Screenplay Form and Structure: Excerpts from Private Workshop Discussions led by industry pros in Hollywood, Seattle, London, and Canada

by Alan Von Altendorf, Jim Kalergis (Contributor), Brian A. Young (Contributor)

238-page narrative on screenwriting composed from two years of discussions with over 30 contributors in a 'private office' hosted by Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope.com virtual studio. Distinctive format offers practical advice along with recognition of unique problems facing writers. An indispensable resource for professional motion picture writers, intermediate and advanced students of screenwriting, film school instructors, producers, and rewrite consultants. The book focuses on five vital components of screenplay writing as a career and workplace experience, audience-protagonist bonding, scene cards, story development, and marketing to indie producers. Screenplay Form and Structure provides fresh ideas and genuine dialogue about how stories work and why some are universally hailed as film classics. This tightly edited volume contains dozens of clear, practical tutorials. Subject Index cites 45 classic and recent movies, academic research, and probing Q&A by industry-savvy workshop participants. Many of the participants are working pros, others just starting out, with a few novelists and academics thrown in for spice. "A necessary addition to any screenwriting library, covers all the stuff that the others don't and does it in a witty, conversational style that's great fun to read." - Richard Krevolin, Writer/Director "Unique discussion format makes for an original read... A worthwhile read for serious screenwriting students." - Angela Guess, LA Screenwriter Blog

238 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2012