http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/firstrelease/fir998/PHfr4.html (September 1998).

3. Re-runs

(i.e. substantial articles previously published in hard-copy, whether by yourself or another person: anything already on the WWW is not acceptable)

3.1 These articles may be sent in one of two ways:

as a photocopy of the published piece, source clearly visible, sent by airmail to

Screening the Past,
Department of Media Studies,
La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083 AUSTRALIA

as an email attachment, as in the general guidelines (1.1) but in addition to the title please include full bibliographic details of previous publication.

Please make sure that all the information requested in the general guidelines (1.2) is also provided.

3.2 If you are submitting your own work, please also send (by airmail or surface mail) evidence that you own copyright e.g photocopy of a page from the journal stating that individual authors retain copyright, copy of the original contract, or letter from the publisher.

If you are proposing the work of someone else, please let us know if you have any special relation to the work or the author which could make obtaining copyright clearance easier.

3.3 These articles may be reproduced in one of two forms:

as they were originally published, i.e. using the house style of the original publication, probably scanned in from that publication;
in Screening the past house style (as given for "First release" submissions).

The decision will be made by the editors, but, if this is your own work, please indicate which of these you would prefer.

4. Classics and revivals

(i.e. older articles)

4.1 These articles may be nominated in one of two ways:

send a photocopy of the published piece, source clearly visible, by airmail to

Screening the past,
Department of Media Studies,
La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083 AUSTRALIA

send by email full bibliographic details of the piece, so that it can be tracked down by the editorial team.

4.2 Please make sure that you supply also your own details, (name, institutional affiliation, addresses as in the general submission guidelines), so we can correspond about the piece.

In particular, please give us any information you may have about who the copyright holder may be, and whether you have any special relation to the work or the author which could make obtaining copyright clearance easier. Your comments on the value of this piece for re-publication would also help. If you are willing to contribute a contextualising essay you should make a proposal concerning this.

4.3 These articles will usually be reproduced as they were originally published, i.e. using the house style of the original publication, possibly scanned in from that publication. The decision on this will be made by the editors.

4.4 Contextualising essays for reprinted pieces will be automatically refereed as for "First release" articles, unless the essay has been specifically invited. The contextualising essays should follow house style (as given for 2. First release).

5. Short subjects

(i.e. reviews, not previously published, of books, films, television programmes, multimedia, usually 500-1000 words; reports on conferences or other developments, usually 200-500 words)

5.1 Unsolicited reviews and reports are welcome, but if you want to make sure that no-one else is already lined up to do what you are planning to do, please email a proposal to the editor at: a.dzenis@latrobe.edu.au, r.thompson@latrobe.edu.au

5.2 Reports

It is our policy to report only on recent events (which means normally within six months of the event). At the start of a report, provide a title which can identify the content of the piece. At the end of a report, provide the writer's name and institutional affiliation.

5.3 Reviews

It is our policy to review only recently-published books (which means normally within one year of publication). At the start of a book review, list in this order: Author (surname last). Title of book. Place of publication: Publisher, Date of publication. ISBN no. No of pages. Source for purchase when this is not a large publishing company. Price (including identification of the currency being quoted).

Example: John Hill. Sex, class and realism: British cinema 1956-1963. London: BFI, 1986. 0-85170-133-7. 228pp. Stg£7.95

At the end of a review, provide the reviewer's name and institutional affiiliation.

5.4 Referencing

Citation is not normally acceptable within a report. In reviews, citation should normally be limited to quotation from the book under review, and in this case page numbers should appear in brackets in the text as described in 2.2.2.

If citation to other authored works is absolutely necessary then refer to the author by name within your text, and at the end of the review provide a reference list in documentary-note or humanities style following Chicago manual of style, 14th edition, ch.15, or http://www.wisc.edu/writetest/Handbook/DocChicago.html, with the exceptions noted in 2.2.2 2.

For your assistance, examples of some common types of work to appear on such a reference list are provided here:

Eileen Bowser, The transformation of cinema 1907-1915 , vol. 2. Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press, 1994.

Gammon, Lorraine and Margaret Marshment, eds. The female gaze: women as viewers of popular culture. London: The Women's Press, 1988.

Gunning, Tom. "Chaplin and American culture: the evolution of a star image." Film quarterly 42, no. 3 (1990).

Hughes, Peter. "Innovation or audience: the choice for documentary?," Screening the past, 15 September 1998, http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/firstrelease/fir998/PHfr4.html (September 1998).

5.5 Do not forget to include the information about yourself, as listed at 1.2.

6. Trailers

(for new books, conferences and events, positions advertised, calls for papers, etc)

6.1 Information about these can be sent in two ways:

by airmail or surface mail to:

Screening the past,
Department of Media Studies,
La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083 AUSTRALIA

by email to a.dzenis@latrobe.edu.au, r.thompson@latrobe.edu.au

These will not normally be acknowledged: if you wish to correspond with the editors, please make this clear.

6.2 Review copies of books should be sent by airmail or surface mail to the address above, providing all the information listed at the start of a review (see 5. Short subjects).

These, too, will not normally by acknowledged separately from their appearance in the booknotes section: if you wish to correspond with the editors, please make this clear.