Story Sense: A Screenwriter's Guide for Film and Television

Story Sense: A Screenwriter's Guide for Film and Television
Author: Paul Lucey
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1996-01-01
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 9780070389960

This is the first true textbook for a course in screenwriting. Story Sense provides specific strategies for writing story, character, and script. A wealth of techniques are suggested so that screenwriters can select those that work best for them. The book has been conceived as a working manual for screenwriters and offers hands-on advice for solving the many problems that crop up as the work progresses. In addition, the book includes examples of script format, a glossary of film terms, the Writer's Guild's compensation terms, and such insider examples as a sample studio script evaluation form, a sample script analysis, a sample studio reader's questionnaire, and a sample re-write.

A Guide to Screenwriting Success

A Guide to Screenwriting Success
Author: Stephen V. Duncan
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 379
Release: 2020-07-28
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1538128934

A Guide to Screenwriting Success, Second Edition provides a comprehensive overview of writing—and rewriting—a screenplay or teleplay and writing for digital content. Duncan's handy book teaches new screenwriters the process of creating a professional screenplay from beginning to end. It shows that inspiration, creativity, and good writing are not elusive concepts but attainable goals that any motivated person can aspire to. Duncan includes sections on all aspects of screenwriting—from character development to story templates—and breaks down the three acts of a screenplay into manageable pieces. A Guide to Screenwriting Success contains dozens of exercises to help writers through these steps. The second half of Duncan's practical book covers another, often overlooked, side of screenwriting—the teleplay. Aspiring writers who also want to try their hand at writing for television will need to learn the specifics of the field. The book breaks down this area into two parts, the one-hour teleplay and the situation comedy. There is a section on writing and producing digital content that embraces the “Do It Yourself” attitude to approaching a career in the entertainment industry. Success in screenwriting is no longer a dream but an achievable goal for those who pick up Duncan's guide.

The Elements of Screenwriting

The Elements of Screenwriting
Author: Irwin R. Blacker
Publisher:
Total Pages: 164
Release: 1988
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 9780020002208

In the tradition of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, this essential reference offers welcome help for the thousands of screenwriters who have discovered that putting together a successful screenplay is much harder than it seems.

Writing in Pictures

Writing in Pictures
Author: Joseph McBride
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2012-02-28
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 030774292X

Writing in Pictures is a refreshingly practical and entertaining guide to screenwriting that provides what is lacking in most such books: a clear, step-by-step demonstration of how to write a screenplay. Seasoned screenwriter and writing teacher Joseph McBride breaks down the process into a series of easy, approachable tasks, focusing on literary adaptation as the best way to learn the basics and avoiding the usual formulaic approach. With its wealth of useful tips, along with colorful insights from master screenwriters past and present, this book is invaluable for anyone who wants to learn the craft of screen storytelling. CONTENTS Introduction: Who Needs Another Book on Screenwriting? Part I: Storytelling 1: So Why Write Screenplays? 2: What Is Screenwriting? 3: Stories: What They Are and How to Find Them 4: Ten Tips for the Road Ahead Part II: Adaptation 5: Breaking the Back of the Book: or, The Art of Adaptation STEP 1: THE STORY OUTLINE 6: Research and Development STEP 2: THE ADAPTATION OUTLINE 7: The Elements of Screenwriting STEP 3: THE CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY 8: Exploring Your Story and How to Tell It STEP 4: THE TREATMENT Part III: Production 9: Who Needs Formatting? 10: Actors Are Your Medium 11: Dialogue as Action STEP 5: THE STEP OUTLINE 12: The Final Script 13: Epilogue: Breaking into Professional Filmmaking Appendix A: The Basic Steps in the Screenwriting Process Appendix B: “To Build A Fire” by Jack London Selected Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

Writing Screenplays That Sell

Writing Screenplays That Sell
Author: Michael Hauge
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 356
Release: 1991-08-16
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0062725009

Covers story concept, character development, theme, structure, and scenes, analyzes a sample screenplay, and tells how to submit a manuscript, select an agent, and market oneself.

Complete Screenwriting Course

Complete Screenwriting Course
Author: Charles Harris
Publisher: Teach Yourself
Total Pages: 420
Release: 2014-10-17
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1471805514

Designed to take you from the moment you first put your pen to paper to pitching and selling your completed screenplay, this is one of the most inspiring books on screenwriting you'll ever read. Practical exercises will teach you the craft of writing for film and television, both mainstream and independent, the art of building your own plots, characters, dialogue and scenes. It gives you the skills you need to succeed and helps you critique your own work, meaning that at every step of the writing process you'll be producing the best scripts you can. This book is filled with essential writing tools, including techniques for overcoming writer's block and how to find your unique voice. You will learn how to pitch and get your work optioned, how to work as part of a team and how to make the best use of social media - in all a comprehensive companion that you will keep coming back to as your career develops. ABOUT THE SERIES The Teach Yourself Creative Writing series helps aspiring authors tell their stories. Covering a range of genres from science fiction and romantic novels to illustrated children's books and comedy, this series is packed with advice, exercises, and tips for unlocking creativity and improving your writing. And because we know how daunting the blank page can be, we set up the Just Write online community, at tyjustwrite.com, for budding authors and successful writers to connect and share.

Writing Screenplays That Sell

Writing Screenplays That Sell
Author: Michael Hauge
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2013-04-30
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0062293117

For more than twenty years, Writing Screenplays That Sell has been hailed as the most complete guide available on the art, craft, and business of writing for movies and television. Now fully revised and updated to reflect the latest trends and scripts, Hollywood story expert and script consultant Michael Hauge walks readers through every step of writing and selling successful screenplays. If you read only one book on the screenwriter's craft, this must be the one.

Prewriting Your Screenplay

Prewriting Your Screenplay
Author: Michael Tabb
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 246
Release: 2018-07-16
Genre: Art
ISBN: 1351058258

Prewriting Your Screenplay cements all the bricks of a story’s foundations together and forms a single, organic story-growing technique, starting with a blank slate. It shows writers how to design each element so that they perfectly interlock together like pieces of a puzzle, creating a stronger story foundation that does not leave gaps and holes for readers to find. This construction process is performed one piece at a time, one character at a time, building and incorporating each element into the whole. The book provides a clear-cut set of lessons that teaches how to construct that story base around concepts as individual as the writer’s personal opinions, helping to foster an individual writer’s voice. It also features end-of-chapter exercises that offer step-by-step guidance in applying each lesson, providing screenwriters with a concrete approach to building a strong foundation for a screenplay. This is the quintessential book for all writers taking their first steps towards developing a screenplay from nothing, getting them over that first monumental hump, resulting in a well-formulated story concept that is cohesive and professional.

Screenwriting Made Easy

Screenwriting Made Easy
Author: Maria Johnsen
Publisher: Maria Johnsen
Total Pages: 274
Release:
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN:

I am thrilled to introduce my comprehensive guide, “Screenwriting Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your First Screenplay”. With my extensive experience in script coverage, analyzing over 388 scripts for filmmakers and film students, and my contribution as a ghostwriter for numerous short and feature films, I am certain that this book will prove to be an invaluable resource for aspiring screenwriters. In this book, I provide a detailed explanation of the screenwriting process, breaking it down into specific points and delving deeper into each step. This approach is part of my pedagogical method in accelerated learning practices in educational systems, designed to facilitate fast and effective learning. If you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, I encourage you to take a break, relax, and return to the book when you are ready to continue reading. As an experienced screenwriter, I offer practical advice and detailed instruction to help readers gain the skills and confidence needed to write a successful screenplay and navigate the complex entertainment industry. I understand that the world of screenwriting can be daunting, but I believe that with the right tools and insights, anyone can craft compelling stories that capture the attention of audiences and industry professionals alike. Throughout the book, I share my tried and true strategies to help aspiring screenwriters get their foot in the door and provide examples of screenwriting across various genres. I firmly believe that screenplay writing doesn’t have to be complicated, and I offer strategies for making your screenplay viable for production. Whether you’re a first-time screenwriter or looking to refine your skills, my book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in pursuing a career in screenwriting. I invite you to explore the world of screenwriting and to use this book as your guide on your journey towards success.

The Screenwriter’s Roadmap

The Screenwriter’s Roadmap
Author: Neil Landau
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 330
Release: 2013-05-07
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 113607189X

Finally, a GPS system for screenwriters! The potentially long and arduous journey of writing a screenplay was just made easier to navigate with The Screenwriter's Roadmap. Avoid the wrong turns, dead ends, gaping p(l)otholes, and other obstacles that result in frustration , wasted time, and wasted energy. The Screenwriter's Roadmap keeps you on track and helps you reach your destination- a finished, professional quality screenplay. Neil Landau, a successful Hollywood screenwriter and script doctor with over 2 decades of experience, provides you with 21 Guideposts, that if implemented, will help you nail down your screenplay's story structure, deepen its character arcs, bolster stakes, heighten suspense, and diagnose and repair its potential weaknesses. These Guideposts are based on field-tested, in-the-trenches experiences that have been proven to work. The Guideposts are augmented by interactive exercises, end of chapter "homework" assignments, examples from the latest blockbusters, as well as over 20 interviews with some of Hollywood's most successful screenwriters and directors, including David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Man of Steel), David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, Panic Room, War of the Worlds, Angels & Demons), Melissa Rosenberg (The Twilight Saga: Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, Dexter (TV)), and Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, The Insider, Munich, The Good Shepherd, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close). .