Screenwriting
Writing Movies for Fun and Profit
Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon
Possibly the most practical book on screenwriting ever written, and definitely the funniest. The co-writers of Night at The Museum and other hits (and flops) share insider secrets of how writers function within the Hollywood studio system, and teach everything you need to know to be a succesful (and wealthy) Hollywood writer. Hardcover, 320 pp. $29.99.
Writing Subtext
Dr. Linda Seger
A book that not only knows the power of subtext but shows you how to use it to strengthen and deepen your screenwriting. Softcover, 163 pp. $19.95.
Memo From the Story Dept.
Christopher Vogler & David McKenna
Picking up where his immensely successful The Writer's Journey left off, Christopher Vogler has produced an authoritative guide for screenwriters in the art of structure and character development. Softcover, 254 pp. $29.95.
Riding The Alligator
Pen Densham
Rather than offering up yet another "how-to" book on screenwriting, Oscar-nominated Pen Densham instead delivers an inspiring, motivational and infinitely helpful guide to finding one's inner artistic voice, overcoming self-doubt, and dealing with challenges of living life as a writer. Softcover, 248 pp. $27.95.
Story Line
Jen Grisanti
This tremendously original approach to scriptwriting guides both aspiring and established writers through a process of mining one's own life experiences to enhance the authenticity and emotional depth of fiction. Softcover, 226 pp. $29.95.
The Art of Storytelling for Dramatic Screenplays
Jack W. McAdam
An expert screenwriter shares his craft and tricks of the trade with an emphasis on dramatic structure, character driven plots and, most importantly, the art of telling a story. Softcover, 222 pp. $26.95.
Creative Screenwriting
Christina Kallas
Focusing on emotional structure, Creative Screenwriting sets out a genuinely original and creative approach to writing for the screen. Structured like a screenplay, the book moves through the pre-credit sequence to the epilogue, interweaving theory, practice, and case studies. Softcover, 240 pp. $30.00.
The Woman in the Story
Helen Jacey
Venturing where other screenwriting guides fear to tread, The Woman in the Story provides screenwriters and storytellers with a groundbreaking creative paradigm for the creation of memorable female characters. Softcover, 211 pp. $32.95.
Essentials of Screenwriting
Richard Walter
If you're fortunate enough to win a seat in Professor Richard Walter's legendary class at UCLA film school, you can be confidant that your career has just taken a quantum leap. He knows what it takes to write a script that sells -- from idea to polished draft to lucrative studio deal. In this updated edition, Walter integrates his highly coveted lessons and screenwriting principles from his two previous books, and includes new advice on how to turn your ideas into great movie or tv scripts. Softcover, 376 pp. $20.00.
The Coffee Break Screenwriter
Pilar Alessandra
You do have time to write your screenplay! Leading Hollywood screenwriting instructor Pilar Alessandro shows you how to write a screenplay without quitting your job or leaving your family. Packed with more than sixty ten-minute writing tools, The Coffee Break Screenwriter keeps it focused and simple. Writers -- from novice to professional -- benefit at every stage of the writing process with this relaxed, "ten minutes at a time" method. Softcover, 264 pp. $29.95.
Reflections of the Shadow
Jeffrey Hirschberg
What do all classic films have in common? Compelling stories driven by brilliant characters -- both good and bad. This powerful book will show you how to write a great screenplay, teleplay, or novel by helping you create one-of-a-kind heroes and villains that audiences will never forget. Softcover, 261 pp. $33.95.
The Virgin's Promise
Kim Hudson
In storytelling, the Virgin and the Hero have a yin and yang relationship as they journey to embrace their power as individuals. This unique book demystifies the complexities of archetypes and clearly outlines the steps of a Virgin's Journey to realize her dream. Screenwriters who put this practical guide to use will be able to enrich their writing with this provocative new theory. Softcover, 192 pp. $23.95.
Basic Filmmaking: Screenwriting
Robert Edgar-Hunt, John Marland & James Richards
This book explores existing movies to illustrate key concepts and contains exercises designed to test and build on the reader's understanding of screenwriting. The text includes drafts of a short screenplay written for the book; taking the reader through the complete process from formulating the initial draft to preparing film pitches. Softcover, 207 pp. $35.95.
Crafting Short Screenplays that Connect
Third Edition
Claudia Hunter Johnson
Learn to write compelling screenplays that connect with your viewer's emotions using the techniques and guidance found in this book. It introduces the crucial element of "human connection" to the screenwriting and story creation process for short films, increasing your ability to write richer, more resonant screenplays that will touch audiences. Softcover, 321 pp. $35.95.
Writing and Script: A Very Short Introduction
Andrew Robinson
Without writing, there would be no recording, no history, no science, and of course, no books, newspapers or emails. But when, where and how did it start? And how do we decipher forgotten scripts? Softcover, 157 pp. $11.95.
The Hollywood Standard
Second Edition
Christopher Riley
This is the definitive guide to professional script formats, written by Hollywood's foremost authority. Inside you will learn how to use format to communicate your ideas clearly and powerfully, as well as how to eliminate common mistakes so your script looks professional. This new edition has been considerably expanded and updated. Softcover, $29.95.
Screen Plays
David S. Cohen
Every green-lighted screenplay travels a long and harrowing road from idea to script to celluloid. In this fascinating survey of contemporary film craft, David Cohen of Script and Variety magazines interviews screenwriters from across the board--Oscar winners and novices alike--to explore what sets blockbuster successes apart from downright disasters. Softcover, 342 pp. $19.99.
Genre Screenwriting: How to Write Popular Screenplays That Sell
Stephen V. Duncan
This pragmatic guide does not attempt to probe the deepest psyche of screenwriters and directors of famous or seminal films, nor does it attempt to analyze the deep theoretic machinations of films. Rather, its simple goal is to give the reader, the screenwriter, a practical guide to writing each popular film genre. Employing methods as diverse as using fairy tales to illustrate the "how to" process for each popular genre, and discussing these popular genres in modern television and its relation to its big screen counterpart, Steven V. Duncan provides a one-stop shop for novices and professionals alike. Softcover, 203 pp. $20.95.
The Soul of Screenwriting
Keith Cunningham
In The Soul of Screenwriting, Keith Cunningham distills the wisdom of more than twenty years of his screenwriting and story development seminars. Starting from within the writer's creative experience, he asks two crucial and often overlooked questions: How do we get to the core of our story? And how do we balance our concern for the finished product with our own creative process? Softcover, 477 pp. $32.95.
Gardner's Guide to Screenplay: The Rewrite
Julie Selbo
Gardner's Guide to Screenplay: The Rewrite is the quintessential guide for screenwriters looking to make their first draft screenplay that is ready to send to producers or agents - or to go before the camera. This book offers step-by-step guidance on how to illuminate characters more fully, focus the story and bring out the theme in the rewriting process. This must-have companion to Julie Selbo's first book is for screenwriters serious about getting their film story produced. Softcover, 304 pp. $38.95.
Romancing the A-List: Writing the Script the Big Stars Want to Make
Christopher Keane
Savvy writers know that the secret to selling your script is to write sommething that the bankable actors will want to make. Romancing the A-List focuses the screenwriter's attention on the only sure way of getting a movie made - the A-List actor. Softcover, 217 pp. $22.95.
Understanding Screenwriting
Tom Stempel
Feisty, clever, entertaining, and full of insight for novice and expert screenwriters alike, Understanding Screenwriting is the perfect book for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of how screenplays work. Softcover, 230 pp. $24.95.
The Anatomy of Story
John Truby
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. The Anatomy of Story is his long-awaited forst book, and in it he shares all his secrets for writing a compelling script. The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of concepts and archetypes from philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative. Hardcover, 445 pp. $33.00.
45 Master Characters
Victoria Lynn Schmidt
45 Master Characters will make your characters and their stories more compelling, complex and original than ever before. You'll explore the most common male and female archetypes - the mythic cross-cultural models from which all characters originate - and learn how to use them as foundations for your own unique characters. Softcover, 298 pp. $16.50.
The Screenwriting Formula
Rob Tobin
The Screenwriting Formula is not just about how to write a killer screenplay - it also explains the structure that movie executives are looking for, as well as how ro transform an idea into a fully-loaded script, packed with action and ready to go. With The Screenwriting Formula, you have eveything you need to take you from idea to the big screen. Softcover, 202 pp. $16.50.
Emotional Structure: A Guide for Screenwriters
Peter Dunne
Emotional Structure, by Emmy and peabody Award-winning producer, writer, and teacher Peter Dunne, is for those times when the plot fits nicely into place like pieces in a puzzle, yet an elemental, terribly important something remains missing. Scene after scene, Dunne's guide shows you how to develop the dramatic equilibrium of incident and response, of intellect and emotion that will turn your screenplay's problems into its power. Softcover, 405 pp. $19.95.
Fast, Cheap & Written That Way
John Gaspard
This book bursts open the thinking behind 23 very successful low-budget movies and shares techniques for making a little go a long way. It includes in-depth interviews with screenwriters with such credits as Academy Award-nominated films as You Can Count on Me, Metropolitan, and Capote. Softcover, 304 pp. $32.95.
Gardner's Guide to Screenplay: From Idea to Successful Script
Jule Selbo
The most practical and inspiring book for the beginning and experienced screenwriter. Featuring the Eleven Step Story Structure, this system is hailed as the gold standard for understanding film story through character. Full of examples and excercises and story breakdowns of major motion pictures, this book will stimulate your creativity. Softcover, 332 pp. $38.95.
How to Write a Screenplay
Mark Evan Schwartz
This book is the first screenwriting manual written in the form of a screenplay, about an aspiring screenwriter named Danny who'll go through extreme lengths and mysterious places to be able to write a brilliant screenplay to win the heart of Bebe, the girl he is hopelessly in love with. The book also includes a foreward explaining how to get the most out of the screenplay, the log line, the synopsis, character bios, the treatment and "The Pitch"-- an important scene showing the author pitching his screenplay to a big-shot producer. Softcover, 110 pp. $19.95.
The Scene Book: A Primer For the Fiction Writer
Sandra Scofield
The Scene Book is a guide to crafting more effective scenes in fiction. In clear, simple language, award-winning author Sandra Scofield shows both the beginning and the seasoned writer how to build better scenes, the underpinning of any good narrative. Softcover, 247 pp. $17.50.
Screenwriting for Teens: The 100 Principles of Screenwriting Every Budding
Writer Must Know
Christina Hamlett
This book gives teens -- who go to movies more than any age group in the
world -- the tools to do more than just watch those movies; it gives
them the tools to write their own films. Targeted to the interests
and vocabularies of junior high school students, each chapter defines
a concept, illustrates it with examples of current and/or classic films,
and challenges its readers with creative writing, analytical, and discussion
exercises. Softcver, 228 pp. $25.95.
Crafting
Short Screenplays That Connect
Second Edition
Claudia Hunter Johnson
The beauty and power of any story lies in its ability to connect with its
audience. Crafting Short Screenplays That Connect is the first screenwriting
guide to introduce connection as an essential aspect of creating stories
for the screen and of the screenwriting process itself. Written with
clarity and humour, this book teaches the craft of writing short screenplays
by
guiding beginning writers through carefully focused exercises. Softcover,
$37.95.
Real
Screenwriting: Strategies and Stories from the Trenches
Ron Suppa
Real Screenwriting provides the real deal on the art, craft, business, and
everyday life of a screenwriter. Written by a former entertainment lawyer
turned successful Hollywood film producer and produced screenwriter,
and gleaned from the author's popular screenwriting seminars at UCLA
Extension school, this book provides aspiring writers with the inspiration
and
tools
they need to get their stories on the page, and eventually onto the screen.
Softcover, 409 pp. $31.95.
How
to Be Your Own Script Doctor
Jennifer Kenning
How to Be Your Own Script Doctor is the first book to
teach screenwriters of all levels how to professionally evaluate and amend
their script the same way as a professional. It's a focused, analytical
tool dedicated solely to the rewriting process of a screenplay - and an
inexpensive alternative to hiring a professional. Softcover, 164 pp. $18.95.
How
to Build a Great Screenplay: A Master Class in Storytelling for
Film
David Howard
Drawing on decades of practical experience and savvy, David Howard deconstructs
the craft of screenwriting and carefully reveals how to build a good
story from the ground up. He eschews the "system" offered by other
books, emphasizing that a great screenplay requires dozens of unique
decisions by the author. Using examples from classic films such as Pulp
Fiction,
American
Beauty, Trainspotting, North by Northwest, Chinatown, and others, this
is a veritable bible for the burgeoning screenwriter. Softcover, 446
pp. $19.95.
Writing
the Character-Centered Screenplay
Andrew Horton
Since it first appeared in 1994, Writing the Character-Centered
Screenplay has become a "must read" for screenwriters
everywhere and turned many a novice into a professional screenwriter. In
this expanded
edition, Horton surveys the New Hollywood while always emphasizing
the one element
of a film that truly holds our interest -- character. Softcover, 237
pp. $23.95.
The
Death and Life of Drama: Reflections on Writing and Human Nature
Lance Lee
Using examples from both well-known classics and recent films, Lance Lee
investigates how writers handle dramatic elements such as time, emotion,
morality, and character growth to demonstrate why some films work while
others do not. The Death and Life of Drama offers a rich understanding
of the principles of successful dramatic writing for screenwriters and
indeed everyone who enjoys movies and wants to know why some films have
such
enduring
appeal for so many people. Softcover, 258 pp. $27.95.
The
Way of the Screenwriter
Ammon Buchbinder
This is much more than a "how-to" manual; it illuminates the
why behind the how, treating screenwriting as the convergence of
storytelling, writing and filmmaking. Full of useful contemporary
examples, this is a
book that will powerfully enhance the practical skills of beginning
and experienced screenwriters alike. For anyone who loves movies, The Way of
the Screenwriter reveals a rarely seen view into the heart of the
world's pre-eminent storytelling medium.
Softcover, 283 pp. $24.95.
Writing
Short Films
Second Edition
Linda Cowgill
Making short films is the best training ground for any aspiring filmmaker.
In today's Hollywood, it is far easier to get an agent, producer or studio
mogul to view a short film than it is to read a feature length screenplay.
Using several popular examples, this book takes the reader through each
and every step necessary to write a successful short screenplay. Softcover,
256 pp. $21.95.
Creating
Characters
Marisa D'Vari
Jumpstart your creativity with this captivating and powerful set of writing
techniques to craft exciting characters who shock, surprise, and
fascinate. Creating Characters introduces a new system of characterization
that gives
you the power to capture the personality traits of each character
-- their mental fixations, unconscious thoughts, and defense mechanisms
-- to write
deeper, more authentic characters.
Softcover, 233 pp. $35.95.
Save
the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
Blake Snyder
He's made millions of dollars selling screenplays. Now one of Hollywood's
most successful spec screenwriters tells all in this fast funny,
and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is
just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable
and your script
more satisfying -- and saleable. This ultimate insider's guide reveals
the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's
proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat. Softcover,
195 pp. $29.95.
Screenwriters'
Masterclass
Kevin Conroy Scott
The secret of writing a successful screenplay is sought after by
ever-growing numbers of scribes and enthusiasts. Screenwriters'
Masterclass offers state-of-the-art
advice in that line, through interviews with nineteen of the leading
scriptwriters of our day whose insights are invaluable to any aspirant.
Interviewees
include: Ted Tally, Chris Weitz, Wes Anderson, Darren Aronofsky,
Alex Garland, Alexander Payne, Scott Frank, and David O. Russell.
Softcover, 391 pp. $34.50.
Ten
Minutes to the Pitch
Chris Abbott
Countless late nights at the computer and untold amounts of blood,
sweat and tears have gone into your screenplay, but now that it's done,
what do you do with it? Your next step in "the Pitch", but unless
you possess the skills and know-how, your brilliant script will never
progress beyond the printed word. Ten Minutes to the Pitch is a priceless
resource,
jam-packed with essential information that you are going to need
to know before you pitch your idea.
Softcover, 120 pp. $15.95.
Psychology
for Screenwriters: Building Conflict in Your Script
William Indick
To make their stories come alive, screenwriters must understand
human behaviour. Using this book, writers can make Sigmund Freud, Carl
Jung, Alfred Adler, Erik Erikson, and Joseph Campbell their writing
partners. Psychology for Screenwriters helps scribes craft psychologically
resonant characters and conflict. You'll learn to create convincing
motivation, believable identity development, and archetypes that produce
authentic screen moments. Softcover, $37.95.
The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Screenwriting
Third Edition
Skip Press
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Screenwriting will shine the spotlight on the creative and buisness aspects of the trade and help you get your script from the computer screen to the silver screen. In this revised and updated Complete Idiots Guide, you get a step-by-step walkthrough of the screenwriting process: picking a winning idea, structuring and writing a script, and packaging a final draft for sale. Also includes tips on writing for television. Softcover, 378 pp. $24.00.
Screenwriting:
The Sequencing Approach
Paul Joseph Gulino
Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach explores an often over-looked tool that
can be key in solving the problem of sustaining audience involvement. The Sequence
Approach has its foundation in early Hollywood cinema and has been rediscovered
and used effectively at an increasing number of film schools. This concise, fascinating
book exposes a wider audience to the approach for the first time, introducing
the concept and then providing Sequence analysis of eleven significant feature
films
made between 1940-2001. Softcover, 230 pp. $21.95.
Screenplay:
Writing the Picture
Robin U. Russin & William Missouri Downs
This is a complete screenwriting course that provides in-depth discussions of
theme, development, story research, script plotting and structuring, character
development, methods that aid the actual writing and rewriting processes, the
ins and outs of marketing and pitching scripts, and much more. Softcover, 438
pp. $34.95.
From
Script to Screen
Linda Seger & Edward J. Whetmore
In interviews with over 70 of the top professionals in the film
industry, Seger and Whetmore examine each artist's role in making a
great script a great film. Along the way, you will meet the industry's
leading writer's, directors, producers, actors, editors, composers,
and others behind the scenes, each of whom offer their input into the
collaborative art of filmmaking, vis a vis screenwriting. Softcover,
232
pp. $27.95.
Writing the Comedy Film
Stuart Voytilla/Scott Petri
This book takes you into the world of comedy, and helps you discover
the essential elements in writing for comedy. Using concise examples
from the masters of the trade
-- from Preston Sturges to the Farrelly Brothers -- Voytilla and
Petri show you how to apply the time-proven "tenets of laughter" to
your comedy screenplay. Softcover 213 pp. $20.95.
Writing
Treatments That Sell
Second Edition
Kenneth Atchity and Chi Li Wong
Using dozens of examples from actual productions, Writing Treatments That
Sell provides step-by-step instructions for preparing dynamite treatments for
both film and television. Revised and expanded, this guide to writing treatments
is an essential component to laying the foundation of a successful career in screenwriting.
Softcover, 257 pp. $19.00.
Crafty
Screenwriting
Writing Movies That Get Made
Alex Epstein
Seasoned Development Executive, Alex Epstein shows the reader how
to write a script that will make a producer think, "This is a movie!" Fresh,
provocative, and funny, this book answers questions other books don't even
ask and cheerfully
slaughters the sacred cows of how-to screenwriting. Softcover, 274
pp., $18.00.
Raindance Writers' Lab: Write and Sell the Hot Screenplay
Second Edition
Elliot Grove
In this practical guide to screenwriting, the reader will learn everything from the
basics of developing an idea, to making that all important sale. The included CD-ROM
contains interviews with screenwriters, sample screenplays, writing exercises and
much more. Softcover, 239 pp. $42.95.
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