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Screenplay, The: A Blend of Film Form and Content
The Screenplay teaches screenwriters how to think in terms of the unique visual and aural elements of film, to create a story using these elements, and to communicate this story in words. The information contained in this book unites the role of the screenwriter and the artistic bases of motion pictures to provide the first complete approach to the craft.
The Screenplay is written in an engaging manner, inviting the reader to develop their writing and creative abilities through projects and challenging exercises. This book also features illustrative excerpts from such successful screenplays as Witness, Out of Africa, Body and Soul, Beverly Hills Cop, Rebel Without a Cause, and An Officer and a Gentlemen.
The Screenplay is written in an engaging manner, inviting the reader to develop their writing and creative abilities through projects and challenging exercises. This book also features illustrative excerpts from such successful screenplays as Witness, Out of Africa, Body and Soul, Beverly Hills Cop, Rebel Without a Cause, and An Officer and a Gentlemen.
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 24, 2021
فيلمنامهنويسي: آميزهاي از شکل و محتواي فيلم ترجمه داود دانشور نشر سمت 1381 .
کتاب در زمان خودش خیلی پیش رو بوده ولی هنوز هم با این که حدود 30 سال از نوشتن اش گذشته اما به نظرم هنوز جز 5 کتاب اول ترجمه شده به فارسی هست . این کتاب سطح اش پیشرفته است و نباید فکر کرد با کتابهایی از نوع سید فیلد یا لیدا سیگر طرفیم که صرفا در مورد فیلمنامه نویسی حرف می زنند. بخش هایی از این کتاب به تکنیک هایی برای پرورش شکل دیدن برای نوشتن فیلمنامه حرف می زنه و حتی وارد حوزه ترکیب بندی که خب الظاهر خیلی به نظر نمی آد به درد نوشتن بخوره مفصل حرف می زنه که با خوندن و دونستن اش متوجه می شیم که درست نبوده .
شنیدم که این کتاب در دانشکده های سینمایی تو غرب منبع اساتید هست .من به شخصه می تونم ادعا کنم که تمام کتابهای این حوزه رو حداقل یک بار تورق کردم می تونم با قطعیت بگم اگر این کتاب ترجمه روانتر و نزدیک تر از نوع ترجمه های جناب گذرآبادی بود کتاب خیلی بیشتر از این ها استقبال می شد .
کتاب در زمان خودش خیلی پیش رو بوده ولی هنوز هم با این که حدود 30 سال از نوشتن اش گذشته اما به نظرم هنوز جز 5 کتاب اول ترجمه شده به فارسی هست . این کتاب سطح اش پیشرفته است و نباید فکر کرد با کتابهایی از نوع سید فیلد یا لیدا سیگر طرفیم که صرفا در مورد فیلمنامه نویسی حرف می زنند. بخش هایی از این کتاب به تکنیک هایی برای پرورش شکل دیدن برای نوشتن فیلمنامه حرف می زنه و حتی وارد حوزه ترکیب بندی که خب الظاهر خیلی به نظر نمی آد به درد نوشتن بخوره مفصل حرف می زنه که با خوندن و دونستن اش متوجه می شیم که درست نبوده .
شنیدم که این کتاب در دانشکده های سینمایی تو غرب منبع اساتید هست .من به شخصه می تونم ادعا کنم که تمام کتابهای این حوزه رو حداقل یک بار تورق کردم می تونم با قطعیت بگم اگر این کتاب ترجمه روانتر و نزدیک تر از نوع ترجمه های جناب گذرآبادی بود کتاب خیلی بیشتر از این ها استقبال می شد .
December 31, 2012
Read this book and wondered why I had not come across it earlier.
I first heard of this book during a course on Screenplay Writing I attended in City University (London), it was one of the recommended reading. Just to be certain it was not a dud used to fill curriculum jargon I waited to ask the tutor about it. She said if there was only one to get from the list, it was this one. Once I picked it up, I just could not put it down, it distilled the mystery of film language and how film form works as a medium. Please note this is not a book on how to write in terms of style but about film as a medium of art/expression. It takes you on a journey showing the elements of film. I am not a great reader and was pleasantly surprised how hooked I was considering it is a big book. I wont say it was an easy read but it is the most practical book on screenplay writing I have read!
I first heard of this book during a course on Screenplay Writing I attended in City University (London), it was one of the recommended reading. Just to be certain it was not a dud used to fill curriculum jargon I waited to ask the tutor about it. She said if there was only one to get from the list, it was this one. Once I picked it up, I just could not put it down, it distilled the mystery of film language and how film form works as a medium. Please note this is not a book on how to write in terms of style but about film as a medium of art/expression. It takes you on a journey showing the elements of film. I am not a great reader and was pleasantly surprised how hooked I was considering it is a big book. I wont say it was an easy read but it is the most practical book on screenplay writing I have read!
November 25, 2019
Review of The Screenplay
Author: Margaret Mehring
Publication Date: 1990
ISBN; 0-240-80007-9
Ever wonder how camera angles and editing affect the writing of a screenplay? Have you ever wanted to write a great screenplay and win awards for it’s art? Before you do that you should read Margaret Mehring’s book The Screenplay. The Screenplay was published in 1990 and was Mehring’s most famous work. Mehring was a Professor of Cinema at the USC film school for many years. She was the founder of the USC’s School of Cinematic Arts Filmic Writing program. Her book was well received and is still used in film schools throughout the United States. This review will talk about the text in depth. It will provide a summary of the textbook, an analysis of various aspects of the book, a consideration of any negatives the book may have, and finally a conclusion about who should read this book.
The book is structured like a textbook about screenwriting. The Screenplay is targeted to screenwriters and TV writers. The twelve chapters each include a topic about the major argument of the book; blending film form with film content. Each chapter discusses blending film form with film content through various techniques. There are chapters which talk about using cinematography, editing, and other techniques while writing screenplays. Mehring presents her theories and then uses four major screenplays as illustrations of how the techniques are used in writing screenplays. She relies on four major films: Out of Africa, Rebel Without a Cause, An Officer and a Gentleman, and Body and Soul.
There are many books that discuss how to write films. The Screenplay by Mehring is the first that I have encountered which talks about using film methods to write a screenplay. In other books use of technical details is said to be best left to others in film production like the director and director of photography. Mehring’s book is unique in that it’s sole purpose is to write about how screenwriters should blend film form and content together to make screenplays better. She states many times that using techniques will make screenwriters into professionals instead of amateurs. Through her use of examples and illustrations her point is well made and convincing. I can see why it was recommended to me by my Screenwriting Professor from Graduate school. After reading some of the chapters it set off alarm bells about how screenwriters should be writing their screenplays. It clearly shows that film writing is an art form different from writing fiction or theater.
Mehring’s use of film to illustrate her examples are similar to other screenwriting books who use excerpts and scenes from screenplays to make their points. Cherry Potter’s Screen Language is similar in this respect. The excerpts show how each of Mehring’s theories are presented. A great point is made by using a sequence from Out of Africa to illustrate the use of sound in films. There are several examples used from An Officer and a Gentleman. Also from Rebel Without a Cause where she discusses the editing combined with the “chickie run” scene. The examples create clear pictures of how film content is blended with film form to create films that are classics.
The book is similar to other textbooks about screenwriting. It is similar to Irwin Blacker’s The Elements of Screenwriting because both consider the mechanics of screenwriting. Both talk about the content of films; what a screenwriter must do, how a screenplay should develop. Both are in agreement that screenplays should be organic and not too mechanical. Mehring goes a bit further then Blacker by considering the form films take and how they influence the writing of screenplays. This makes Mehring’s book similar to Cherry Potter’s Screen Language in it’s discussion of great films that use specific techniques to make films. Mehring’s book is also similar to Paul Lucey’s classic textbook Story Sense. Both use four classic films to illustrate their points. Lucey’s book is more of an encyclopedia where Mehring’s book is shorter and more concise to one argument about the blending of film form and content. I think Mehring’s book is a classic text that addresses a need for screenwriters who want to improve their writing so that it is more visual and image oriented. If the techniques in the book are applied they could lead to better screenplays.
The book has few flaws. The structure is straight-forward and the content is easily readable. I would caution anyone to avoid the book if they are looking for a book that promises easy solutions to the hard problems of writing screenplays. The book is more for a film school attendee or anyone who writes screenplays be they amateur or professional. Some of its material is rather complicated and having a background in film production is an asset. Still the book makes ample use of cartoon imagery so anyone could understand the book. It’s not too long either.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in filmmaking. The book is a fast read that shows some great examples of how to make films. Film students, filmmakers, and especially screenwriters would greatly benefit from reading this text. The hours that would be put into the text would result in a better understanding of how screenplays are written, films are made, and the creative process.
Author: Margaret Mehring
Publication Date: 1990
ISBN; 0-240-80007-9
Ever wonder how camera angles and editing affect the writing of a screenplay? Have you ever wanted to write a great screenplay and win awards for it’s art? Before you do that you should read Margaret Mehring’s book The Screenplay. The Screenplay was published in 1990 and was Mehring’s most famous work. Mehring was a Professor of Cinema at the USC film school for many years. She was the founder of the USC’s School of Cinematic Arts Filmic Writing program. Her book was well received and is still used in film schools throughout the United States. This review will talk about the text in depth. It will provide a summary of the textbook, an analysis of various aspects of the book, a consideration of any negatives the book may have, and finally a conclusion about who should read this book.
The book is structured like a textbook about screenwriting. The Screenplay is targeted to screenwriters and TV writers. The twelve chapters each include a topic about the major argument of the book; blending film form with film content. Each chapter discusses blending film form with film content through various techniques. There are chapters which talk about using cinematography, editing, and other techniques while writing screenplays. Mehring presents her theories and then uses four major screenplays as illustrations of how the techniques are used in writing screenplays. She relies on four major films: Out of Africa, Rebel Without a Cause, An Officer and a Gentleman, and Body and Soul.
There are many books that discuss how to write films. The Screenplay by Mehring is the first that I have encountered which talks about using film methods to write a screenplay. In other books use of technical details is said to be best left to others in film production like the director and director of photography. Mehring’s book is unique in that it’s sole purpose is to write about how screenwriters should blend film form and content together to make screenplays better. She states many times that using techniques will make screenwriters into professionals instead of amateurs. Through her use of examples and illustrations her point is well made and convincing. I can see why it was recommended to me by my Screenwriting Professor from Graduate school. After reading some of the chapters it set off alarm bells about how screenwriters should be writing their screenplays. It clearly shows that film writing is an art form different from writing fiction or theater.
Mehring’s use of film to illustrate her examples are similar to other screenwriting books who use excerpts and scenes from screenplays to make their points. Cherry Potter’s Screen Language is similar in this respect. The excerpts show how each of Mehring’s theories are presented. A great point is made by using a sequence from Out of Africa to illustrate the use of sound in films. There are several examples used from An Officer and a Gentleman. Also from Rebel Without a Cause where she discusses the editing combined with the “chickie run” scene. The examples create clear pictures of how film content is blended with film form to create films that are classics.
The book is similar to other textbooks about screenwriting. It is similar to Irwin Blacker’s The Elements of Screenwriting because both consider the mechanics of screenwriting. Both talk about the content of films; what a screenwriter must do, how a screenplay should develop. Both are in agreement that screenplays should be organic and not too mechanical. Mehring goes a bit further then Blacker by considering the form films take and how they influence the writing of screenplays. This makes Mehring’s book similar to Cherry Potter’s Screen Language in it’s discussion of great films that use specific techniques to make films. Mehring’s book is also similar to Paul Lucey’s classic textbook Story Sense. Both use four classic films to illustrate their points. Lucey’s book is more of an encyclopedia where Mehring’s book is shorter and more concise to one argument about the blending of film form and content. I think Mehring’s book is a classic text that addresses a need for screenwriters who want to improve their writing so that it is more visual and image oriented. If the techniques in the book are applied they could lead to better screenplays.
The book has few flaws. The structure is straight-forward and the content is easily readable. I would caution anyone to avoid the book if they are looking for a book that promises easy solutions to the hard problems of writing screenplays. The book is more for a film school attendee or anyone who writes screenplays be they amateur or professional. Some of its material is rather complicated and having a background in film production is an asset. Still the book makes ample use of cartoon imagery so anyone could understand the book. It’s not too long either.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in filmmaking. The book is a fast read that shows some great examples of how to make films. Film students, filmmakers, and especially screenwriters would greatly benefit from reading this text. The hours that would be put into the text would result in a better understanding of how screenplays are written, films are made, and the creative process.
April 28, 2024
به نظرم برای کسانی که تازه میخواهند از چند و چون فیلمنامهنویسی و سینما سر در بیاورند کتاب بسیار مناسبی است، حتی باید پیش از سید فیلد و مککی و تروبی خوانده شود اما اگر ابتدا مککی یا سید فیلد را خوانده و فهمیدهباشید احتمالا چیز زیادی دستگیرتان نشود. در هر صورت کتاب مناسبی برای اصول و مبانی است.
March 13, 2025
It's pretty much the same
March 5, 2016
A very thorough presentation of everything that is A MUST in the creation of a screenplay. Mehring dictates in her work how to show and not tell in a masterful way. She uses examples of how color, the use of objects, and juxtaposing emotions clearly benefits the storytelling process.
In short, if you want to only read one "How to screenplay" book. I'd only recommend this one.
In short, if you want to only read one "How to screenplay" book. I'd only recommend this one.
August 23, 2013
A thoroughly useful tool on the how of screenplays, at times bossy for your own good. It ignores format so you will need Judith Hasg for that.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews