Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing

by Richard Walter

ISBN: 0452263476

Professor Richard Walter is the screenwriters’ guru. If you're fortunate enough to win a seat in his legendary screenwriting class at UCLA film school, your writing career has just taken a quantum leap in the direction of success. He knows what it takes to write a script that sells—from idea to polished draft to lucrative studio deal.

Now he’s put his highly coveted lessons into a manual that lets you benefit from his intimate knowledge of screenplay for and structure. Professor Walter has helped hundreds of young writers become successful professionals. His experience and insider’s information offer beginning writers the opportunity to turn dreams into reality…and raw talent into good movie or TV scripts. This comprehensive guide provides invaluable instruction on:

The 7 terms every screenwriter must grasp in order to succeed

Dealing with violence and sex—in words and action

Creating the Story—the difference between real stories and reel stories that makes great films

Beginning/middle/end essentials of scriptwriting

3 basic rule for building character

Writing dialogue that can be spoken

Formatting your work so it looks professional—even if you're a beginner

Who to get, how to get, and what to do with—an agent

The ABCs of making sure you get paid for your work…and more

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Film, Reference

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[xinistrl ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

for a book published in 1988 it still holds so much weight years later

[Ke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may important for me to preface this review with the fact that the author of this book was my graduate school mentor. Yet I believe that I am not being unbiased when I say that Professor Walter gets across his beliefs effectively by using a story-telling approach.

[Juan Ruiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I will most remember about this book is something that the author says about great ideas: everybody has them, and not one or two, but many. The real challenge is to get to work on those ideas, even if they are not the best ideas, and to come out with something good. To develop the characters, to work on them, to be careful not to say too much or to little about them, etc. As some people say, its 10% inspiration and 90% transpiration.

[Steven Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally the only screenwriting book you need. Get going!

[Jon Olav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on screenwriting.

[C.Y. Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my review on "Essentials of Screenwriting..." his updated edition.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and direct, well considered and helpful!