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The Screenwriting Formula: Why It Works and How To Use It
Make the Hollywood Formula Work for You As a screenwriter, you have a difficult task even after the script is You have to break into Hollywood. Rob Tobin , who has read thousands of screenplays in his job as a script reader and development executive, has developed the formula to get a script from page to production - and he's sharing it with you! The Screenwriting Formula is not just about how to write a killer screenplay - it also explains the structure that movie executives are looking for, as well as how to transform an idea into a fully-loaded script, packed with action and ready to go. You'll learn how
- GenresWriting
202 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2007
About the author
Rob Tobin
8 books78 followersFather, husband, dog owner (actually he owns me), Canadian (living and writing full-time in southern California for 20+ years) novelist, screenwriter, non-fiction book author, former motion picture executive, graduate of USC's Master of Professional Writing program. Author of "The Screenwriting Formula" and "How to Write High Structure, High Concept Movies," and a novel, "God Wars: Living with Angels" that will be available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and Omnilit.com on March 1st). Love my wife, my kids, skiing, ziplining, taking my dog to the beach, watching good films (hard to find them, though), reading good books (never have the time), but most of all writing -- anything! I have a $15 million feature film with a June, 2011 release date, and a $40 million feature in development with "Die Hard" director John McTiernan attached to direct (once he gets over his current legal problems). I just finished my newest novel, "Jo-Bri and the Two Worlds," a YA urban fantasy that is the best thing I've ever written and I'm looking for an agent for that one. Love my life -- what else is there to say? I want to have fun making a positive difference to the world.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 18, 2012
On hindsight I should not have been surprised - the book does what it says on the front. It gives you a 'formula' which 'works'.
As promised a formula is delivered, and I can see how many movies follow this formula, but it just doesn't do it for me. It's broken down into seven stages/steps:
The Hero
The Flaw
Enabling circumstances
The opponent
The Hero's Ally
The Life-Changing Event
Jeopardy + Resolution
These are split over three acts. The way the book is written it suggests that this is the only way to write a sellable movie. Think of a character, give him a flaw, put him in a situation that challanges that flaw, introduce an opponent to expose/manipulate the flaw, hero's ally offers encouragement, write a scene where he over comes the flaw, fights the bad guy flawless and conclude the story. It's tried, It's tested and it's boring.
It's not life! It Doesn't work like that! Movies are a glimpse into events experienced in another person's life. And life is unpredictable. It doesn't follow a pattern, often it doesn't even need a reason. Do a google search and you will find that there is MUCH more to screenwriting than this book offers. If your story or idea follows this working formula, fabulous, buy the book and write the movie. But to me it's predictable and unengaging and I probably won't make the effort to go see it at the movies.
I had three screenplay ideas in my head when I bought this book along with 'The Foundations of Screenwriting'. I read 'The screenwriting formula' first and genuinely panicked because none of my screenplays fell into the rigorous form that is suggested by the author. I began to doubt the viability of my idea's and actually tried to adapt huge chunks to accomodate this formula - then read the other one and stopped panicking, all was not lost.
WHO THIS BOOK IS GOOD FOR:
If you are new to writing in any sense of the word then this book offers a fairly solid introduction to the structure of a story. (Note how I said STORY not SCREENPLAY). A large proportion of the book is dedicated to coming up with the initial idea. Which is great if you are stuck and want your story to conform with the outline given, but because you have a story doesn't mean you have a screenplay.
WHO THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR:
Those who want to know about writing a 'screenplay' specifically. I bought the book because I wanted to know about the layout of the document, how it is submitted, what keywords/direction do I use, are there dos and donts that will get my screenplay rejected? Do I talk about camera angles? Lights? Position of characters? Etc, etc, etc. The list couid go on with the amount of questions I had that went unanswered.
Those who have experience writing. I am a writer. I know how to tell a story. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. It includes drama and conflict and the main character has to have a goal which they achieve or they don't. There, I told you in less than 30 words what takes Tobin ten chapters. I know how to writem what I want to know is how to write a screenplay! I wouldn't go on about it if it was one chapter out of the entire book. But it's not. At the end of every chapter (often the largest chunk of said chapter) is about an imaginary story that you are 'making up' as you read the book - no indication of how to put it on the paper in screenwriting form AT ALL.
Those who have a story to tell. If you are thinking of buying a screenwriting book because you want to adapt your story or idea to the big screen...this isn't it. If you are a creative writer the chances are your idea will not follow the form that is covered and as such you will be left confused and frustrated because there are no alternatives given.
One final gripe is that the examples can be lengthy. Entire pages can be dedicated to how a certain scene in a certain movie dipects a certain aspect of the formula - the author could have said as much in a paragraph and moved on. But no.
CONCLUSION/RATING
Rob Tobin gets two stars in my eyes.
One because he wrote and published a book - an achievement in itself.
Two because if you are a total beginner then I can see the introduction to 'story' form and structure being beneficial.
There are better books out there, in fact there are more informative google searches. Save the pennies you worked hard for and buy a screenwriting book that actually deals with writing SCREENPLAYS.
As promised a formula is delivered, and I can see how many movies follow this formula, but it just doesn't do it for me. It's broken down into seven stages/steps:
The Hero
The Flaw
Enabling circumstances
The opponent
The Hero's Ally
The Life-Changing Event
Jeopardy + Resolution
These are split over three acts. The way the book is written it suggests that this is the only way to write a sellable movie. Think of a character, give him a flaw, put him in a situation that challanges that flaw, introduce an opponent to expose/manipulate the flaw, hero's ally offers encouragement, write a scene where he over comes the flaw, fights the bad guy flawless and conclude the story. It's tried, It's tested and it's boring.
It's not life! It Doesn't work like that! Movies are a glimpse into events experienced in another person's life. And life is unpredictable. It doesn't follow a pattern, often it doesn't even need a reason. Do a google search and you will find that there is MUCH more to screenwriting than this book offers. If your story or idea follows this working formula, fabulous, buy the book and write the movie. But to me it's predictable and unengaging and I probably won't make the effort to go see it at the movies.
I had three screenplay ideas in my head when I bought this book along with 'The Foundations of Screenwriting'. I read 'The screenwriting formula' first and genuinely panicked because none of my screenplays fell into the rigorous form that is suggested by the author. I began to doubt the viability of my idea's and actually tried to adapt huge chunks to accomodate this formula - then read the other one and stopped panicking, all was not lost.
WHO THIS BOOK IS GOOD FOR:
If you are new to writing in any sense of the word then this book offers a fairly solid introduction to the structure of a story. (Note how I said STORY not SCREENPLAY). A large proportion of the book is dedicated to coming up with the initial idea. Which is great if you are stuck and want your story to conform with the outline given, but because you have a story doesn't mean you have a screenplay.
WHO THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR:
Those who want to know about writing a 'screenplay' specifically. I bought the book because I wanted to know about the layout of the document, how it is submitted, what keywords/direction do I use, are there dos and donts that will get my screenplay rejected? Do I talk about camera angles? Lights? Position of characters? Etc, etc, etc. The list couid go on with the amount of questions I had that went unanswered.
Those who have experience writing. I am a writer. I know how to tell a story. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. It includes drama and conflict and the main character has to have a goal which they achieve or they don't. There, I told you in less than 30 words what takes Tobin ten chapters. I know how to writem what I want to know is how to write a screenplay! I wouldn't go on about it if it was one chapter out of the entire book. But it's not. At the end of every chapter (often the largest chunk of said chapter) is about an imaginary story that you are 'making up' as you read the book - no indication of how to put it on the paper in screenwriting form AT ALL.
Those who have a story to tell. If you are thinking of buying a screenwriting book because you want to adapt your story or idea to the big screen...this isn't it. If you are a creative writer the chances are your idea will not follow the form that is covered and as such you will be left confused and frustrated because there are no alternatives given.
One final gripe is that the examples can be lengthy. Entire pages can be dedicated to how a certain scene in a certain movie dipects a certain aspect of the formula - the author could have said as much in a paragraph and moved on. But no.
CONCLUSION/RATING
Rob Tobin gets two stars in my eyes.
One because he wrote and published a book - an achievement in itself.
Two because if you are a total beginner then I can see the introduction to 'story' form and structure being beneficial.
There are better books out there, in fact there are more informative google searches. Save the pennies you worked hard for and buy a screenwriting book that actually deals with writing SCREENPLAYS.
April 25, 2026
對完全不會寫故事的人來說是很好的入門書，對不想寫故事的人來說，也可以增加自己觀影深度的機會…
*爛劇本和好劇本的差別不在誰有套路，而在於誰用的套路是好的。
一、劇本的七要素：主角、主角的性格缺陷、有利的故事環境、反面角色、主角的盟友、改變人生的事件、危險。
1、主角：要嘛讓人同情，要嘛讓人感興趣，不然無法吸引觀眾隨著主角進入劇情，另外，背景可以重覆，比如講運動比賽的電影很多，不過主角所克服的困難則各有不同，所以只要你記不得電影的主角，大抵你對這部電影的評價也不會多高。
2、缺陷：要讓主角使人感興趣，最容易的方式就是給他創造一個明顯的缺陷，讓觀眾能對他的缺陷產生同情，從而跟著他進行克服之旅，但要記得，缺陷可能是只是主角刻意的求生方式。
3、有利的故事環境：要讓觀眾信服，就要替主角設定一個合理的背景（職業、環境、朋友）。
4、反面角色：反面角色不只是主角要打倒的障礙，也可能是主角的贏得的對象（尤其是對愛情片來說），所以反面角色不一定要是傳統的大反派。
5、主角的盟友：就是幫助主角克服缺陷的人物，也可能是陪伴主角最長時間的人物。
6、改變人生的事件：這個事件通常要在第一幕結尾前交待給讀者或觀眾，而這個事件通常是由反面角色所引起，讓主角不得不面對缺陷並找尋解決方法，並被迫去改變自己，如果這個事件不足說服主角去改變自己，那就不成立，觀眾也不會相信。
7、危險：危險就是主角為了改變而得付出的代價，缺陷越大往往危險也越大。
二、故事結構：序幕、第一幕、第二幕上、第二幕下、第三幕。
1、序幕：為交待背景的功能，包括主角、缺陷、環境、挑戰等。
2、第一幕：交待背景的序幕後，第一幕就要交待改變人生的事件做為第一幕的重點，為第二幕的鬥爭做出舖墊，同時也要介紹盟友與反面角色。
3、第二幕上：第二幕上主要是描述故事情節，故事情節通常會有兩條，一條是形於外的，一條是形於內的，如果沒有主角內心的爭鬥，那這個故事就會流於膚淺，反之，如果只有內心的爭鬥卻沒有外在的表現，觀眾就會完全看不懂，而且也要讓主角與盟友和反面角色做出交手，也因為這次交手，盟友也會讓主角意識到了自己的缺陷是無法逃避的。
4、第二幕下：經過了解缺陷後，主角就要在這幕做出選擇，並出現內心掙扎，把自己的缺陷攤開並得到觀眾的同情，然後做出奮鬥並面對反面角色。
5．第三幕：就是和反面角色的最終對抗，主角在第二幕被打壓的越慘，第三幕的勝利就越讓觀眾滿意，當然，如果是悲劇收場，那主角的失敗也是要轟轟烈烈。
三、全局：情節概要、大綱、高概念劇本與低概念劇本、改編“鐵達尼號”。
1．情節概要：這就是所謂用一句話來簡述你的故事的機會（七要素），不僅可用來推銷劇本，也可檢查故事結構是否合理。
2．大綱：大綱不只是七要素而已，而是要把三幕都表現出來，換句話說，就是沒有對白的劇本，利用重點場景設計來把這些要素都串聯起來。
3．高概念劇本與低概念劇本：有時候簡述故事的一句話要能吸引人，就必需在劇情中出現反差感，反差感也就是高概念劇本與低概念劇本的最大不同，雖然好劇本不一定是高概念劇本，但能吸引人的概念會比較有浮出水面的機會。
四、附錄：
1．構思技巧：專心一意不要停筆，就算是完全與預期不沾邊的胡言亂言或筆尖風暴也可以寫下來，這會某種程度激發自己意想不到的創意；分析大師的名作，這可以讓你了對七要素與三幕劇有更深的理解；從人、事、時、地、原因五點擇一來切入，不一定要以主角當唯一的切入點。
2．改編小說：如果劇情很複雜或單純依賴作者文筆而成功的小說是不容易被改編成電影劇本的，而文學強的作品也比不上娛樂性強的作品好賣。
*爛劇本和好劇本的差別不在誰有套路，而在於誰用的套路是好的。
一、劇本的七要素：主角、主角的性格缺陷、有利的故事環境、反面角色、主角的盟友、改變人生的事件、危險。
1、主角：要嘛讓人同情，要嘛讓人感興趣，不然無法吸引觀眾隨著主角進入劇情，另外，背景可以重覆，比如講運動比賽的電影很多，不過主角所克服的困難則各有不同，所以只要你記不得電影的主角，大抵你對這部電影的評價也不會多高。
2、缺陷：要讓主角使人感興趣，最容易的方式就是給他創造一個明顯的缺陷，讓觀眾能對他的缺陷產生同情，從而跟著他進行克服之旅，但要記得，缺陷可能是只是主角刻意的求生方式。
3、有利的故事環境：要讓觀眾信服，就要替主角設定一個合理的背景（職業、環境、朋友）。
4、反面角色：反面角色不只是主角要打倒的障礙，也可能是主角的贏得的對象（尤其是對愛情片來說），所以反面角色不一定要是傳統的大反派。
5、主角的盟友：就是幫助主角克服缺陷的人物，也可能是陪伴主角最長時間的人物。
6、改變人生的事件：這個事件通常要在第一幕結尾前交待給讀者或觀眾，而這個事件通常是由反面角色所引起，讓主角不得不面對缺陷並找尋解決方法，並被迫去改變自己，如果這個事件不足說服主角去改變自己，那就不成立，觀眾也不會相信。
7、危險：危險就是主角為了改變而得付出的代價，缺陷越大往往危險也越大。
二、故事結構：序幕、第一幕、第二幕上、第二幕下、第三幕。
1、序幕：為交待背景的功能，包括主角、缺陷、環境、挑戰等。
2、第一幕：交待背景的序幕後，第一幕就要交待改變人生的事件做為第一幕的重點，為第二幕的鬥爭做出舖墊，同時也要介紹盟友與反面角色。
3、第二幕上：第二幕上主要是描述故事情節，故事情節通常會有兩條，一條是形於外的，一條是形於內的，如果沒有主角內心的爭鬥，那這個故事就會流於膚淺，反之，如果只有內心的爭鬥卻沒有外在的表現，觀眾就會完全看不懂，而且也要讓主角與盟友和反面角色做出交手，也因為這次交手，盟友也會讓主角意識到了自己的缺陷是無法逃避的。
4、第二幕下：經過了解缺陷後，主角就要在這幕做出選擇，並出現內心掙扎，把自己的缺陷攤開並得到觀眾的同情，然後做出奮鬥並面對反面角色。
5．第三幕：就是和反面角色的最終對抗，主角在第二幕被打壓的越慘，第三幕的勝利就越讓觀眾滿意，當然，如果是悲劇收場，那主角的失敗也是要轟轟烈烈。
三、全局：情節概要、大綱、高概念劇本與低概念劇本、改編“鐵達尼號”。
1．情節概要：這就是所謂用一句話來簡述你的故事的機會（七要素），不僅可用來推銷劇本，也可檢查故事結構是否合理。
2．大綱：大綱不只是七要素而已，而是要把三幕都表現出來，換句話說，就是沒有對白的劇本，利用重點場景設計來把這些要素都串聯起來。
3．高概念劇本與低概念劇本：有時候簡述故事的一句話要能吸引人，就必需在劇情中出現反差感，反差感也就是高概念劇本與低概念劇本的最大不同，雖然好劇本不一定是高概念劇本，但能吸引人的概念會比較有浮出水面的機會。
四、附錄：
1．構思技巧：專心一意不要停筆，就算是完全與預期不沾邊的胡言亂言或筆尖風暴也可以寫下來，這會某種程度激發自己意想不到的創意；分析大師的名作，這可以讓你了對七要素與三幕劇有更深的理解；從人、事、時、地、原因五點擇一來切入，不一定要以主角當唯一的切入點。
2．改編小說：如果劇情很複雜或單純依賴作者文筆而成功的小說是不容易被改編成電影劇本的，而文學強的作品也比不上娛樂性強的作品好賣。
June 17, 2021
看John Truby的《故事寫作大師班》就好了。
那本實在太精彩了。
那本實在太精彩了。
March 29, 2013
A detailed, comprehensive guide to writing an effective screenplay. Just because the author doesn't think movies made from cartoons have all the necessary story elements doesn't mean he's against horror. Included in the famous quotes is Silence of the Lambs. You may not be able to follow the formula to the "T;" I can't, it would ruin the horror story, but still, there are a lot of helpful hints in here to make your story gripping to the reader.
July 15, 2013
I'm just starting to get back into creative writing as a hobby and this is the first book i've read on screenwriting. It's exciting to see how simple it is. Now I'm seeing movies and things I read in a whole different way.
November 3, 2016
Great book for a person who wants to put an idea down for a story. Since I am new to writing it is a great guide on how to start and finish.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews