Screenwriters on Screen-Writing: The Best in the Business Discuss Their Craft

by Joel Engel

Before any lights, camera, or action, there's the script -- arguably the most important single element in filmmaking, and Screenwriters on Screen-Writing introduces the men and women responsible for the screenplays that have produced some of the most successful and acclaimed films in Hollywood history. In each interview, not only do the writers explore the craft and technique of creating a filmic blueprint, but they recount the colorful tales of coming up in the ranks of the movie business and of bringing their stories to the screen, in a way that only natural-born storytellers such as themselves can. These and other screenwriters have garnered the attention of the movie-going population not only with their words, but with headlines announcing the sales of their scripts for hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of dollars.

Anyone interested in writing, making, or learning about movies will enjoy reading this fascinating behind-the-scenes compendium that brings together some of the most prominent and talented screenwriters in modern-day filmmaking.

Genres: Writing, Film, Nonfiction, Reference

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Joel Engel authored or co-authored more than 15 books (including a New York Times bestseller)—narrative nonfiction, essays, sports, satire, pop culture, biography, and autobiography. As a journalist for the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, among other papers and periodicals, Engel reported on everything from politics to hot-air ballooning, pregnancy to cancer research, pop culture to business. Engle has also sold several feature-film scripts to Hollywood and produced about 60 hours of (cable) television.

Reviews

[Hillary · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is the first book Engel wrote on this subject, i read the second first book. this is definitely a case where he learned a lot from writing the first and applied it to the second. this first collection is very question-and-answer oriented, and he transcribes much of the interview subject's rambling. in contrast, the second book, "oscar-winning screenwriters on screenwriting" is more fluid, written in a narrative form. he shaped the interview after, which made it infinitely more readable.

maybe the subjects were more interesting too. the writers he chose to interview for this first collection were some old-school hyphenate screen/playwrights. horton foote, ted tally. by contrast, caroline thompson, amy holden jones, richard la gravenese were more interesting.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 3 out of 5]

More in-depth (and longer) than the Katz book--and a more redoubtable venture. But still, this tends to be nullified by the interviewer's intrusive and somewhat annoying personality. He tends to go for epigrammatic summations; most of the subjects (thankfully) just seemed to ignore him in that mode. Also no indications of laughter or wry expressions or anything like that--at all; it reminds me of Brando talking about being misquoted (or misinterpreted) and Grobel bringing that up--"stage directions" in dialogue; which are used sparingly in scripts, so...maybe that's why they're leery. But there's a good range of questions and often long, thorough answers--so all in all, a good read (and info source). And I liked the line from Caroline Thompson about being inspired: "It had come out so easily, it was almost as though I was chasing it." but Michael Mann especially (primus inter pares) slings it every which way--for example: "The whole of a motion picture, if it works, is a consensual dream. It's a relativistic universe that you create." (And I suppose you'd need Einstein himself to unravel that.)

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish it. I wanted to find out more about screenwriting, but all this book was about was talking to different screenwriters and their stories. Now I knew that going in, but the problem with this book was that there wasn't a single goal or piece of advice that I could feel confident following. One writer would say something and the next one would completely disagree with it. I know Engel probably did this to show the different ways different people came into the business, but I just think it would have been smarter to have interviewed writers that could agree on certain advice instead of putting in interviews with completely contrasting advice. It was pretty boring for me personally. It might have been better if I knew any of the people or more than 2 of the movies they had written. Just not what I was expecting, or wanted.

[Sean T. Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, and found it to be both informative and easy to read. Several of the writers interviewed did not appeal to me personally, and this is the only reason I don't give the book five stars. I'm fascinated by the similarities and differences in the creative approach, and some of these writers are people I would absolutely love to sit down and have a drink with because they are so clearly brilliant.

As an author looking at ways to break into the screenwriting business, I recommend this book.

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is from 1995 but is still interesting and relevent in terms of present-day screenwriting. Great way to immerse yourself in the way screenwriters think about film and the different things that inspire their creativity.

Also, a surprisingly honest account of the struggle of things -- of clashes with actors and being rewritten. Felt real rather than lots of screenwriting books that try hard not to offend anyone. This one offered something real.

[Lucie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not brilliant in any way but not a chore to read. Basically Engel provides stories from screenwriters, like a Sunday profile in the special edition section of the newspaper nothing much more than that, so if you're looking for a how to or secret to screenwriting book this definitely is not the book for you.

[miteypen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a writer I found these interviews to be both fascinating and instructive even though I don't write screenplays (yet). Joel Engel asks great questions and the various screenwriters give thoughtful and insightful answers. I highly recommend this to writers and film buffs alike.

[John Devlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some nuggets of wisdom interspersed w/ canned stories of facing down Hollywood idiocy.

[Eugene Caputi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. Inspired me to finish my screenplay.

[Ram · Rating 1 out of 5]

good

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some good stuff in here, some bad. I really enjoyed the last interview.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was better than the last.