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Paperback Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting Book

ISBN: 0440576474

ISBN13: 9780440576471

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting

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Format: Paperback

Condition: Good

$4.79
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Book Overview

Hollywood's script guru teaches you how to write a screenplay in "the 'bible' of screenwriting" (The New York Times)--now celebrating over forty years of screenwriting success Syd Field's books on the essential structure of emotionally satisfying screenplays have ignited lucrative careers in film and television since 1979. In this revised edition of his premiere guide, the underpinnings of successful onscreen narratives are revealed in clear and encouraging language that will remain wise and practical as long as audiences watch stories unfold visually--from hand-held devices to IMAX to virtual reality . . . and whatever comes next. As the first person to articulate common structural elements unique to successful movies, celebrated producer, lecturer, teacher and bestselling author Syd Field has gifted us a classic text. From concept to character, from opening scene to finished script, here are fundamental guidelines to help all screenwriters--novices and Oscar-winners--hone their craft and sell their work. In Screenplay, Syd Field can help you discover: - Why the first ten pages of every script are crucial to keeping professional readers' interest- How to visually "grab" these influential readers from page one, word one - Why structure and character are the basic components of all narrative screenplays- How to adapt a novel, a play, or an article into a saleable script- Tips on protecting your work--three ways to establish legal ownership of screenplays- Vital insights on writing authentic dialogue, crafting memorable characters, building strong yet flexible storylines (form, not formula), overcoming writer's block, and much more Syd Field is revered as the original master of screenplay story structure, and this guide continues to be the industry's gold standard for learning the foundations of screenwriting. This description may be from another edition of this product.

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Customer Reviews

9 customer ratings | 7 reviews

Rated 5 stars
Finally reading this. Wish I had sooner.

This book is a fabulous little guide to everything you might want in a screenwriting guide. Not only that, but it works for other styles of writing, too. Especially novels.

1Report

Rated 5 stars
Great introduction to screenwriting.

I’m still reading because I’m practicing step by step with reading a chapter and doing the exercise while trying to finish my screenplay. I LOVE the exercises and the film suggestions and examples to watch and study. I’ve study the movie Annie Hall and Dog Day Afternoon as suggested in the book. I cant wait to finish the book as well as my screenplay

2Report

Rated 5 stars
This is it for structure

This a great book for any writer. I picked it off a bookstore shelf back in 1980 and it changed my life. Suddenly I knew about structure. It told me what I needed to know. It was the key that opened the door to understanding, not just movies, but books, stories, essays and now I write my speeches based on the same structural moments. I look at movies and follow the structure and I know a good from a bad speaker depending on...

6Report

Rated 5 stars
A most worthy contribution to the craft

Reading reader reviews of books on writing for the screen is about like reading reviews of movies: There's a lot of disagreement between the eyes of beholders. I sometimes think I should ask the reviewers at Mr. Showbiz what I should get high on before going to see what they consider a masterpiece."Screenplay" was sent to me by a movie producer who asked me to write a screenplay for a book I wrote. When I lamented that...

5Report

Rated 5 stars
No wonder this book is considered the classic

No wonder the New York Times calls this book "the classic," and why it's referred to as the "Bible" of the film industry. I read this book many years ago, and I thought it was very good, then I put it away. When somebody asked to borrow it, I loaned it to them, and never got it back. When I started thinking about writing a screenplay, the first thing I did was look for this book. I didn't remember who I loaned it to, so...

4Report

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