Screenwriting techniques Books

Book SynopsisIf there is one skill that separates the professional screenwriter from the amateur, it is the ability to rewrite successfully. From Jack Epps, Jr., the screenwriter of Top Gun, Dick Tracy, and The Secret of My Success, comes a comprehensive guide that explores the many layers of rewriting. In Screenwriting is Rewriting, Epps provides a practical and tested approach to organizing notes, creating a game plan, and executing a series of focused passes that address the story, character, theme, structure, and plot issues. Included are sample notes, game plans, and beat sheets from Epps’ work on films such as Sister Act and Turner and Hooch. Also featured are exclusive interviews with Academy Award® winning screenwriters Robert Towne (Chinatown) and Frank Pierson (Dog Day Afternoon), along with Academy Award® nominee Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich).Trade ReviewThe book is a great starting point that would teach aspiring screenwriters or students of creative writing how to go about starting, developing and rewriting their screenplays. * Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media *And just when we thought we didn't need another book about screenwriting along comes this one, which in short order makes itself a must-have. Jack Epps is a great writer, a master teacher, as smart about character as he is about structure. He's distilled this part of our craft to its essence, and by heeding his book's fine wisdom we will all of us become better rewriters—and better writers. * Howard A. Rodman, Screenwriter and President of the Writer’s Guild of America, We *Never in the history of Hollywood has a screenwriter heard the words: ‘It's perfect; don't change a thing.’ Even if someone were to say that, we know better and would change it anyway, and change it again, and again, and again. This book teaches the why and the how of rewriting and is written by a real, live, honest-to-God professional screenwriter who has successfully had many of his scripts made into movies. * Stephen Sommers, Writer and Director of The Jungle Book (1994), The Mummy (1999), and Van Helsing (2004) *An exemplary text on screenplay writing. Drawing from both his professional and academic experiences, Jack Epps, Jr. provides an excellent distillation of ideal screenwriting practice, creating an indispensable resource for both students and self-taught screenwriters. * David Dunn, Principal Teaching Fellow in Film Studies, University of Southampton, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction How To Use This Book Let’s Talk About Rewriting The Pass Method – Layer By Layer Movies You Need To See Part One: Foundations and Fundamentals Chapter 1 Notes – Receiving and Organizing Notes Chapter 2 Interpreting Notes – Reading Tea Leaves Chapter 3 Annotated Draft – Your Reference Guide Chapter 4 Game Plan – Creating a Road Map for the Rewrite Chapter 5 Character – Writing from the Inside Out Chapter 6 Foundation Pass – Strengthening the Core Chapter 7 Character Pass – The Emotional Core Chapter 8 The Set-Up – Establish – Complicate – Resolve Chapter 9 Story & Theme Pass – The Emotional Underpinning Chapter 10 Structure – What Stays In, What Goes Out, and In What Order Chapter 11 Structure Pass – Architecture and Design Chapter 12 Plot – How Will This Turn Out? Chapter 13 Plot Pass – Cause and Effect Chapter 14 Feedback on Your Interim Draft – Checking-In Part Two: Details and Layering Chapter 15 Opposition Characters – Sources of Conflict and Tension Chapter 16 Obstacles, Complications, Reveals, and Reversals – Complicate, Complicate, Complicate Chapter 17 Obstacles, Complications, Reveals, and Reversals Pass – Making Life Much More Difficult Chapter 18 Relationships – The Ties that Bind Chapter 19 Relationship Pass – Interconnecting Chapter 20 Dialogue – Rhythm and Flow Chapter 21 Scene Pass – Link and Connect Chapter 22 Consistency Pass – Motivated Actions Chapter 23 Polish Pass – Dialogue, Text, and Tightening Chapter 24 Sending Out Your Screenplay – Letting Go Chapter 25 Working with Directors, Producers, and Executives – Patience, Patience, Patience Part Three: Screenwriters on Rewriting Interview with Robert Towne Chinatown, The Firm, Mission Impossible II Interview with Frank Pierson Cool Hand Luke, Dog Day Afternoon, King Of The Gypsies Interview with Susannah Grant Pocahontas, Erin Brockovich, The Soloist Part Four: Examples Studio Script Notes Turner & Hooch Notes Sister Act Studio Notes and Game Plan Student Annotated Pages Suicide Girl by Ivy Pruss Student Script Notes & Game Plans Take Your Grandma To Work Day by David Ngo F@#% The Knot by Romi Barta Essential Three Act Questions Acknowledgements Quote Sources Index

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Book SynopsisRobert De Niro at Work is the first critical study to examine how Robert de Niro, perhaps the finest screen actor of his generation, works with screenplays to imagine, prepare and denote his performance. In categorising the various ways in which De Niro works with a screenplay, this book will re-examine the relationship between actor and text. This book considers the screenplay as above all a working document and a material object, present at every stage of the filmmaking process. The working screenplay goes through various iterations in development and exists in many versions on set, each adapted and personalised for the specific use of the individual and their role. As the archive reveals, nobody works more closely with the script than the actor, and no actor works more on a script than De Niro. Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Chapter One: Literature Review & overview of De Niro’s Career.- Chapter Two: Research and Exegesis.- Chapter Three: Notation.- Chapter Four: Preparation.- Chapter Five: The Writer’s Voice.- Chapter Six: Case Studies.- Chapter Seven: Actor as Writer.- Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisFrom the initial spark of inspiration to the delivery of a creative, but essentially commercial, series, From Creation to Pitch sets out to demystify the process of Television Series Drama Development for writers keen to get their voices heard and their stories read, discussed and viewed....

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Book SynopsisExplores the huge commercial success of contemporary superhero blockbusters and develops a critical theory of digital-era popular seriality

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Book SynopsisBeing There and the Evolution of a Screenplay provides an insightful look at the drafting of one of Hollywood history's greatest scripts. Being There (1979) is generally considered the final film in Hal Ashby's triumphant 1970s career, which included the likes of Harold and Maude (1971) and Shampoo (1975). The film also showcases Peter Sellers's last great performance. In 2005, the Writers Guild of America included Being There on its list of 101 Best Scripts.Being There and the Evolution of a Screenplay features three versions of the script: an early draft by Jerzy Kosinski, based on his 1970 novel; a second by long-time Ashby collaborator and Oscar-winner Robert C. Jones, which makes substantial changes to Kosinki's; and a final draft written by Jones with Ashby's assistance, which makes further structural and narrative changes. Additionally, the book features facsimile pages from one of Kosinski''s copy of the scripts that include handwrittenTrade ReviewIn this bold and ambitious work, Hunter demonstrates with great clarity the collaborative nature of the screenwriting process through an examination of one of the most celebrated screenplays of the 20th Century, Being There. Meticulously dissecting its scenes, analyzing its dialogue and showing how and why they evolved through the contribution of key creative agents over the course of several years, Being There and the Evolution of a Screenplay provides the reader with a rare opportunity to understand the creative process at the heart of Hollywood cinema. A must-read for screenwriting students! * Yannis Tzioumakis, co-editor of The Hollywood Renaissance (2018) *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Screenplay Introduction Being There draft by Jerzy Kosinski 3. Screenplay Introduction Being There first draft by Robert C. Jones 4. Screenplay Introduction Being There final draft by Robert C. Jones, with Hal Ashby 5. Appendix I: 'Walking on Water' Sequence Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisScreenplays ... How to Write and Sell Them is an accessible yet comprehensive book aimed at those with a keen interest in writing feature film screenplays. Using case studies, creative exercises and interviews from the industry, the book will guide readers through the necessary stages of writing a screenplay, from finding and developing ideas to creating and executing characters to shaping structure and constructing scenes. It will also consider how a screenplay might be sold, or used to raise interest in the writer, looking at areas such as finding and working with an agent, networking, using competitions, and raising private production funds. The book's approach is both creative and reflective, giving readers the opportunity to learn a wealth of creative skills alongside skills that will encourage them to think about themselves as writers and the work that they are developing. As such, the book will empower readers in their own creative processes and allow them to successfully tell the stories they want to tell. Rich with analyses from classic and contemporary films, littered with practical models, paradigms and creative tasks, and enhanced by the views of key industry figures, the book is a must for any aspiring feature film screenwriter.Trade ReviewEssential, indeed -- Robin Mukherjeeresults-oriented exercises, spot-on case studies, workable options and professional insight -- Kathie Fong Yoneda

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Book SynopsisToday, people can watch television shows, feature films, live sporting events, and just about anything they want on their computers, tablets or phones. As the new media marketplace continues to grow, so does demand for original content and opportunities for filmmakers. Online distributors - such as YouTube, Hulu, and Funny or Die - are interested in acquiring web series (episodic digital entertainment, like mini-TV shows) that attract audiences and appeal to advertisers. Web TV Series... How to Make and Market Them provides advice and expertise to help readers create their own original, successful online shows - projects that can be profitable, potentially developed into film or television properties, and help to start a career in the industry. Readers will learn how to develop characters and stories designed for new media platforms, and find tips for planning, shooting, and editing that are tailored specifically to web series production. This book also extensively covers the latest distribution platforms and social media marketing strategies, as well as examples of how to find financial sustainability through advertisers, branded content, and sponsorship partners. Web Series has all of the tools necessary for both aspiring and experienced filmmakers to make the most of this growing new medium.Trade ReviewDan Williams provides the background and information you need to start a Web TV series, whilst encouraging you to develop your own individuality and creative processes -- Leo White * Kamera Film Salon *This book encourages quality work, and does a quality job of instructing it * Write So Fluid *

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when 'happy ever after' isn't quite so simple? Today's attitudes to love and romance are as varied and diverse as individuals, and audiences want and need more sophisticated, authentic films that show how we live and love now. So what does this mean for the screenwriter developing a romcom? And how do they write heart-warming stories for a genre that is constantly evolving, from bromcom to zomcom to famcom? Writing and Selling Romantic Comedy Screenplays offers a fresh approach to creating narratives for this ever-changing genre. Moving away from rigid and limited definitions that have evolved out of mainstream genre films, the book embraces a working definition that crosses cultural and national boundaries to give screenwriters around the world a truly international perspective on writing comedic love stories. It will be the first screenwriting guide to reflect the diversity of approaches in today's films that deal with the human need for emotional and physical intimacy using humour - the contemporary romantic comedy. Features of the book include: Illuminating, challenging and provocative about the state of the rom-com genre. Why do some films feel so dated, while others are perennially relevant? Explores and defines all subgenres of romcom, such as zomcom, bromedy, soromcom and famcom. Uniquely draws on creativity, screenwriting genre theory and film industry practice. Stimulating creative exercises at the end of every chapter, and 'hot tips' throughout. Adaptable concepts that can be applied to both feature films and short films. Encourages screenwriters to define their own values about love to ensure their voice and message is original - and commercial. Case studies and analyses of produced screenplays, including Dostana, Due Date, I Give it a Year, I love You, Man, Midnight in Paris, Ruby Sparks, Tamara Drewe, Ted and Warm Bodies. Interviews with writers, directors and producers. Genuine international perspective. Indispensible guide for both the student and the professional writer or filmmaker.

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Book SynopsisThe Art of Screenplays is a working handbook for writers with stories to tell. Addressing the key issues of creativity and craft, its aim is to connect with our natural understanding of story, to demystify the screenwriter's art, and to enable fresh, original and authentic writing. Working on the central premise that drama reflects nature, and screenplays simply echo life as we know it, the areas Mukherjee discusses include: The Writer's eye. How to gather, ferment and communicate story. The art of action. Understanding structure through observation. Who am I? Exploring the levels of characters. Vertical structure. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Speak the speech. The art of not writing dialogue. Trade ReviewRM comes across as what he is: a screenwriter of real experience who has the confidence and knowledge of having worked extensively at the industry coal-face with a lot of really good credits in TV and feature films. Unlike many screenwriting books, he writes from a position of authority - and it shows -- Philip Shelley * Script Consultant *an insightful guide that prompts readers to think for themselves -- Dominic Carver * The Scriptwriter *'a really interesting mix of theoretical study and practical experience...Highly recommended for both beginners and experienced writers' * Write So Fluid *Brilliant and original...far and away the best writing guide I've read. It should become must reading for all of us, students and tutors alike -- Paul Bryers - award winning writer, filmmaker and producerone of the most beautifully written books about screenwriting that I've ever read * Scriptangel *

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Book SynopsisIt may be drama features that win the most awards and kudos from critics, but in the current marketplace you're unlikely to sell a drama screenplay in the way you would a genre script. Breaking down the nuts and bolts of what differentiates drama from genre, Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays will consider questions such as: What is 'emotional truth'? What separates stereotypical and authentic characters? What are the different types of drama feature screenplay? How do we make these films, when there's 'no money'? What are the distribution opportunities for dramas? Exploring the ways in which drama and authenticity work, it will empower screenwriters to make their own story and character choices, so they can write and also help to package, finance and even make their own drama features. Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays includes detailed case studies of produced dramas made on both shoestring and bigger budgets, and industry insights from their writers, directors and producers. It looks in-depth at Scottish BAFTA-winning Night People, the iconic coming out movie Beautiful Thing, the touching New Orleans drama Hours, starring the late Paul Walker, and the ambitious true story of Saving Mr Banks, based on the battle of wills between Mary Poppins author PL Travers and Walt Disney himself. It will also discuss films such as Brokeback Mountain, American Beauty, The King's Speech, Juno, Erin Brockovich, Changeling and Girl, Interrupted.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive and inviting introduction to the literary forms and cultural significance of Chinese drama as both text and performance. Each chapter offers an accessible overview and critical analysis of one or more plays—canonical as well as less frequently studied works—and their historical contexts.Trade ReviewAnother gem in Columbia’s How to Read Chinese Literature series. From comic obscenities to heartbreaking lyricism, the expressive language of Chinese drama runs the gamut, making it the hardest but most rewarding of all genres. Now we have the perfect guide for novices and experts alike. -- Judith Zeitlin, coeditor of The Voice as Something More: Essays Toward MaterialityA stunning achievement in the study of Chinese drama. This well-structured and concisely composed anthology provides students, scholars, and general readers a timely scholarly book which is at once accessible and comprehensive. Highly recommended for theater studies, traditional and modern cultural and literary studies, comparative drama, and global performance studies! -- Xiaomei Chen, author of Staging Chinese Revolution: Theater, Film, and the Afterlives of PropagandaTraditional Chinese theater is a different kind of theater that synthesizes a great variety of performance modes, making it both difficult and very rewarding to learn and to teach. Bringing together a wide variety of approaches and focuses, How to Read Chinese Drama is an outstanding achievement. -- David L. Rolston, author of Inscribing Jingju/Peking Opera: Textualization and Performance, Authorship and Censorship of the “National Drama” of China from the Late Qing to the PresentPerhaps the most helpful element in this excellent guide for students and scholars is its Thematic Contents list. By guiding the reader to related topics across its many descriptive and interpretive essays, it both demonstrates and provides access for understanding the richness and complexity of the Chinese theatrical tradition. -- Robert E. Hegel, cotranslator of A Couple of SolesTable of ContentsContentsThematic ContentsPreface to the How to Read Chinese Literature SeriesA Note on How to Use This AnthologyChronology of Historical EventsSymbols, Abbreviations, and Typographical UsageIntroduction: The Cultural Significance of Chinese DramaPatricia Sieber and Regina LlamasPart I: Yuan and Ming Dynasties: Zaju Plays1. The Story of the Western Wing: Tale, Ballad, and PlayWilt L. Idema1.1 Yuan Zhen’s (779–831) “The Tale of Oriole”1.2 Story of the Western Wing in All Keys and Modes: “The Tale of Oriole” in Narrative Ballads1.3 *The Story of the Western Wing: Student Zhang and Oriole on Stage1.4 Controversies in the Ming and Qing Dynasties2. Purple Clouds, Wrong Career, and Tiger Head Plaque: Jurchen Foreigners in Early DramaStephen H. West2.1 Approaches to the Foreign2.2 Wrong Career and Purple Cloud: Jurchen Performers in the World of Entertainment2.3 The Tiger Head Plaque: Jurchen Performers in Their Native Lands3. The Pavilion for Praying to the Moon and The Injustice to Dou E: The Innovation of the Female LeadPatricia Sieber3.1 Guan Hanqing (ca. 1220–after 1279), Zhulian xiu (fl. 1270–1300), and the Acting Culture of Yuan Zaju Theater3.2 The Pavilion for Praying to the Moon: The Moral Suasion of Situational Ethics3.3 The Injustice to Dou E: The Disruptive Power of Filial Remonstration4. The Story of the Western Wing: Theater and the Printed ImagePatricia Sieber and Gillian Yanzhuang Zhang4.1 Image-Making Between Self-Expression and Commerce4.2 *The Story of the Western Wing: The Deluxe Edition (1499)—an App for Singing4.3 The Story of the Western Wing: The Glossed Edition (c. 1609)—an App for Role-Playing4.4 The Story of the Western Wing: The Exclusive Edition (1639–1640)—an App for Virtual Reality5. The Orphan of Zhao: The Meaning of Loyalty and FilialityShih-pe Wang5.1 Historical Background5.2 The Orphan of Zhao: How the Yuan Zaju Play Dramatizes the Story5.3 *The Orphan of Zhao, Wedge: The Confrontation between Good and Evil5.4 *The Orphan of Zhao, Act 1: How the Orphan Was Smuggled Out5.5 The Orphan of Zhao, Act 2: To Die or to Live On5.6 The Orphan of Zhao, Act 3: A Play Performed for the Eyes of the Villain5.7 The Orphan of Zhao, Acts 4 (and 5): Truth and Revenge5.8 The Orphan of Zhao: Twenty-First-Century Adaptations6. The Female Mulan Joins the Army in Place of Her Father: Gender and PerformanceShiamin Kwa6.1 Xu Wei (1521–1593) and His Quartet of Ming Zaju Plays6.2 Mulan: The Two-Act Structure6.3 *Mulan: Changing Clothes6.4 Mulan: Gentle Men6.5 Mulan: Happily Ever AfterPart II: Ming Dynasty and Early Qing Dynasty: Nanxi and Chuanqi Plays7. Top Graduate Zhang Xie and The Lute: Scholar, Family, and StateRegina Llamas7.1 Top Graduate and The Lute: Background7.2 Top Graduate and The Lute: The Prologues7.3 Top Graduate and The Lute: The Ungrateful Scholar7.4 *The Lute: The Husk Wife7.5 *Top Graduate and The Lute: Language and Comedy8. The Southern Story of the Western Wing: Traditional Kunqu Composition, Interpretation, and PerformanceJoseph S. C. Lam8.1 Storied Kunqu and Its Traditional Practitioners8.2 A Historical Account of Li Rihua’s Southern Western Wing8.3 “Reading Li Rihua’s “Happy Time” and “Twelve Shades” as Kunqu8.4 Li Rihua’s Composition of “Happy Time” and the Reactions It Elicited8.5 Performing “Twelve Shades”9. The Peony Pavilion: Emotions, Dreams, and SpectatorshipLing Hon Lam9.1 Under the Weather9.2 *Waking to Dreams9.3 In the Face of a Page10. Green Peony and The Swallow’s Letter: Drama and PoliticsYing Zhang10.1 New Dramas and Old Interpretive Techniques10.2 A Dramatist’s Dilemma10.3 Wu Bing, Ruan Dacheng, and the Factional Struggles in a New Political Culture10.4 Weaponizing Drama10.5 The Suspect Author10.6 Evidence of Insinuation10.7 Spontaneity in Theater11. A Much Desired Match: Playwriting, Stagecraft, and EntrepreneurshipS. E. Kile11.1 Li Yu: A Very Theatrical Entrepreneur11.2 Leisure Notes: Toward a Coherent, Up-to-Date, and Accessible Theatrical Experience11.3 How to Read an Opening Scene11.4 Love, Art, and Theater in a World Full of Frauds12. Peach Blossom Fan and Palace of Everlasting Life: History, Romance, and PerformanceMengjun Li and Guo Yingde12.1 Kong Shangren and Hong Sheng: Chuanqi Plays as Alternative History12.2 Peach Blossom Fan: “Talk about Love is Simply Pointless”12.3 Palace of Everlasting Life: “With New Lyrics, (This Play) Is All about Love”12.4 Peach Blossom Fan and Palace of Everlasting Life: Music as the Language of Love12.5 Peach Blossom Fanand Palace of Everlasting Life: Performance as Political Remonstration12.6 Peach Blossom Fanand Palace of Everlasting Life: Performance as Mediated HistoryPart III: Mid–Qing Dynasty: Zaju and Chuanqi Plays13. Song of Dragon Well and Other Court Plays: Stage Directions, Spectacle, and PanegyricsTian Yuan Tan13.1 Contextualizing Wang Wenzhi’s Court Drama13.2 Wang Wenzhi’s Authorship of Court Drama13.3 Texts and Functions of Wang Wenzhi’s Court Drama13.4 In Praise of the Occasion and His Majesty: Functionalities of Court Plays13.5 Pageantry, Formulaic Sequences, and Visual Spectacles13.6 Engagement through Literary Elements14. The Eight-Court Pearl: Performance Scripts and Political CultureAndrea S. Goldman14.1 Eight-Court Pearl: The Script14.2 Suzhou School History Plays and Other Textual Antecedents14.3 Violence as the Solution14.4 Who Were the Disaffected?Part IV: Ming, Qing, and Modern Eras: Ritual Plays15. Mulian Rescues His Mother: Play Structure, Ritual, and SoundscapesSai-shing Yung15.1 The Iconography of Hell15.2 Zheng Zhizhen’s Mulian Rescues His Mother: Exhortation to Goodness15.3 Exhortation: Structure and Plot15.4 Mulian Plays and Sonic Force in Performance15.5 The Soundscape of Exorcism16. The Story of Hua Guan Suo: Chantefable and Ritual PlaysAnne E. McLaren16.1 Genres16.2 TheChantefable The Story of Hua Guan Suo: Regionality16.3 The Story of Hua Guan Suo: Central Themes16.4 Origins and Historical Development16.5 Authorship16.6 Performative Aspects16.7 The Story of Hua Guan Suo: Example of a Prelude16.8 Chantefables and Plays: The Oath of the Brotherhood16.9 The Story of Hua Guan Suo: An Example of “Ten Beats to a Line”16.10 A Play of Exorcism from Guichi (Anhui Province), Twentieth Century16.11 Guan Suo Plays in Xiaotun Village, Chengjiang (Yunnan Province), Twentieth Century16.12 Combat SequencesAcknowledgmentsContributorsVisual ResourcesGlossary-Index* Excerpts from those plays are also featured, accompanied by modern Chinese translation and extensive annotation, in Guo Yingde, Wenbo Chang, Patricia Sieber, and Xiaohui Zhang, eds., How to Read Chinese Drama in Chinese: A Language Companion. New York: Columbia University Press (under advance agreement).

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Book SynopsisA Couple of Soles is a classic comedic romance by the seventeenth-century playwright Li Yu. The first major comedy from late imperial China to appear in English translation, it provides an unparalleled view of the theater in seventeenth-century China.Trade Review[A] masterful translation. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *A Couple of Soles is an entertaining example of seventeenth century Chinese drama made quite accessible to English-reading audiences. Of both literary and historical interest, and offering quite enjoyable drama, comedy, and romance, it's well worth a look. * Complete Review *Li Yu ranks among China's finest wits, yet none of his ten comedies had been translated into English. This masterful yet accessible rendition of A Couple of Soles makes, at long last, Li Yu's comic genius and theatrical ingenuity visible to students, readers, theater practitioners, and drama scholars around the world. -- Patricia Sieber, The Ohio State UniversityA Couple of Soles displays to the Anglophone world the masterful craft of the Chinese dramatist Li Yu—worthy statesman of the theater, as he was called by admirers. Sustained by extensive commentaries, informative notes, and contemporary wood-block illustrations, this edition by Jing Shen and Robert E. Hegel exemplifies the very best of translation-in-research. An excellent addition to the Asian Classics library. -- Vibeke Børdahl, Copenhagen UniversityLi Yu and his work are critical to understanding Chinese theater of his day because he insisted on writing against established conventions and wrote the single most complete guide to playwriting before the end of the imperial period in China. We should all be very grateful to the translators for their effort and care in translating this fascinating example of chuanqi drama. -- David Rolston, University of MichiganThis brilliant book combines excellent scholarship about the innovative seventeenth-century dramatist Li Yu, noted for his unrestrained speech and behavior, with a wonderful translation of one of his comedies. Both translators have established reputations in the field of Chinese drama and literature, which this book will certainly enhance. -- Colin Mackerras, Griffith UniversityAn accessible new translation of an important comic work . . . This translation would be of interest to students of Sinophone studies, dramatic literature, comparative literature, and scholars of Asian performing arts. The play serves as a welcome new resource that could be used in courses on premodern Chinese dramatic literature, comparative literature, and Asian studies, as well as for theatre artists seeking inspiration. * Asian Theatre Journal *A bold and boisterous celebration of theatricality that challenges preconceptions about traditional Chinese theater today with the same panache that it overturned widespread prejudice against actors in the seventeenth century . . . [This translation] inaugurates a host of new possibilities for the study of Chinese theater in the university classroom and beyond, and, with its emphasis on performance, adds considerable diversity to the range of chuanqi available in translation. * Journal of the American Oriental Society *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsNote on the TranslationIntroduction, by Jing ShenDramatis Personae and Their Role CategoriesPreface, by Wang DuanshuScenesA Couple of SolesAppendix: The Playwright and His Art, by Jing ShenNotesBibliography

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Book SynopsisThis book is at once a guided primer on Chinese drama and an innovative textbook. A companion to How to Read Chinese Drama designed for Chinese-language learners, it provides a versatile introduction to traditional Chinese plays for readers who want to experience Chinese drama in the original language.Trade ReviewThis well designed coursebook will allow Chinese language instructors and students to approach advanced Chinese language learning through traditional drama. The selected plays are iconic and do a good job of introducing students to different types of drama, which unfortunately is currently rarely taught in classical Chinese courses. -- Emily Wilcox, coeditor of Corporeal Politics: Dancing East AsiaChinese theater synthesizes a great variety of performance modes rather than separating them out. This makes it both difficult and very rewarding to learn and to teach. Comprising a stellar group of scholars, How to Read Chinese Drama in Chinese is extraordinary scholarship of the highest quality that will benefit students greatly. -- David Rolston, author of Inscribing Jingju/Peking Opera: Textualization and Performance, Authorship and Censorship of the “National Drama” of China from the Late Qing to the PresentThe very first of its kind, this carefully crafted primer on classical Chinese drama offers a pleasant and informative reading of the best works of Chinese theater and helps the reader to appreciate the beauty and musicality of the original Chinese language. -- Ying Wang, cotranslator of The Fragrant Companions: A Play About Love Between WomenTable of ContentsPreface to the How to Read Chinese Literature SeriesA Note on How to Use This BookMajor Chinese DynastiesSymbols, Abbreviations, and Typographical UsagesYuan Zaju PlaysSong-Yuan Nanxi PlaysMing Zaju PlaysMing-Qing Chuanqi PlaysAbbreviations of Primary Texts Notes on Dramatic ConventionsList of Literary Issues DiscussedAcknowledgmentsEditors

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Book SynopsisCreative collaborations that gave Hitchcock his finest filmsTrade ReviewNominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America in the category of Best Critical/Biographical, 2012. "A gracefully conceived study of the role of the scriptwriter in three key works from Hitchcock's later career. Convincingly substantiating received wisdom about Hitchcock's working methods, Raubicheck and Srebnick enhance our understanding of collaborative authorship--a topic that is important not only for the study of Hitchcock but for the field as a whole."--Richard Allen, professor of cinema studies, New York University“This wonderful, sensible study should be devoured by film students of all ages. Highly recommended."--ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface The "Triptych" and the Screenplays; The Sources; From Treatment to Shooting Script; Final Drafts: The Shooting Script Afterword

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