Special Offers see all
More at Powell'sRecently Viewed clear list
Original Essays | April 29, 2013
2 comments
|
 
$8.95
List price:
Used Trade Paper
Ships in 1 to 3 days
More copies of this ISBNArt of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motivesby Lajos Egri
Staff Pick
If you begged me to give you the title of one "how-to" book on the topic of screenwriting and wouldn't give up until I told you, then it would have to be this classic introduction to the craft. Often used as a textbook in screenwriting classes, Lajos Egri's The Art of Dramatic Writing gives writers the focus needed to attack a scene and create memorable character arcs. Another reason to recommend this book to young screenwriters is that it references many of the important dramas that may have been overlooked in high school, such as works by Ibsen, Moliere, and Synge.
If you begged me to give you the title of one "how-to" book on the topic of screenwriting and wouldn't give up until I told you, then it would have to be this classic introduction to the craft. Often used as a textbook in screenwriting classes, Lajos Egri's The Art of Dramatic Writing gives writers the focus needed to attack a scene and create memorable character arcs. Another reason to recommend this book to young screenwriters is that it references many of the important dramas that may have been overlooked in high school, such as works by Ibsen, Moliere, and Synge. Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:Learn the basic techniques every successful playwright knows
Among the many "how-to" playwriting books that have appeared over the years, there have been few that attempt to analyze the mysteries of play construction. Lajos Egri's classic, The Art of Dramatic Writing, does just that, with instruction that can be applied equally well to a short story, novel, or screenplay. Examining a play from the inside out, Egri starts with the heart of any drama: its characters. All good dramatic writing hinges on people and their relationships, which serve to move the story forward and give it life, as well as an understanding of human motives — why people act the way that they do. Using examples from everything from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, Egri shows how it is essential for the author to have a basic premise — a thesis, demonstrated in terms of human behavior — and to develop the dramatic conflict on the basis of that behavior. Using Egri's ABCs of premise, character, and conflict, The Art of Dramatic Writing is a direct, jargon-free approach to the problem of achieving truth in writing. Review:"I found Lajos Egri's book enormously interesting — one of the best I have ever read." Moss Hart
Synopsis:The author offers an approach to playwriting based on the natural law of dialectics.
About the AuthorLajos Egri was born some sixty years ago in the city of Eger, Hungary, and wrote his first three-act play at the age of ten. For more than thirty-five years he has written and directed plays in Europe and the United States. He was director of the Egri School of Writing in New York City for many years. He now resides in Los Angeles, California, where he is teaching and working with members of the film industry.
Table of ContentsCONTENTS
INTRODUCTION FOREWORD PREFACE I PREMISE II CHARACTER 1. The Bone Structure 2. Environment 3. The Dialectical Approach 4. Character Growth 5. Strength of Will in a Character 6. Plot or Character — Which? 7. Characters Plotting Their Own Play 8. Pivotal Character 9. The Antagonist 10. Orchestration 11. Unity of Opposites III CONFLICT 1. Origin of Action 2. Cause and Effect 3. Static 4. Jumping 5. Rising 6. Movement 7. Foreshadowing Conflict 8. Point of Attack 9. Transition 10. Crisis, Climax, Resolution IV GENERAL 1. Obligatory Scene 2. Exposition 3. Dialogue 4. Experimentation 5. The Timeliness of a Play 6. Entrances and Exits 7. Why Are Some Bad Plays Successful? 8. Melodrama 9. On Genius 10. What Is Art? — A Dialogue 11. When You Write a Play 12. How to Get Ideas 13. Writing for Television 14. Conclusion APPENDIX A. Plays Analyzed APPENDIX B. How to Market Your Play APPENDIX C. Long Runs on Broadway INDEX What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
View all 2 commentsProduct Details
Other books you might likeRelated Subjects
Arts and Entertainment » Drama » Directing and Production
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Follow us on...
|
||||||||||
