Top Shelf 1: Reading and Writing the Best in Australian TV Drama: Reading and Writing the Best in Australian TV Drama (MANUALS)

by Greg Haddrick

Provides an insight into writing scripts for the specialised format of television series and serials. This volume contains three a short history of how the present writing systems evolved and the influence of British and American systems; an examination of the systems operating at present; and essays and critiques on scripts.

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2001

Reviews

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is without doubt the most interesting book I have read on the kind of writing I wish to spend my life doing. I know lots of people have ambitions to write that feature but for me, serials/dramas for TV are where it's at.

This book, by legendary Australian screenwriter, Greg Haddrick (career spanning Sons & Daughters through to Underbelly and beyond) has almost written a how-to manual for Serial Drama story departments which clearly highlights the fun and frustration of creating feature film length drama for almost every week of the year, all within an incredibly tight time frame (soap writers only get 1 draft and about 3 weeks) and incredibly tight budget limiting location time, sets used, actors available.

Without doubt this book has made me even hungrier to enter this domain.