Fade In: The Screenwriting Process

by Robert A. Berman

Fade In is a concise, step-by-step method for developing a "story concept" into a finished screenplay. Used by professionals and universities around the world, this book covers the basics of dramatic writing; creating characters; screenplay structure, techniques and terminology.

Genres: Film, Writing

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1988

Reviews

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

FADE IN: The Screenwriting Process is another how to screenwriting book written by someone who has never sold a screenplay or had one produced. And, from the author's screenplay, “Dead Man's Dance” included in the back of the book, one can clearly see why success in screenwriting has eluded the author. A large portion of the book reads like a promotion to potential producers for his screenplay.

When Syd Field (another how to write a screenplay author who had never sold a script) wrote his book Screenplay, he outlined a paradigm on how a film script should be structured, according to a pattern he noticed by reading screenplays as a script reader, which somehow became the industry standard for writing screenplays. Every screenwriting book I've read published after Field's is just a rehashing of his formula. FADE IN: is no different and adds nothing new to Field's theory or his book.

[J.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot of good information packed inside this book. I tend to highlight relevant information for the next read-through, and I have marks all over this book. This is one I don't lend out!

[Cobey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing spectacular. The best part is how much he hammers in that writing is rewriting. Don't even think you are done after a single draft.