Screenwriting techniques Books
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Behind Sunset
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£9.49
Oldcastle Books Ltd The Art of Writing Animation
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£17.09
Transworld Scriptnotes
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£20.00
Michael Wiese Productions My Story Can Beat Up Your Story: Ten Ways to
Book Synopsis
£12.59
Random House Worlds Stranger Things The Complete Scripts Season 4
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£21.25
Methuen Publishing Ltd Character
Book SynopsisFrom the best-selling author of STORY and DIALOGUE
£22.50
Dell Books The Screenwriters Workbook
Book SynopsisAn invaluable, systematic instruction book for beginners and professional screenwriters alike.
£16.19
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press Leaving Las Vegas
Book SynopsisA re-issue of John O'Brien's debut novel, a masterpiece of modern realism about the perils of addiction and love in a city of loneliness.Leaving Las Vegas, the first novel by John O'Brien, is the disturbing and emotionally wrenching story of a woman who embraces life and a man who rejects it. Sera is a prostitute, content with the independence and routine she has carved out for herself in a city defined by recklessness. But she is haunted by a spectre in a yellow Mercedes, a man from her past who is committed to taking control of her life again. Ben is an alcoholic intent on drinking his way towards an early death. Newly arrived from Los Angeles, he survived the four-hour intoxicated drive across the desert with his entire savings in his wallet and nothing else left to lose. Looking to satisfy hungers both material and existential, Ben and Sera stumble together on the strip and discover in each other a respite from their unforgiving lives. A testimony to the raw talent of its young author, Leaving Las Vegas is a compelling story of unconditional love between two disenfranchised and lost souls - an overlooked American classic.Trade ReviewA brutal and unflinching portrait of the low life in the city of high rollers, Leaving Las Vegas is both shocking and curiously exhilarating. John O'Brien was a stunningly talented writer who created poetry from the most squalid materials. This is a beautiful and horrifying novel. -- Jay McInerneyThere is not a false note in the novel . . . [O'Brien] achieves real power in his writing. You seldom encounter it anymore, but when you do you know you've been properly whacked by a real talent. * New York Daily News *[An] immense writing talent . . . John O'Brien's life ended with a gunshot. Leaving Las Vegas, for its intensity, its bravado, and its legacy - an American tragedy that would pave the way for many more - only begins to understand why. * Esquire *The book's unique power resides in this awareness; and it allows O'Brien to breathe new life into two of the most familiar and overused archetypes of popular fiction: the drunk and the whore . . . Ben's impulse to destroy himself is so psychologically unspecific as to be sublime. * Boston Review *This book is not only dark and dire, it is crushing. How can a novel so absolutely devoid of hope be so gripping? The portrait of Sera and Ben is a tour de force - masterful and relentless. Leaving Las Vegas is the strongest and most extreme look at alcohol I've ever read. This book moved and bothered me and weeks later it is still in my mind. I think O'Brien is simply terrific. -- Ron CarlsonHere is that rarest jewel, a really fine novel. It's a magical piece of work, one of the best I've seen in a long time. John O'Brien has a very great talent. * Larry Brown *
£9.49
Random House Worlds Stranger Things The Complete Scripts Season 3
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£21.25
The Do Book Co Do Drama: How to stop watching TV drama. And
Book SynopsisFantastically useful, true and best of all very amusing. This comprehensive and succinct insider s guide is told with characteristic clarity and laced with excellent practical advice. If you want to write, read this first. Tim Whitby, producer. Have you ever said, I d love to write a script, but don t know where to start ? Or watched the latest binge-worthy Netflix series and thought you could do better? Do Drama explores the how and why of writing drama, not as an instruction manual, but as a lively conversation with one of Britain s most prolific and successful screenwriters, Lucy Gannon. She didn t write her first play until she was 39. By sharing what she has learned over three decades of writing primetime drama, she will help you to: Write your script from the first scene to the last Create vivid characters with a personality and a past Develop storylines, structure and write a treatment Understand how the industry works; take the next step. Writing drama is not about education, class or cleverness, it s about your deep desire to tell stories, to create characters, finding the humour alongside the pathos, to delight and enthral millions. There is no golden path into production. But the world is hungry for talent. You are the talent. So, what are you waiting for? Scene 1
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Making of Planet of the Apes
Book SynopsisFOREWORD BY FRASER HESTONIn celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Planet of the Apes, the classic science-fiction film from 1968, The Making of Planet of the Apes tells the film and offers exclusive, never-before-seen photographs and concept art.Based on Pierre Boulle''s novel La Planéte de singes, the original Planet of the Apes was one of the most celebrated films of the 1960s and beyond. Starring Hollywood icons Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall, the movie struck a chord with the world and sparked a franchise that included eight sequels, two television series, and a long-running comic book. Now, five decades after its theatrical release, New York Times bestselling author J. W. Rinzler tells the thrilling story of this legendary Hollywood production—a film even Boulle thought would be impossible to make.With a foreword by Fraser Heston, Charlton Heston''s son, The Making of Planet of the Apes is an entertaining, informative experience that will transport readers back to the strange alternate Earth ruled by apes, and bring to life memorable characters such as Cornelius, Dr. Zira, Dr. Zaius, and Taylor, the human astronaut whose time-traveling sparks an incredible adventure. Meticulously researched and designed to capture the look and atmosphere of the film, The Making of Planet of the Apes is also packed with a wealth of concept paintings, storyboards, and never-before-seen imagery—including rare journal pages and sketches from Charlton Heston''s private collection—as well as color and black-and-white unit photography, posters, and more unique ephemera.Comprehensive in scope, The Making of Planet of the Apes is the definitive look at the original blockbuster film, a must-have for fans, film buffs, and collectors alike.
£38.25
Oldcastle Books Ltd Short Films: Writing the Screenplay
Book SynopsisEvery award-winning short film begins life with a clever idea, a good story and a screenplay. Patrick Nash analyses the process of writing short film screenplays and gives advice on: Story and structure Ideas generation Plot and pace Screenplay format Dos and don'ts Eliciting emotion Dialogue and subtext Character design Protagonists and antagonists Character motivation and goals Conflict, obstacles and stakes Clichés and Stereotypes Beginnings, middles and ends Hooking the viewer Screenplay competitions Loglines, outlines and synopses Rewriting and length Practicalities and budgets The book also includes a number of award-winning scripts and interviews, advice and contributions from their award-winning screenwriters and a discussion of the benefits to writers of writing short screenplays.Trade ReviewI would definitely recommend this book . . . (it is) a very thorough look at all aspects of being a writer of short scripts -- Michelle Goode * Writesofluid *Straight talking tome bursting with practical advice * Total Film *A helpful book for anyone interested in screenwriting -- Tom Farr * Tom Farr Reviews *
£17.99
John Wiley & Sons Inc Screenwriting For Dummies
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 3 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 4 Where to Go from Here 4 Part 1: So you want to write for Pictures 5 Chapter 1: Introducing the Art of Screenwriting 7 In The Mind’s Eye 7 Developing the Writer’s Mind 8 Approaching Screenwriting as a Craft 9 Finding Your Screenplay’s Story 9 Working through the Writing Process 10 Formatting Your Screenplay 11 Constructing Your First Draft 11 Rewriting Your Script 12 Adapting Your Screenplay from an Outside Source 13 Selling Your Screenplay to Show Business 13 Chapter 2: Preparing to Think Visually 15 Is It Cinema? Considering Other Mediums 15 Is it a screenplay or a novel? 16 Is it film or theater? 17 Is it a movie, visual art, or poetry? 17 It’s probably a screenplay if 18 What You See Is What You Get: The Visual Life of a Screenplay 20 Crafting images from the outside in 21 Crafting images from the inside out 22 Chapter 3: Diving Into the Screenwriter’s Mind 25 Finding Your Feet: How to Learn From Other Writers 26 Reading for dramatic intent 27 Recognizing a screenplay’s genre 28 Art and Life: What’s the Difference? 30 Developing an Artistic Sensibility 31 What a writer sees 32 What a writer hears 33 What a writer remembers and what a writer forgets 34 Recognizing a Story When You See One 36 Identifying the call to write 36 The four important P’s of story 37 Finding an opening image 37 Chapter 4: Approaching Screenwriting as a Craft 39 Invoking the Muse: Examining the Creative Process 40 Imagination: Your Creative Arsenal 41 Flexing the imagination 42 Putting the imagination to work 43 Identifying your writing voice 47 Craft: A Vehicle for Your Imagination 49 Form 50 Technique 50 Discipline 54 Part 2: Breaking down the elements of a story 57 Chapter 5: Unpacking Your Idea 59 I Have This Great Idea Now What? 59 Identifying your interest in the idea 60 Documenting your interest in the idea 61 Getting to Know Your Audience 63 Matching the story to the audience 63 Connecting with your audience 66 Knowing What Happened Before Your Story Began: Creating the Backstory 68 Identifying the elements of a backstory 68 Developing a screenplay through backstory 70 Identifying the Tone of Your Piece 71 Establishing Your Story’s Time Clock 72 Deciding When to Start Your Story 74 Getting to Know Aristotle: A Dramatist’s Best Friend 76 What’s It All About?: Writing an Effective Synopsis 77 Chapter 6: Plot Part I: Beginnings 81 Crafting an Eye-Opening Opener 82 What to show first: person, place, or thing? 82 Conflict: What’s wrong with this picture? 85 Possible ways to begin your story 86 Three Compelling (and Contrasting) Movie Beginnings 87 Jaws 88 Lady Bird 88 Moonlight 89 Chapter 7: Plot Part II: Middles 91 Muddling through the Middle 92 From Lights to Camera to . . . ACTION! 93 Action versus activity 94 Revisiting the story’s time clock 95 Status: Where’s the Upper Hand? 96 What’s Your Problem? Introducing Conflicts and Obstacles 99 Exposition: From Clunky to Creative 101 Sharing info the characters know 101 Sharing info the characters may not know 103 Determining What to Write from What You’ve Written 104 Three Compelling (and Contrasting) Movie Middles 106 Jaws 106 Lady Bird 107 Moonlight 108 Chapter 8: Plot Part III: Endings 111 Are We There Yet? How to Know When You’re Done 112 Tracking the change: What’s different now? 113 Crafting your story’s conclusion 117 Danger Will Robinson: Threats to an Otherwise Healthy Plot 120 Would that really happen? The probable versus the possible 120 Scenes where nothing happens: Two final threats to watch for 123 Ultimate Success: Tracking Three Movies through Their Triumphant Conclusions 125 Jaws 125 Lady Bird 125 Moonlight 126 Chapter 9: Character Building 127 Portrait of a Person: Constructing a Physical World 128 Your character’s physical being 128 Your character’s physical environment 131 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Constructing an Internal World 135 Dreams, desires, and passions 136 Your character’s engine: Needs versus wants 137 Talents and expertise 138 Internal obstacles 139 Your character’s argument 140 From the Inside Out: Making the Inner World Visible 142 Balancing character dialogue with character action 142 Crafting concrete character goals 143 Providing character opportunities 143 Establishing routines that change 144 Forcing your characters to choose 144 Using a mentor 145 Using a narrator 146 Crafting secondary characters 146 Chapter 10: Delivering Dynamic Dialogue 147 Diction: What’s in a Word? 148 Isn’t versus ain’t: Diction’s determining factors 149 The highs and the lows of language 153 Name That Tune: Crafting Your Character’s Music 156 Sound 101: Using poetry as a guide 157 Fascinating rhythm: Crafting your script’s pulse 158 Letting the Listener Lead 161 Putting It Together: Characters in Conversation 163 Setting the scene 163 Dialogue do’s and don’ts 165 Chapter 11: The Nontraditional Film 173 Breaking with Tradition: Other Ways to Get the Job Done 174 Tinkering with Time 175 Song and Dance: The Movie Musical 177 How much music is too much music? 178 Original musicals 179 Musical adaptations 181 One Click Away: Writing a Web Series 183 Show me the money! 185 Tackling the pre-production work for a web series 186 Getting involved in web series production 189 Successfully steering the web series post-production process 190 Scripting the Short (Film) 192 Finding the Festival for You 193 Chapter 12: Maintaining an Audience’s Trust 195 Screenwriting and Ethics 196 Screenwriting and Responsibility 197 What are you willing to put your name on? 197 The immunity factor 198 Is this story for you? Appropriation and authenticity 200 A Gift for Gab: How to Conduct a Meaningful Interview 203 Preparing for an interview 203 Setting up an interview 204 Conducting an interview 205 Part 3: Turning your story into a script 207 Chapter 13: Mapping Out Your Screenplay 209 Conceptualizing Your Concept 210 How to Treat Your Treatment 212 Before you begin 213 Putting it on the page 214 Exploring the Ins and Outs of an Outline 217 One beat at a time 218 Filling in the gaps 220 Crafting the conclusion 221 What to Do When the Outline’s Through 222 Chapter 14: Surviving Writer’s Block 225 Moving from Panic to Peace 226 The top reasons for writer’s block 227 A survival guide 230 Reevaluating Your Routine 231 Seeking Outside Help 233 Chapter 15: Formatting Your Screenplay 235 How the Screenplay Looks on the Page 236 Formatting a title page 236 Setting up the seven components of a page 237 Setting your typeface and margins 238 Spacing your script correctly 239 Making your computer work for you 243 Creating a PDF 244 Making Your Format Flow 246 Cinematic description 246 Character introductions 248 Transitional directions 252 Camera concerns 255 Sample Scenes 260 Chapter 16: Putting It Together: Structuring Your First Draft 261 Traversing the Three-Act Structure 262 Act I: Introductions 263 Your opening moments 263 The first fifteen pages 264 The inciting incident 265 Plot point one 266 Act II: Salting the Wound 266 Know where the action is 268 The about-face 270 The midpoint 270 Plot point two 270 Act III: The Final Frontier 271 The climax 272 The resolution 273 A Note on Subplots 273 Variations on the Routine 276 The five-act structure 276 The eight-sequence structure 277 Chapter 17: Take Two: Rewriting Your Script 279 Downshifting between Drafts 279 How to work when you’re not working 280 Your first time back: Read-through #1 282 A second glance: Read-through #2 284 Back in the Saddle Again: Rewrites 291 Recruiting a Reader 293 Capitalizing on Your Critique 294 Chapter 18: Adaptation and Collaboration: Two Alternate Ways to Work 297 Procuring Primary Material 298 Knowing when you need a copyright 298 Comprehending copyrights 298 Procuring permission 299 Assessing how much to adapt 301 Navigating between Forms 302 From fiction to film 302 From stage to screen 305 From meter to movies 307 Mastering the Process of Adaptation 308 How to approach an original work 308 What to do when you’re stuck 310 Studying the Art of Collaboration 311 What to look for in a writing Partner 311 How to approach collaboration 312 Learning collaboration from the pros 313 Part 4: Selling your script to show business 317 Chapter 19: Before You Send It: Pre-Marketing Considerations 319 Understanding the “Biz” in Showbiz 320 Getting to know the players: The Hollywood hierarchy 320 Getting to know the buyers: The studio hierarchy 322 Getting a “grip”: Hollywood jargon 324 Preparing Yourself for the Biz 327 Putting on a happy face: The art of attitude 327 Organizing your records 328 Reaching out to the right resources 331 Setting personal goals 333 Polishing the Copy You Send 334 Checking last-minute details 334 Finessing your front page 336 Protecting Your Work 336 Registering with the Writers Guild of America 336 Pursuing the “poor-man’s copyright” 337 Chapter 20: Getting Your Screenplay Noticed 339 Designing Your Own Package 340 Highlighting the universal 341 Gaining the competitive edge 342 Considering the reader 343 Preparing to Pitch 344 Perfecting the teaser pitch 345 Selling the story pitch 346 Finding a Manager or Agent 348 Approaching an Agent or Manager 349 Sending a query 351 Pitching Your Script without an Agent 354 What to Do When They Say Yes 356 Meeting with an agent 357 Meeting with executives 358 Looking Ahead: Upon Achieving Success 359 A Final Note 360 Part 5: The Part of Tens 361 Chapter 21: Ten Screenwriters You Should Know 363 Sofia Coppola 364 Nora Ephron 365 William Goldman 366 Charlie Kaufman 367 Spike Lee 368 John Logan 370 Jordan Peele 372 Issa Rae 373 Taika Waititi 374 Phoebe Waller-Bridge 376 Chapter 22: Ten Screenwriting Myths 379 I Have to Live in Los Angeles to Write Screenplays 379 I Have to Go to Grad School to Learn How to Write 380 If I Can Write for Film, I Can Write for TV 381 I Haven’t Written Before and It’s Too Late to Start 382 Writing Is a Lonely Profession 383 Hollywood Has No Ethics; It’ll Ruin the Integrity of My Script 383 It’s Not What I Know; It’s Who I Know That Matters 384 I Have Too Many Obligations to Be a Writer 385 I’m Only as Successful as the Last Screenplay I Sold 386 I’m Not Talented Enough to Be a Writer 386 Appendix A: Sample scenes and online Resources 387 Index 405
£17.84
Michael Wiese Productions Your Screenplay Sucks!: 100 Ways to Make it Great
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Faber & Faber Schrader on Schrader
Book SynopsisSchrader on Schrader is an essential set of dialogues with one of the most genuinely fascinating and uncompromising writer-directors in American film.Raised as a Calvinist and hence forbidden to partake of ''worldly pleasures'' such as movies, Paul Schrader nevertheless defied his upbringing to become first a leading film critic, then a star pupil among the US ''movie brat'' generation of the 1970s: writing the coruscating screenplays for Martin Scorsese''s Taxi Driver and Raging Bull and directing such provocative pictures as Blue Collar, Hardcore and American Gigolo. Maturity has never sated his appetite for attacking ''difficult'' material, from adapting Kazantzakis'' The Last Temptation for Scorsese, to filming the singular lives of Mishima and Patty Hearst.Schrader on Schrader is a tour through this formidable body of work, including some of Schrader''s finest critical essays.
£17.09
John Murray Press Complete Screenwriting Course
Book SynopsisDesigned 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 SERIESThe Teach Yourself Creative Writing
£14.24
Oldcastle Books Ltd Reading Screenplays: How to Analyse and Evaluate
Book SynopsisScript Readers play a crucial role in the film industry, often responsible for determining whether a script is even looked at by a producer or development executive; yet those accountable for reading can be on the first rung of the industry ladder and have had little or no training for the task. This user-friendly 'how-to' guide written by one of the UK's leading script analysis specialists, lays bare the process of analysing film scripts. This is invaluable to anyone looking to work as a script reader, anyone who wants to work in development with writers, and for screenwriters themselves who are seeking guidance on how the industry might respond to their work. An essential reference tool, the book includes information on: How to write a brilliant script report Storytelling and screen genres Treatments and other short documents Writing clear and detailed analysis of the craft of storytelling for film Best practice in reading and reporting on scripts It also includes a full Resource Section listing useful print and online publications, organisations and associations.Trade Reviewit is such a worthwhile read -- Lucy V Hay * bang2write *Lucy Scher seeks to explain the skills needed to take on the vital role of script reader in the film industry -- Leo White * Kamera Film Salon *an ideal reference tool for anyone considering a career as a script reader or in film development * Moviescope *
£17.09
Pan Macmillan Lifes Work
Book Synopsis'Illuminating . . . there is never a dull moment' - The Times'Marvellous . . . full of riches' - New StatesmanDavid Milch is the critically acclaimed writer of the iconic TV series Deadwood and NYPD Blue. As he descends into a dementia from which there's no return, Life's Work is his account of his increasingly strange present and his often painful past.Betting on race horses and stealing booze at eight years old, mentored by Robert Penn Warren and excoriated by Richard Yates at twenty-one, Milch never did anything by half. He got into Yale Law School only to be expelled for shooting out streetlights. He paused his studies at the Iowa Writers' Workshop to manufacture acid. He created some of the most lauded television series of all time, started a family and pursued sobriety, only to lose his fortune betting on the horses – just as his successful but drug-addicted father had taughtTrade ReviewMarvellous . . . a book full of riches. -- Erica Wagner * The New Statesman *Life’s Work is one of the best books about television I’ve read. It’s funny, discursive, literate, druggy, self-absorbed, fidgety, replete with intense perceptions… You finish feeling you’ve really met someone. Milch was his own best creation. * New York Times *A searing, brutally honest memoir. * The Independent *A brilliant, emotional memoir . . . Takes the darkness of his own life and of those around him and turns it into something else, something that is threaded with hope. * Mail on Sunday *A wise, sly, hilarious, and poignant account of a life's work in hard drugs and hard television. -- Joshua Cohen, Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The NetanyahusIlluminating. * The Observer *The most gorgeously humane voice I've encountered in a work of nonfiction in a long while. I can think of few recent books that have pulsed with life this transparently, this powerfully. -- Rick Moody, author of The Ice StormLike the best memoirs, Life's Work is intimate, exquisitely observed, and intense. But unlike most - and what sets it apart - is the heartbreak it embodies, the finality it signals. This is David Milch's farewell, and it will rock you. -- Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid ThiefAn extraordinary story. * The Times *
£10.44
St Martin's Press The Tools Of Screenwriting
Book Synopsis
£16.19
New York University Press Complex TV
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewComplex TVis one of the most exciting books I have ever read.Each chapter contains useful and well-defined terms to put to work in formal analysis, and every argument is backed up with lively, detailed, and entertaining readings of familiar TV texts.The result is a rich and thorough piece of scholarship that will do for television studies what David Bordwells historical poetics has famously done for film. -- Robyn Warhol,co-editor of Narrative Theory Unbound: Queer and Feminist InterventionsA lucid and provocative exploration of modern television, from the inside out. -- Emily Nussbaum,television critic at the New YorkerMittell cleverly explores Complex TV on its own terms, favouring a formal analysis investigating the poetics of television series over discussing their cultural impact or interpretation of content. Looking at how television tells stories Mittell shows the contribution of technology, reception, and industry in changing television into a & lived cultural experience where different forms of & cultural engagement, are key to understanding the textuality of Complex TV. * European Journal of Media Studies *[]Mittels compelling arguments about topics such as anti-heroes and melodrama help us see the bigger picture when it comes to the small screen. * Seven Days *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments vii Introduction 1 1. Complexity in Context 17 2. Beginnings 55 3. Authorship 86 4. Characters 118 5. Comprehension 164 6. Evaluation 206 7. Serial Melodrama 233 8. Orienting Paratexts 261 9. Transmedia Storytelling 292 10. Ends 319 Notes 355 Index 381 About the Author 391
£19.94
Oldcastle Books Ltd Writing Diverse Characters for Fiction TV or Film
Book SynopsisWe're living in a time of unprecedented diversity in produced media content, with more characters appearing who are Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT), disabled, or from other religions or classes. What's more, these characters are appearing more and more in genre pieces, accessible to...Trade ReviewA timely guide to creating original characters and reinvigorating tired storylines. -- Debbie Moon, creator and showrunner, Wolfblood (BBC)Lucy V. Hay nails it -- Stephen Volk, BAFTA-winning screenwriter: Ghostwatch, Afterlife, The AwakeningPacked with practical and inspirational insights -- Karol Griffiths, development consultant and script editor, clients include ITV, BBC, Warner BrothersIt's definitely a book to have if you want to improve your characters -- Sophie Gardiner * Waterstones *
£16.99
Hyperion How Not To Make A Short Film
Book SynopsisExcellent and entertaining advice for aspiring directors from a veteran Sundance programmer.
£12.59
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Creative Screenwriter
Book SynopsisCreativity is becoming increasingly important in an age of advanced audience sophistication. It's no longer enough to follow standard writing techniques - becoming a first-class screenwriter demands not only a command of craft, but an understanding of how to unleash and harness creativity. The Creative Screenwriter offers a wealth of inspiring writing exercises designed to help you produce better, more exciting scripts. Each essential area of screenwriting is covered in its own chapter, from learning how to build stories and finding good ideas, to deepening characters and experimenting with structure, to enhancing scene writing and improving pitching. Finally, a range of innovative DIY Script Surgeries encourage you to find solutions to common screenwriting problems, such as overcoming writer's block, managing the rewrite and selling your work. This is a book to return to again and again. It is a guide for aspiring screenwriters who want to develop a powerful writing practice; a manualTrade ReviewA manual for teachers and students seeking inspiring exercises to encourage discussion, and a handbook for professionals wanting to hone their craft. * Writers Forum *
£17.09
McFarland & Co Inc King of the Action Thriller
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£27.54
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc The Science of Writing Characters
Book SynopsisThe Science of Writing Characters is a comprehensive handbook to help writers create compelling and psychologically-credible characters that come to life on the page. Drawing on the latest psychological theory and research, ranging from personality theory to evolutionary science, the book equips screenwriters and novelists with all the techniques they need to build complex, dimensional characters from the bottom up. Writers learn how to create rounded characters using the ''Big Five'' dimensions of personality and then are shown how these personality traits shape action, relationships and dialogue. Throughout The Science of Writing Characters, psychological theories and research are translated into handy practical tips, which are illustrated through examples of characters in action in well-known films, television series and novels, ranging from Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri and Game of Thrones to The Bonfire of the Vanities and The GolTrade ReviewFor every film-goer or TV viewer who has thought, "I could write a better script than this", Dr. Pelican shows them how to make their ideas real, attention-grabbing and above all truthful. The Science of Writing Characters is exactly the book we need now. * Paul Brett, Executive Producer of The King's Speech (2010) *Kira-Anne Pelican’s The Science of Writing Characters is a valuable tool to help screenwriter’s think consciously, objectively, and methodically about aspects of character that for most of us are unconscious, intuitive, and automatic. It provides a structured psychological approach to developing film characters, using engaging examples from both classic and contemporary films and TV shows, such as Gone With the Wind and Game of Thrones. Dr. Pelican explains complex psychological ideas very clearly, and her book would be useful for screenwriting students and screenwriters at every level, as well as for faculty who are specifically interested in applying psychological theory to the process of character development in screenwriting. * William Indick, Associate Professor of Psychology, William Paterson University, USA *Dr. Kira-Anne Pelican expands the scope and arena of the art and craft of screenwriting by delving more deeply into the psychology of characters. She is knowledgeable, insightful, clear, supportive of the writer, and welcomes the writer to embrace this method of deepening the craft. * Dr. Linda Seger, author of 10 books on screenwriting including Making a Good Script Great (3rd ed. 2010) *No one I know has blended science with creativity like Kira-Anne Pelican. Any writer who ignores her research and fails to heed her advice risks being left in the distribution wilderness. * Elliot Grove, Founder of Raindance and British Independent Film Awards *Good writing, as Kira-Anne Pelican notes, is the result of imagination, observation and instinct, an understanding of human behavior. Yet most writers fail. Early drafts are too often underdeveloped, as writing fast trumps writing deep. Pelican’s book is a salutary reminder to those for whom it does not come naturally: that complex characters are more engaging, that if successfully drawn they take the reader or viewer on a compelling and emotional journey. The Science of Writing Characters is not prescriptive but is an excellent guide to what you can do to help your imagination create powerful, memorable and emotionally engaging characters. * Julian Friedmann *The Science of Writing Characters is a godsend for those who wish to write cogent, exciting and distinctive screenplays. Most discussions of the craft focus on “plot points” and other such structural elements; comparatively few discuss character in any depth. Yet drama is at its essence an instrument with which a writer investigates the inner life of human beings, so this new book fills an important gap. Kira-Anne Pelican draws on extensive scientific research available and presents dimensions of personality (extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness to experience), providing their historical origins and examples of them in fictional characters — and providing insight that goes way beyond the standard Myers-Briggs diagram. She then breaks these down further into their various subtleties, belief systems, capacity for transformation, emotional arcs, mental illness, and the intriguing “dark” and “light” triads of personality. Ms. Pelican does not present any kind of formula for creating character; instead, her book is a mind-opening tool chest for further investigation into the nature of humanity, a process that for a good writer never ends. * Paul Gulino, author of Screenwriting (2013) and The Science of Screenwriting (2018) *The Science of Writing Characters is an artful bridge between science and craft, thorough in both areas, and imaginative and insightful in connecting the two. The book’s introduction invites you to use it as you need: as a guide, as a toolbox, or as an academic core text. But however you will end up using it, you will feel supported every step of the way. * Raindance *There is much here that is interesting and helpful, and all of it is thoroughly grounded in research. The book is essential for any writer ... It is a remarkably thorough tool kit for a writer aiming to explore the mysteries that lie within all of us, and explore those mysteries through the medium of drama. * The Journal of Screenwriting *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Dimensions of Character 3. How Personality Shapes Dialogue 4. Motivating Character 5. When, Why and How Characters Transform 6. The Emotional Journey 7. Secondary Characters 8. A Character Workshop Footnotes Glossary Filmography Bibliography Index
£22.79
Michael Wiese Productions The Coffee Break Screenwriter…Breaks the Rules: A
Book Synopsis
£10.79
Design Studio Press Cinematics Storyboard Workshop: Filmmaking
Book Synopsis
£12.59
The Crowood Press Ltd Screenwriting is Filmmaking: The Theory and
Book SynopsisTo write for the unique medium of the screen, you need to be as engaged with the theory and practice of film as you are with words. Screenwriting is Filmmaking provides a wealth of insights for new and experienced writers alike on the historical, theoretical and practical essentials of screenwriting. With clear analyses drawn from a wide range of classical and contemporary films, alongside case studies and practical exercises, this book encourages the development of craft skills and a personal voice through the writing of short and feature screenplays. You will learn how to develop your screenplay from idea to final draft; apply the techniques of narrative, structure and visual language; build rounded and convincing characters; craft compelling scenes through dialogue and sub-text and maintain a meaningful and lasting creative practice. Brian Dunnigan draws on over thirty years' experience of writing, teaching and making films, to provide a practical guide on how to become an effective screenwriter as well as giving a fascinating insight into visual storytelling and the place of the screenplay in the collaborative process of filmmaking.Trade ReviewIn the beginning was The Word. Brian Dunnigan has brilliantly encapsulated the profound dependency all filmmaking has on the ideas that arise from a well written screenplay. Screenwriting is Filmmaking is an invaluable resource for anyone facing the task of making a film. I cannot recommend it enough. -- Iain Smith, producer of Mad Max: Fury Road and Local HeroScreenwriting is Filmmaking is the book I have been looking for! Uniquely tracing the origins of screenwriting up to present day, it gives an unsurpassed context for contemporary film writing. Whether a skilled professional or aspiring student, you will find this an invaluable tool in developing your script writing skills and turning your ideas into a screenplay. -- Sandy Lieberson, former President of Production, 20th Century FoxOften a screenplay is thought of as an ends to a means. It is neither an image nor is it a piece of literature. Yet it is imperative to the success of a film. In Screenwriting is Filmmaking, Brian Dunnigan helps shed light on the symbiotic relationship between the two. Brian has a profound understanding of the craft, and his emphasis on story and character is essential reading for anyone wanting to uncover the beating heart of their own screenplay. -- Gonzalo Maza, Oscar-winning screenwriter of Fantastic Women.
£16.14
Bloomsbury Academic The Heart of Your Script
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£20.89
Oldcastle Books Ltd Writing for Television: Series, Serials and Soaps
Book SynopsisA no-nonsense, direct down-the-lens look at the television industry written from the point of view of a television drama producer who's been there, done it, fought some battles and won the odd award. Written in an engaging, anecdotal tone, Writing for Television provides advice on: Getting an agent The type of writer television's looking for The tool kit a television writer needs The writer /script editor relationship How to structure a storyline How to write good treatments and outlines Packed full of useful insights, links and information, the book includes interviews with successful television writers working today, pointers on how to work collaboratively in the industry and how to make good contacts with the people who can further your career.Trade ReviewYvonne delivers a practical, accessible, no-nonsense guide to the world of writing for popular TV -- Mal Young - Producer, writer and former BBC Controller of Drama SeriesA very comprehensive and informative book on TV script writing. Yvonne covers every conceivable point that will help writers wanting to break into writing for the small screen, whilst at the same time creating a very accessible read -- Tony McHale * Sanctuary Films *A great read and a great guide. Learn from Yvonne Grace who's done it, is still doing it and has now written the book -- Gail Renard * The Writers' Guild of Great Britain *offers valuable insight, sage advice and a wealth of information -- Dominic Carver - Screenwriter
£17.09
Oldcastle Books Ltd The Art of Script Editing: A Practical Guide
Book Synopsis'A clear, insightful and sensitive look at the work of script editors and screen writers' - Hossein Amini: writer of Drive and writer and director of The Two Faces of January The Art of Script Editing provides a comprehensive overview of this vital role, examining its responsibilities and functions during all stages of the development process, both in film and television. Detailing the nuts and bolts of the job, it looks at what's required and expected, how script editors assess a script, their approach to working with writers and producers, and their input during rewrites and pre-production, and up to a project's completion. It also examines the ways in which writers and producers can benefit from working with a professional script editor as they seek to refine and communicate their vision. The Art of Script Editing; A Practical Guide is a valuable resource for anyone developing a script no matter where they are in the process, for writers and producers interested in expanding their understanding of how a script is advanced, and for those pursuing a career in script development.Trade ReviewA clear, insightful and sensitive look at the work of script editors and screen writers -- Hossein Amini: writer of Drive and writer and director of The Two Faces of January
£17.09
Nick Hern Books The Writer's Toolkit: Exercises, Techniques and
Book SynopsisPerfect for playwrights and screenwriters of all levels of experience, The Writer's Toolkit will equip you with everything required to kickstart your creativity, develop your craft, and make your writing the very best that it can be. Written by an experienced playwright, screenwriter and producer, this essential book is packed with almost two hundred practical exercises, techniques and ideas for every part of your process, designed to be used either solo or in a group. It includes: Writing warm-ups to focus your mind and get your creative muscles in gear Dozens of exercises to strengthen fundamental elements of your writing such as developing characters, improving dialogue, layering in subtext, creating a strong setting and constructing a compelling plot Immersive-writing techniques to lift the world of your script off the page and allow you to shape it more effectively A blueprint for writing a ten-minute play – a great way to practise your craft, explore a new idea and add to your portfolio A Submission Surgery with exercises and pointers so you can review and fine-tune your completed work before sending it out 101 quick-fire writing prompts to help you warm up, take a break from your current project, or just keep you feeling productive Also included are mindful meditations to use at the beginning and end of your writing sessions, to help you relax, boost your productivity and maximise your creative output. Whatever you need as a writer – whether that’s to crack a problem in your current script, develop ideas for future projects, build up your skills and experience, or bust through writer’s block – this book will give you the right tools for the job. So get writing! 'A generous and inventive book, packed full of the creativity it is bound to inspire' Anna Jordan, playwright and screenwriter (Succession, Killing Eve, Yen) 'An enthusiastic, encouraging guide with endless tips to make every stage of the writing process not only doable but enjoyable too' Diane Samuels, playwright and author (Kindertransport)Trade Review'A goldmine, honest and down-to-earth… Kalburgi manages to achieve more than a theoretical manual on the art of scriptwriting; he invigorates his creatives, cheers them on, and urges them to dust off their notebooks and start scribbling, stirring his reader's imagination with well-calibrated pointers' * Broadway World *'An easy read… there are many themes that will be of value' * British Theatre Guide *'Very practical... a worthwhile book for anyone wanting to tackle a play or film script' * Ink Pellet *
£11.69
Workman Publishing You Talkin' to Me? : The Definitive Guide to
Book Synopsis"You Talkin' to Me?" is a fun, fascinating, and exhaustively reported look at all the iconic Hollywood movie quotes we know and love, from Casablanca to Dirty Harry and The Godfather to Mean Girls. Drawing on interviews, archival sleuthing, and behind-the-scenes details, the book examines the origins and deeper meanings of hundreds of film lines: how they've impacted, shaped, and reverberated through the culture, defined eras in Hollywood, and become cemented in the modern lexicon. Packed with film stills, sidebars, lists, and other fun detours throughout movie history, the book covers all genres and a diverse range of directors, writers, and audiences.
£15.29
Columbia University Press Learning to Kneel
Book SynopsisLearning to Kneel locates noh drama’s influence on American and European writers, dancers, and composers. Carrie J. Preston’s work has been profoundly shaped by her training in noh performance. While her subjects are often criticized for Orientalist tendencies, Preston’s own journey reflects a more nuanced understanding of cultural exchange.Trade ReviewWhat drew Western writers to an arcane, highly stylized form of Japanese court theater? As a scholar, Carrie J. Preston answers this question by way of the archive, unearthing a global network of dancers and writers. But she also pursues this question as a student, subjecting herself to the rigors of noh training. The result is an unusual blend of both approaches, a magisterial study in cultural history that is also a compelling story of teaching and learning. -- Martin Puchner, Harvard University Eloquently, movingly, and persuasively, Preston traces modernism's fascination with noh through European and Japanese histories of poetry, drama, and performance. She asks us to reflect on the project of cross-cultural learning, what it means to know another culture as well as what it means to know one's own. A tour de force of memoir and scholarship, at once entertaining and erudite, Learning to Kneel shows us why mistranslation, partial fluency, and failing to understand have been crucial to the transnational history of modernism. -- Rebecca Walkowitz, Rutgers University Kneel before this humbling account of submission and, at times, personal but never sentimental antidote to both easy celebrations of multiculturalism and easy critiques of cultural appropriation. Sitting with calm strength at the intersections of performance, pedagogy, and the politics of 'global modernism,' Preston successfully reinvents the modernist reinvention of noh as a timely, urgent topic by asking what it means to succeed or fail. Don't fail to read it. -- Christopher Bush, Northwestern University In Learning to Kneel, Preston tells the story not only of the influence of Japanese culture and noh theater on modernist writers from Yeats to Beckett but also of her personal experience as a neophyte practitioner of noh. Together, these narratives brilliantly reframe received ideas about cross-cultural aesthetic transformation, the relation of success and failure in art, and the tension between subversion and tradition that underlies any form of training or pedagogy. -- Scott Klein, Wake Forest UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction to Noh Lessons 1. Ezra Pound as Noh Student 2. Theater in the "Deep": W. B. Yeats's At the Hawk's Well 3. Ito Michio's Hawk Tours in Modern Dance and Theater 4. Pedagogical Intermission: A Lesson Plan for Bertolt Brecht's Revisions 5. Noh Circles in Twentieth-Century Japanese Performance 6. Trouble with Titles and Directors: Benjamin Britten and William Plomer's Curlew River and Samuel Beckett's Footfalls/Pas Coda Notes Glossary Bibliography Index
£22.50
Taylor & Francis Ltd Raindance Writers Lab Write Sell the Hot
Book SynopsisIf you''re looking for a straightforward, practical, no-nonsense guide to scriptwriting that will hold your hand right the way through the process, read on! The Raindance Writers'' Lab guides you through the tools that enable you to execute a strong treatment for a feature and be well on the way to the first draft of your script.Written by the creator of the Raindance Film Festival himself, Elliot Grove uses a hands-on approach to screenwriting based on his many years of experience teaching the subject for Raindance training. He uses step-by-step processes illustrated with diagrams and charts to lend a visual structure to the teaching. Techniques are related to real-life examples throughout, from low budget to blockbuster films.The Companion Website contains interviews with British writers and directors as well as a handy series of legal contracts, video clips and writing exercises.In this brand neTrade ReviewThis is an invaluable manual for the first-time screenwriter. A guide that takes in every aspect of the screenwriting process.--Ayub Khan-Din, Writer for East is EastAn authoritative guide full of wit and wisdom, through which Grove's personality shines.--Justin Bowyer, Total FilmTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 Seven Elements of Your Script; Chapter 3 Getting Your Ideas on to Paper; Chapter 4 Tale Assembly; Chapter 5 Characters; Chapter 6 Scene Writing; Chapter 7 Dialogue; Chapter 8 Writing for Short Films; Chapter 9 The Writer's Blueprint; Chapter 10 Marketing Your Script; Chapter 11 000 Monkeys – Copyright; Chapter 12 The Movie Game; Chapter 13 The Power File; Chapter 14 Pitching; Chapter 15 Eight–Line Letter; Chapter 16 The Deal; Chapter 17 The Life of a Screenwriter; Chapter 18 Script Format and Style Guide; Chapter 19 Troubleshooting Guide; Chapter 20 Three Golden Rules;
£32.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Final Rewrite
Book SynopsisThis book offers a unique perspective on crafting your screenplay from an editor's point-of-view. Special features include before and after examples from preproduction scripts to post production final cuts, giving screenwriters an opportunity to understand how their screenplay is visualized in post production.By the time a script reaches the editing room, it has passed through many hands and undergone many changes. The producer, production designer, director, cinematographer, and actor have all influenced the process before it gets to the editor's hands. Few scripts can withstand the careful scrutiny of the editing room. This book reveals how to develop a script that will retain its original vision and intent under the harsh light of the editing console. It provides insights that writers (as well as producers and directors) need and editors can provide for a safe journey from the printed page to the final release.This book is ideal for aspiring and early career screenwTrade Review"I have nothing but praise for John Rosenberg’s The Final Rewrite which presents an extraordinary view of the filmmaking process illustrating the key creative contributions of writers and editors. This book is a must for anyone teaching screenwriting or production in the importance ofcollaboration, and corrects the common belief that directors are the sole authors of their work."Eric N.Young, Professor and Production Chair, Chapman UniversityTable of Contents1. The Final Rewrite 2. Best Intentions and Excellent Fails 3. The Well of Coverage 4. The Scene and an Approach to Dailies 5. Another Approach 6. What Writers Know 7. What Editors Know 8. Tricks of the Editor’s Trade 9. The Essence of Time 10. The Filmic Moment 11. Aspects of Dialogue 12. Dialogue and Character Issues 13. When "Cut to" Isn’t Enough 14. Following the Line 15. Formula But Not Formulaic 16. The End is the Beginning 17. Hindsight is 20/20
£33.12
Oldcastle Books Ltd Writing and Selling Thriller Screenplays
Book SynopsisWriting and Selling Thriller Screenplays has the lowdown on how to get your thriller feature script on to the page, and how to get it in front of producers and investors....Trade ReviewTrust Lucy Hay on the film and TV business. In her trademark cut-to-the-chase style, she meticulously sets out what the public likes and the industry wants and crucially, concludes with invaluable in-depth career strategies for getting your scripts read and you into the industry. The go-to book on thrillers. Keep one on your desk -- Linda Aronson
£16.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing
Covering all of the major genres, The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing is a complete introductory manual for students of creative writing. Now in its second edition, the book features an updated and expanded chapter on writing for digital media, and new exercises for reading across the genres and writing hybrid forms. Through a structured series of practical writing exercises – perfect for the classroom, the writer’s workshop or as a starting point for a portfolio of work – the book builds the student writer from the first explorations of voice and the relationship between writing and knowledge, through to mastery of a wide range of genres and forms. The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing covers such genres as: · Autobiographical writing · Short fiction · Poetry · Screenwriting and writing for performance · Writing for digital media, including video games and social media With practical guidance on writing scholarly critiques of your own work and a glossary of terms for ease of reference, The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing is an essential manual for any introductory creative writing course and a practical companion for more advanced writers.
£21.84
Little, Brown Book Group How To Write For Television 7th Edition
Book SynopsisThis book provides professional tips and techniques for those wishing to break into writing for TV whether it''s a soap, series drama, or situation comedy. It covers all aspects of script writing such as structure, plotting, characterization and dialogue and is packed with advice on presenting and selling scripts. It also includes a chapter specifically on writing for radio.
£11.39
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Writing for Animation
Book SynopsisAnimation is one of the fastest growing mediums in the film and television world whether it's Frozen or Paw Patrol, Family Guy or Rick and Morty. This book is the definitive guide to storytelling for writers, directors, storyboard artists and animators. Suitable for both the student and the professional, it provides indispensable knowledge on the entire process of writing for animated movies, TV series and short films. The reader will be provided with all the tools necessary to produce professional quality scripts that will start, or further, their career in animation. Beginning with the fundamentals of why animation?' this book will lead the reader through a series of principles that will raise the level of their storytelling. These principles are tried and tested on a daily basis by the authors who have a twenty-year track record in the animation industry.Many people are trying to break into the world of writing for animation and a lot of the people who aTrade ReviewProvides indispensable knowledge on the entire process of writing for animated movies or TV series. * Writers' Forum *A thought-provoking insight into the nuances of animation script writing. Paul and Laura lay out the tools you’ll need to create a robust three act story with rich, engaging characters in an immersive world. Through case studies and exercises, stories are deconstructed, characters interrogated and the production and feedback processes demystified. * Chris Rose, Vice President for Animation Production and Development at Nickelodeon International *Table of Contents1. Let's Get Going! 2. All about Goals 3. The Three Act Structure 4. Emotion 5. Jeopardy 6. Creating Characters 7. Finding the Funny 8. Dialogue Workshop 9. Understanding your Technology 10. Directing on the Page 11. Specifics of Writing for Children 12. Writing for an Existing Show 13. Writing the Movie 14. Creating a Show that Works 15. Collaboration 16. The Pitch 17. Four Top Tips Bibliography Index
£999.99
BearManor Media The High-Concept Massacre: Genre Screenwriters Tell All! (hardback)
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£23.75
Bicep Books Writing Japanese Monsters: From the Files of The
Book Synopsis
£31.50
Save the Cat Press Save the Cat Strikes Back
Book SynopsisInspired by questions from workshops, lectures, and emails, Blake Snyder provides new tips and techniques to help screenwriters create stories that resonate.
£15.68
North Point Press Anatomy of Story
Book Synopsis"If you're ready to graduate from the boy-meets-girl league of screenwriting, meet John Truby . . . [his lessons inspire] epiphanies that make you see the contours of your psyche as sharply as your script."â??LA Weekly John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry, and his students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood's most successful films, including Sleepless in Seattle, Scream, and Shrek. The Anatomy of Story is his long-awaited first book, and it shares all his secrets for writing a compelling script. Based on the lessons in his award-winning class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative.
£17.00
Twelve Action: The Art of Excitement for Screen, Page,
Book SynopsisFrom the master of Story, Dialogue, and Character, ACTION offers writers the keys to propulsive storytelling. ACTION explores the ways that a modern-day writer can successfully tell an action story that not only stands apart, but wins the war on clichés. Teaming up with the former co-host of The Story Toolkit, Bassim El-Wakil, legendary story lecturer Robert McKee guides writers to award-winning originality by deconstructing the action genre, illuminating the challenges, and, more importantly, demonstrating how to master the demands of plot with surprising beats of innovation and ingenuity.Topics include: Understanding the Four Core Elements of Action Creating the Action Cast Hook, Hold, Pay Off: Design in Action The Action Macguffin Action Set Pieces The Sixteen Action Subgenres A must-add to the McKee storytelling library, ACTION illustrates the principles of narrative drive with precision and clarity by referencing the most popular action movies of our time including: Die Hard, The Star Wars Saga, Dark Knight, The Matrix, and Avengers: Endgame.
£20.69
Time Warner Trade Publishing The Hateful Eight
Book Synopsis
£13.88
Random House USA Inc Screenplay
Book Synopsis
£15.29
Focus Publishing/R Pullins & Co Sensory Writing for Stage and Screen: An
Book Synopsis
£18.89
