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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
2 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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 - 5 of 5 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.
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 - 5 of 5 reviews