In April, Professor of Screenwriting and Associate Dean (School of Communication Arts) Sean Gaffney will publish Meta Story: What Marvel & the Messiah Can Teach Us About Great Storytelling. This fun-to-read, insightful book serves to enlighten audiences hoping to expand their view of storytelling, as well as instruct those learning the art of scriptwriting.
“This book is designed for anyone of faith who likes movies, TV shows, or theatre,” Gaffney said. “It explores the hardwired universal patterns in Story and the effect those elements have on our souls.”
Gaffney’s book highlights three areas: divine design, story structure, and Christ and culture.
“The point of this book is twofold: to help storytellers understand the God narrative of storytelling and also to explore how God uses story to help us understand Him better,” Gaffney said. “If you understand how a story is constructed, it will help you read the Bible and understand God better.”
Gaffney is an accomplished screenwriter and playwright (including for VeggieTales and SuperBook). He worked as a story administrator for Warner Bros. Features, managing director of Taproot Theatre (Seattle), and general manager at Lamb’s Theatre (NYC). He holds an MFA in theater from Columbia University and serves as associate dean and screenwriting professor in the School of Communication Arts.
Last year, Gaffney received the Best Mystery Feature award at the 2024 Faith & Family Screenwriting Awards for his screenplay, The Divinity School Murders.
“In the style of Father Brown mysteries, my screenplay involves a youth pastor and homicide detective who partner together to solve murders,” he said. “One of the twists is that the homicide detective is an atheist, but she also becomes the youth pastor’s love interest. Questions arise about God and justice with themes of mercy and forgiveness woven throughout the story.”
With Gaffney’s expertise and mentorship offered to students, the Asbury University Media Communication major launched the Screenwriting emphasis for undergraduate students in 2023.
“Story is at the core of the Media Communication program, and we are excited to offer this new emphasis,” Gaffney said. “What sets us apart is that our professors are working professionals who have industry experience. We have tested stuff, worked on film and TV sets, and are happy to offer our knowledge to Asbury students. Here, you get hands-on experience in screenwriting.”
The Asbury University Media, Journalism, and Digital Storytelling department offers majors in Media Communication and Multimedia Journalism. Online majors include Digital Content Creation and Instructional Design & Media. Graduate programs include the MFA in Screenwriting; the MFA in Film & Television Production; the M.A. in Communication; the M.A. in Digital Storytelling; and the M.A. in Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership.