Screenwriter's Compass: Character As True North

by Guy Gallo

Ever watch a movie, and despite great production value, fantastic action sequences, a great cast, etc, you come away thinking-I just didn't buy it. Chances are it was because you didn't care about the characters. Screenwriter's Compass presents a new way of approaching screenwriting, examining how effective screen storytelling must be grounded in the vivid imagining and presentation of character. Screenwriter's Compass will not offer formulas to follow but instead will give you the tools needed to chart your own path to screenwriting success. It details useful ways of thinking about writing, as well as practical ideas and concepts to help you discover the unique geography of your own imagination and navigate the problems posed by the struggle to express vision, agenda, and story. You'll learn how to root your writing in motivation and voice, to create screenplays that seduce and make your reader lean forward, and, most importantly, identify with your characters.

Genres: Writing

214 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[Horror DNA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guy Gallo (Under the Volcano) is a screenwriter with a desire to share the simplest of truths to aspiring and seasoned writers alike. With over twenty years teaching experience at various universities in New York, he has acquired a distinct sense of what makes movies work. The heart of his argument is that character-based scripts are stronger than plot-driven material. In Screenwriter’s Compass: Character as True North, Gallo cleverly reveals how a story based on character is a more satisfying read than one that advances through a series of elaborate set-pieces.

You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Eloise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you one of those weird individuals who enjoy reading screenplays for the sake of reading screenplays?
Oh, buy this book.
Are you an actor or another film professional who wants to broaden their understanding of film, and narrative in general?
Seriously, buy this book.
Are you a film student, an aspiring screenwriter, or writer?
Go on, buy this book.

A rare gem of a well-written screenwriting book, by an author who understands film and writing.
With real answers to real and philosophical questions.
Read now, thank later.

[Duane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely influential book on my work. One of the few books you should 100% read if you have any interest in screenwriting because most are writing by hacks like Robert McKee.

[Bryan Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know, I loved a lot of the advice this book had to give. It was largely a refresher for things I knew, but it was soooooo damned pedantic. It took all the spirit and creativity out of writing and boiled it into the driest paper imaginable of the sort you'd expect in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

I really did like so much of the tips in the book, but the packaging was arrogant and obnoxious.

[Tom Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a screenwriting guide that I can see myself returning to every time I start a new screenplay.