Special Offers see all
More at Powell'sRecently Viewed clear list
Guests | May 6, 2013
1 comment
|
 
$10.50
List price:
Used Trade Paper
Ships in 1 to 3 days
More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionsHow to Build a Great Screenplay: A Master Class in Storytelling for Filmby David Howard
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments: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. David Howard is the founding director of the graduate screenwriting program at USC, where he teaches various courses in screenwriting. His students have scripted such successful films as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Air Force One, Permanent Midnight, and Natural Born Killers. The co-author (with Edward Mabley) of The Tools of Screenwriting, Howard lives in Los Angeles. 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, in How to Build a Great Screenplay 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. Howard also 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; and crucial moments in storytelling. Throughout this readable and immediately accessible guide, 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 an indispensable text—a bible for the burgeoning screenwriter. "David Howard's How to Build a Great Screenplay is a rarity—not merely a 'how-to' guide, but the most comprehensive and thoughtful examination of storytelling, and as close to an entire graduate writing program, as one is likely to find within the covers of a single book."—Adams Belanoff, writer and producer on Cosby and Murphy Brown, and writer on Wings "David Howard's How to Build a Great Screenplay is a rarity—not merely a 'how-to' guide, but the most comprehensive and thoughtful examination of storytelling, and as close to an entire graduate writing program, as one is likely to find within the covers of a single book."—Adam Belanoff, writer and producer on Cosby and Murphy Brown, and writer on Wings "In this companion to The Tools of Screenwriting, Howard, founding director of the graduate screenwriting program at the University of Southern California, deals specifically with story structure, focusing on elements like connecting with an audience, creating drama and tension, and building subplots. This book [is thus] appropriate for screenwriting students; Howard's have gone on to pen the screenplays for successful films like Natural Born Killers and Permanent Midnight."—Library Journal Synopsis:As founder director of the graduate screenwriting program at the University of Southern California, David Howard has taught the authors of some of the most successful movies. In this text he synthesizes years of teaching into a thorough and profound curriculum in storytelling.
Synopsis: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. About the AuthorDavid Howard is the founding director of the graduate screenwriting program at USC, where he teaches various courses in screenwriting. His students have scripted such successful films as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Air Force One, Permanent Midnight, and Natural Born Killers. The coauthor (with Edward Mabley) of The Tools of Screenwriting, he lives in Los Angeles, California. Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Preface
Story and Storytelling The Story The Chronology of Events A Crucial Paradox Life Is What Happens The World of the Story Collisions Where's the Antagonist Characters' Baggage and Unfinished Business Lightening, Decisions, and Protagonists Character Arc What If This Story Were a Fairy Tale or Myth? The Audience's Fragile Involvement
The Telling of the Story The Seamless Dream The Intended Impact Camera as Storyteller Genre, Style, and Tone Separation of Experience and Knowledge Hope Versus Fear The "Game" of Storytelling
Building Stories The Creation of Drama Main Character or Ensemble Story? Protagonist and the Creation of Story Worthy Antagonist Supportive and Reflective Characters Tension from First to Last Actions and Goals Character Arc Pivotal Decisions Time Compression and Intensity The Possible and the Impossible
Foundations Building from the Ground Up Main Character's Passion Objective and Subjective Drama Theme Backstory What's at Stake? Six Types of Characters
Carpentry and Craftsmanship Creating the Audience's Experience Immediacy and the Sense of Here and Now Exposition Rising Action Point of No Return Willing Suspension of Disbelief Demonstration versus Explanation Number of Clearly Defined Characters Character Motivations Subtext Recapitulations Dealing with Coincidence Creating Living Characters Inner Life and Character Attitude Protagonist and Antagonist Secondary Characters Underlying Motives
Time and Storytelling Screen Time and Drama Time and Complexity Action Time Amount of Story and Screen time Real Time versus Screen Time versus Time Frame The Simplest Use of Time Why Alter Simple Chronology? Time and the Lives of the Characters Objective Time and Subjective Time
Basic Dramatic Structure What is Drama?
The Three Acts The Beginning: Engaging the Audience The Middle: Elaborating and Extending the Engagement The End: Releasing the Engagement The Writer's Relationship to the Acts
Sequences From Acts to Sequences The Elements of a Sequence Special Needs of the First Sequence Pretitle Sequences and Codas
Crucial Moments Crucial Moments in the Main Character's Life Crucial Moments in the Telling of the Story
Subplots The Role of Subplots Subplots Characters Beginning, Middle, and End Resolution of Subplots and Main Plot How to Weave in Subplots
The Classical Screenplay Structure Main Character's Undisturbed Status Quo Creating the Dilemma Elaborating on the Dilemma and the World of the Story First Potential Breakthrough Main Subplot and Main Character Greatest Exertion False Resolution Final Test of Character and True Resolution Typical Placements and Proportions Relationships of Midpoint, Culmination, and Resolution Where Does "Climax" Fit In?
Beyond Classical Dramatic Structure The Single Unbreakable Rule of Drama
Anything But Classical Screenplay Structure Being Different Breaking the Form Storyteller Intentions and Priorities
The Limits of Classical, the Beginnings of Revolutionary Are All "Revolutionary" Films Revolutionary? Mainstream Experiments in Storytelling A Few Lessons from Past Experiments Storytelling Myths, Legends, and Lies
How to Shake Up Classical Structure--and Why Why Some Stories Can't Be Classically Told The Physics of Drama How to Stir the Pot Cost-Benefit Analyses with Rule-Breaking Using the Rules to Break the Rules Clarity and Obscurity
Writing and Work Strategies Before the First Draft What Keeps the Audience in Their Seats Consider the Audience's Position
The First Draft The Sequence Breakdown The Step Outline Writing the First Draft
After the First Draft Clarifying Your Theme Rewriting Know Your Long Suit and Short Suit Dramatic Instincts
A Final Note
Index
About the Author What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
Other books you might likeRelated Subjects
Arts and Entertainment » Film and Television » General
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Follow us on...
|
||||||||||
