How to Build a Great Screenplay: A Master Class in Storytelling for Film
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AlbakiReads Editorial A craft-centered guide to building screen stories
A craft-centered guide to building screen stories
David Howard approaches screenwriting as a series of deliberate creative choices rather than a fixed formula. The book breaks down the construction of a screenplay from foundational story work through characterization, arcs, plots and subplots, screen time, dramatic tension, and pivotal storytelling moments. It also considers contrasting approaches to screenplay structure and addresses practical challenges such as using coincidence in a plot. Examples drawn from film scripts—including Pulp Fiction, American Beauty, Trainspotting, North by Northwest, and Chinatown—anchor the discussion in established screen storytelling. With its emphasis on the mechanics behind narrative decisions, the guide presents screenwriting as an adaptable craft for film and television.
Good fit for readers who enjoy
- Aspiring screenwriters seeking a broad guide to screenplay construction
- Film and television writers interested in characterization, structure, and plotting
- Students who value craft lessons illustrated with well-known films
Themes
Screenwriting craftStory structureCharacterizationPlotting and subplotsDrama and tension
Based on publisher information and book metadata.
Book Overview How to Bulid a Great Screenplay is a definitive guide on the mechanics of screenwriting--filled with examples--from the author of The Too...
How to Bulid a Great Screenplay is a definitive guide on the mechanics of screenwriting--filled with examples--from the author of The Tools of Screenwriting.
Acclaimed USC screenwriting teacher David Howard has guided hundreds of students to careers in writing for film and television. Drawing on decades of practical experience and savvy, How to Build a Great Screenplay deconstructs the craft of screenwriting and carefully reveals how to build a good story from the ground up. Howard eschews the "system" offered by other books, emphasizing that a great screenplay requires dozens of unique decisions by the author. He offers in-depth considerations of:
* characterization
* story arc
* plotting and subplotting
* dealing with coincidence in story plotting
* classical vs. revolutionary screenplay structure
* tone, style, and atmosphere
* the use of time on screen
* the creation of drama and tension
* crucial moments in storytelling
Throughout the book, Howard clarifies his lessons through examples from some of the most successful Hollywood and international script-oriented films, including Pulp Fiction, American Beauty, Trainspotting, North by Northwest, Chinatown, and others. The end result is what could very well become the classic text in the field---a bible for the burgeoning screenwriter.
Book Details Format: Paperback | Pages: 464 | Language: English | Publisher: ST MARTINS PR 3PL | ISBN: 031235262X
FormatPaperback
Pages464
LanguageEnglish
ISBN031235262X
EAN9780312352622
PublisherST MARTINS PR 3PL
Publication Date2006-01-24
EditionFirst Edition
AccessoriesNo Accessory
ConditionNew
Product TypeQUALITY PAPERBACK BOOKS
Weight1.25 Pounds
Length8.4 Inches
Width5.5 Inches
Height1.0 Inches
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