The Science of Screenwriting: The Neuroscience Behind Storytelling Strategies

by Paul Gulino, Connie Shears

In a world awash in screenwriting books, The Science of Screenwriting provides an alternative approach that will help the aspiring screenwriter navigate this mass of often contradictory exploring the science behind storytelling strategies. Paul Gulino, author of the best-selling The Sequence Approach , and Connie Shears, a noted cognitive psychologist, build, chapter-by-chapter, an understanding of the human perceptual/cognitive processes, from the functions of our eyes and ears bringing real world information into our brains, to the intricate networks within our brains connecting our decisions and emotions. They draw on a variety of examples from film and television -- The Social Network, Silver Linings Playbook and Breaking Bad -- to show how the human perceptual process is reflected in the storytelling strategies of these filmmakers. They conclude with a detailed analysis of one of the most successful and influential films of all time, Star Wars , to discover just how it had the effect that it had.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Film, Science, Neuroscience

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Juan Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro que identifica tácticas clave para construir historias impactantes (pensado para guiones cinematográficos), priorizando aquellas con mayor evidencia sobre el efecto sobre las mentes de las audiencias.

Aunque el libro hace referencia a los correlatos cerebrales, estas menciones son superficiales y no aportan significativamente a los argumentos principales. De hecho, la relevancia del libro se mantendría sin estas referencias anatómicas.

Aspectos ya conocidos pero importantes desde una perspectiva neurocientífica para el storytelling incluyen:

El poder de romper el esquema de manera anticipada la audiencia está construyendo
El desarrollo del personaje principal
El poder del contraste. Allí donde hay contraste las audiencias ponen su atención.
La importancia de ayudar a la audiencia a llevar su atención a elementos relevantes para mi historia.
El efecto cautivador del conflicto permanente y el poder de jugar con su resolución.

Recomiendo este libro para quienes deseen recordar técnicas esenciales para un storytelling memorable. Sin embargo, no lo considero especialmente revelador para aquellos interesados en las neurociencias de la persuasión y la influencia.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting approach, talking about how to approach various concepts in writing a screenplay, such as how to get an audience to connect with a less than admirable character, or how to imply cause and effect. Much of what the author refers to is only available when working in a visual medium, but still.

[Renate Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only complaint is; I still don't know how to use the words "valence" and "screenwriting" in the same sentence. I may have to read it again.