Books

[slickster]

Hey all,

Over the last 6 months I have been doing a LOT of research on screenplay writing and have started (and stalled) on 8 different screenplays and have purchased 7 different books on the subject. I am new to screenplays, but not to story development. I found that character development books are particularly helpful in many situations including scene development and moving the story forward. I am waiting for "Save the Cat" by Blake Synder to arrive in the mail since it apparently is all the rave in screenplay and another one entitled "Story Structure Architect: A Writers Guide to building Dramatic Situations and Compelling Characters" by Victoria Lynn Schmidt.

Since "Save the Cat" is supposed to be the law in screenwriting, I was wondering what everyone thought of it and if you've derived any relevant material from it.

Thanks in advance

[Jeff_Shurtleff]

Re: Books

The short answer from me is read "Making a good script Great" by Linda Seger.

As a general rule, one minute of screen time should equal one page of writing.

Watch some high concept films that are around one hundred minutes while at the same time looking at a clock.

You''l see how each scene and page/minute falls where it should.

Could get into a lot more, but you know, it's Friday.

Jeff Shurtleff

[one seven spectrum]

Re: Books

Stop reading books and just write. Read produced screenplays.

You'll find otherwise, that you will be so overwhelmed with how these books tell you to do something that you'll constantly stall.

It happened to me when I began and found reading other screenplays and watching films helped most.

Beat sheets, structure guides etc; they are good for checking over your script once you've finished a draft but most of all - Have fun!

[Jeff_Shurtleff]

Re: Books

Beat sheets, structure guides etc; they are good for checking over your script once you've finished a draft but most of all - Have fun!

I just can't go along with this advice.

I wrote 8-9 screenplays the first five years of writing.

It wasn't until my ex manager told me to read the book I mentioned that I started to really see the film and it all became crystal clear.

Every scene should move you forward toward the climax. You have to know where you are going.

Don't waste five years.

Jeff Shurtleff

[KitchonaSteve]

Re: Save the Cat

Save the Cat is a fun read and offers a fresh view of the craft and process of screenwriting. I enjoyed reading it, but I found Snyder's Beat Sheet to be of limited value. It really seems designed for the high concept comedy. It can be useful to get the broad beats down when you are first working on a story, but be prepared to find the structure that your story(s) demand and not try to shoehorn your stories into an arbitrary structure.

STC offers some really good perspective on structure and screenwriting, especially when it comes to thinking about the middle of your script. Just take care not to elevate it to gospel.

[slickster]

Re: Books

Thanks all,

I have also been reading "Screenplay: Writing the Picture" by Robin Russin and William Missouri Downs. A great read and it sounds like it will be very similar to Save the Cat.

KitchonaSteve - interesting feedback on Synder's "Beat Sheet" - this is exactly my genre (high concept comedy) and this book may be very valuable to me. Thanks for the insight!

For now, I have pulled myself from writing the script and have been concentrating on scene cards for story development. I am finding that this method is spurring creative outlets and taking me in very interesting directions.

[Patrick Sweeney]

Re: Books

Save the Cat has a lot of good plot & structure advice. I also like Your Screenplay Sucks, by William Akers, for lots of hands-on practical writing advice. And The Screenwriter's Bible, by Dave Trottier, is essential for style & format questions.

None of them are "the law," though. Use the tips that work for you, ignore the ones that don't. Read screenplays to see how other people do it. In the end, you'll come up with your own way of doing things.

[Bono]

Re: Books

Love Save the Cat books... of course I read them after writing for years and reading every other book on the subject.

Always be skeptical and you never have to follow one way 100%. But when you start thinking in terms of Midpoint, All Is Lost that really does help focus you as you write.

Check out more info on Blake's site. Beat sheet is there --
http://www.blakesnyder.com/tools/

[Ronaldinho]

Re: Books

Over the last 6 months I have been doing a LOT of research on screenplay writing and have started (and stalled) on 8 different screenplays and have purchased 7 different books on the subject.

I suspect that reading screenwriting books isn't your problem. In fact, at a certain point, it becomes a crutch.

Finish a screenplay.

(I'm not a huge fan of "Save the Cat" - but a lot of people love it. Since you've already ordered it, however, what does it matter what we think?)

[Jeff_Shurtleff]

Re: Books

I suspect that reading screenwriting books isn't your problem. In fact, at a certain point, it becomes a crutch.

Finish a screenplay.

Great advice. Subconsciously, your mind will be at ease and say "We can do this."

Jeff Shurtleff

[NatachaVonBraun]

Re: Books

If starting a feature-length screenplay seems like a daunting task right now, try writing shorts with beginning, middles and ends. Start practicing cinematic, visual writing, story beats etc. Just start writing.

A really great book that teaches you the elements of dramatic writing is Lajos Egri's The Art of Dramatic Writing. That's all you need really. And Aristotle's Poetics of course.