ABSTRACT
The chapter considers what unproduction studies involves and its potential in contributing to a revised history of the American film industry (and other national industries). The chapter outlines definitions of unproduction studies, along with a review of existing literature. But more importantly, the chapter focuses on the centrality of archival methods in unproduction studies and in the study of unmade, unseen, and unreleased films. The chapter argues that in foregrounding this shadow history of the unmade it is possible to bring to light overlooked archival repositories, to reclaim marginalised or forgotten filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, and films, and to challenge the film history canon by emphasising histories of black, LGBTQ+, and women filmmakers and creative labourers.
