Dramatising facts without losing the truth - How do writers of dramas based on true events treat facts?

Abstract

Dramas based on true events are highly popular and come in all shapes and formats. The main thing they have in common is that they are telling a story based on truth, but the degree to which they are faithful to facts vary.

The challenge is how to relate to facts as a screenwriter. Can one remain true when dramatising facts?What can one imagine and not imagine in a story whilst still defining it as based on a real event? The industry has no clear strategic guidelines for this, and neither do the scholars in the field, seemingly due to the complexity of the topic that involves ethical, legal and authorship-related aspects.

In this qualitative study I explore these challenges through the screenwriting practises of contemporary writers of film and television dramas based on real events. My primary sources are interviews with four Nordic screenwriters as well as a case study on my own experience of developing a drama based on true events.

The purpose of this research is to identify common writing approaches among my interviewees. The main aspects I delve into are how screenwriters ethically treat facts, andwhether there are some general definitions of when to invent or not to invent in a fact-based drama.

My research findings show that there are some universal aspects of treating facts in these types of screenplays, although each project has its own needs and methods. At the core of these aspects is the writer's intention. It defines the truth of the drama and can – with an ethical responsibility towards the real people involved – guide the dramatic choices and the working methods for each individual project. Furthermore, directions for future research that might be able to shed additional light on screenwriting practises of dramas based on true events are presented.