A generation of screenwriters has used Syd Field's bestselling books to ignite successful careers in film. Now the celebrated producer, lecturer, teacher has updated his classic guide for a new generation of filmmakers, offering a fresh insider's perspective on the film industry today. From concept to character, from opening scene to finished script, here are easily understood guidelines to help aspiring screenwriters--from novices to practiced writers--hone their craft. Filled with updated material--including all-new anecdotes and insights, guidelines on marketing and collaboration, plus analyses of recent films--Screenplay presents a step-by-step, comprehensive technique for writing the screenplay that will succeed in Hollywood.
Why the first ten pages of every script are crucial to keeping professional readers' interest
- Why the first ten pages of your script are crucially important
- How to visually "grab" the reader from page one, word one
- Why structure and character are the essential foundation of your screenplay
- How to adapt a novel, a play, or an article into a screenplay
- Tips on protecting your work—three legal ways to claim ownership of your screenplay
- The essentials of writing great dialogue, creating character, building a story line, overcoming writer's block, getting an agent, and much more
With this newly updated edition of his bestselling classic, Syd Field proves yet again why he is revered as the master of the screenplay--and why his celebrated guide has become the industry's gold standard for successful screenwriting.
Editorial Reviews
“Screenplay is one of the bibles of the film trade and has launched many a would-be screenwriter on the road to Hollywood.” —Library Journal
“Syd Field is the preeminent analyzer in the study of American screenplays.” —James L. Brooks, AcademyAward–winning writer, director, producer
About the Author
Acclaimed as "the guru of all screenwriters" (CNN), Syd Field (1935-2013) is still regarded by many Hollywood professionals to be the leading authority in the art and craft of screenwriting. The Hollywood Reporter called him "the most sought-after screenwriting teacher in the world." Field's internationally acclaimed best-selling books "Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting," "The Screenwriter's Workbook," and "The Screenwriter's Problem Solver" have established themselves as the "bibles" of the film industry. "Screenplay" and "The Screenwriter's Workbook" are in their fortieth printing and are used in colleges and universities across the country. They have been translated and published in more than 25 languages.
