Book Description
With the average payment for a screenplay over $100,000, every writer knows that screenwriting is where the money is. In this guide, successful screenwriter and teacher Cynthia Whitcomb shares her extensive knowledge on writing for the screen. This book will teach you her proven techniques, including how to:
• test an idea for its commercial potential
• plan a compelling script
• write great openings and endings
• create characters that grow and evolve
• revise and hone your script to attract Hollywood agents and producers
Includes lists of the best movies to study—and why!
Cynthia Whitcomb has sold more than 70 feature-length screenplays, 25 of which have been filmed. She has made millions of dollars for her work, and her scripts have won and been nominated for many awards, including the Emmy Award, Cable Ace Award, Edgar Allan Poe Award, Humanitas Award, and Writers Guild of America Awards. Her students have also gone on to write successful box-office hits. She has taught screenwriting for many years, including seven at the acclaimed UCLA Film School.
Whitcomb's commercial success and teaching experience make this an essential resource for anyone who wants to write winning scripts for Hollywood.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Book!.......2007-04-04
I'm writing my first screenplay and found this book to be invaluable. Worth its weight in gold.
The best!.......2007-03-14
I've read other screenplay books, watched videos and this book is the best! Not just telling you what to do but with real world suggestions. She rewrites movie endings for you so you can see how a good movie could have been a great movie. She shows you mediocre dialogue and rewrites it so it's great movie dialogue.
It's a great book for novelists too. Creating crisp believable dialogue, creating conflicted characters, pacing. It's all here.
She is direct and like a great movie, gets to the real issues fast.
Read it Thrice.......2006-10-08
"A Brief History of Time" for scriptwriters.
Compressing novel-length stories into an interesting 90-120 minutes, is a big part of the art.
Whitcomb puts a huge quantity of important information into very few pages.
She writes with simple words in short sentences, yet the content is astonishingly information rich.
And spot on.
A rare talent seen only in the very gifted.
There are books on scriptwriting that run to 500+ pages that are quite good. J. Michael Straczynski's works come immediately to mind.
However you can re-read this book 5 times in fewer minutes than it takes to read any of those longer books once. With repetition, you'll surely retain much more of what you read.
Recommended. Highly.
Finally, somebody who knows what they're talking about!.......2006-07-04
Whenever I am about to buy a 'how to write' book, I first look at the bio to see what the writer has actually done. Just about every 'how-to' is written by a 'haven't-done-much.' Cynthia Whitcomb's professional experience is far and away the most.
Not to say other books don't have sound advice, but I sensed a depth here that was lacking elsewhere. I attribute that to her experience.
BTW, I'm a published prose writer, and I recommend this book for prose writers, since a lot of what she says translates over to the written page. It wouldn't hurt novelists to structure plots and develop scenes with as much craft and skill as screenwriters do.
Writer's Guide to Writing Your Screenplay.......2006-03-06
As an old writer who is new to the field of screemwriting, I have found the industry full of mystery when attempting to write a screenplay. Cynthia's book takes away a lot of the confusion and worry by succinctly explaining terms, giving multiple clear-cut examples, and laying out the entire process so that rookies can learn the basics, and experienced writers can get a quick review from an entertaining source. I am sincerely hoping Cynthia plans to write a similar book in the future with regards to publishing hints!
Book Description
An encyclopedic look at several dozen of the most well known "people" of literature, television, mythology, and film.
From detectives and criminals (Dick Tracy, Perry Mason, and Norman Bates) to the greats of theater (Hamlet, Shylock, Romeo, and Juliet), the book covers and uncovers the history and influences of major characters of fiction.
The three writers use a variety of styles and approaches, (one essay is told from a canine's point of view), and the tone ranges from scholarly to open comedy.
Customer Reviews:
A great concept-- but not particularly well done.......2007-05-19
I read a review of this book in a magazine, and I was intrigued by the concept: Michael Hart's "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History" deals with actual people; wouldn't it be possible and useful to do the same with fictional characters? Yes, it would, but, unfortunately, the authors don't execute the concept very well.
The problem for me isn't the rankings. After, all, they're admittedly subjective, and in the end, they don't matter that much any way. The thing that I found jarring at first-- and then grating as I read on-- was the uneven quality of the essays. I suspect that this was in part due to the simple fact that there are three co-authors. It would be very difficult to coordinate the styles and lengths of the essays.
More seriously, though, they clearly didn't attempt to coordinate the point of the essays. That is, some of them are straight biographies. Some are pop-cultural analyses of the significance of the characters. Some are political screeds. Some are failed attempts to be cutsie, best illustrated by the essay supposedly written by an author's dog. Many of the essays read as though they were responses to homework assignments that were written at the last second by a student hoping that his teacher will mistake generalities and clever wordplay for content.
Now, this isn't to say that I hated the book; in fact, I actually liked it. It's just that it disappointed me. With a little more authorial discipline-- or maybe stronger editorial control-- it could have been a GREAT book.
So, in summary, I think it's worth reading, and it's entertaining, but I believe it could have been so much better.
Okay Bathroom book........2007-03-21
My sister bought me this book and I was really excited to read it because my friends and I would sit around and discuss topics such as this. It appears that a group of people took advantage of an idea most of us have had and did not deliver anything more than essays that remind me of papers I wrote 3 hours before they were due. Sometimes I never understood why they thought the character was influential, sometimes their influence seemed extremely exaggerated and sometimes I was not sure whether they undertsood influence. The only reason I gave the book 2 stars is because it reignited my desire to have discussions a=on topics such as this.
Don't Get It..........2007-02-16
A list that includes such potentially fleeting charactors as Buffy The Vampire Slayer as high as #44 and the demotion of a universally recognised near 70 year old charactor such as Superman to #64 is highly doubtful in its seriousness or its intention.
I don't believe they would write the same list even 12 months from now.
A bathroom is where this book belongs........2007-02-05
I found the book title to be very fascinating and looked forward to reading about people who have shaped our society and ourselves. What I found was self-indulgent humor that was not particularly funny and in fact often times trite. Were the authors drunk when they wrote this?! It's full of side bars and I guess what they consider jokes; though none were funny. The #24 person they listed was Odysseus who they claim tried to avoid the Trojan War by pretending to be insane; that plan having failed, he tried to join the Air National Guard in Texas. The book eventually wound up being a politial satire to slam our government I guess.
Then the authors suggest having a St. Lupercalia'a Day in which we have a day to celebrate orgies to keep the clergy happy. What?! Are you kidding me? This book is completely inappropriate. It would have been a wonderful book if the authors could have kept from drinking while writing it.
Could have been better.......2007-01-09
I had read an article that excerpted some of the essays in this book and loved the concept. It's fascinating that 101 of the most influential people who have shaped our society were not even real people. However, this book was a bit of a disappointment. After reading through 2 or 3 articles, I just skimmed the rest. To be honest, the title was much more compelling than the essays were.
Book Description
Digital video cameras have become more affordable and reliable than ever, and with the help of former television producer, editor, and cameraman Colin Barret, new owners of this hot technology can produce a memorable video right at home. Barret offers the fruits of his expertise in a thorough, practical introduction that covers it all. In addition to advice on choosing a camcorder and tips on getting the most out of its features, illustrated tutorials explain how to shoot creatively and master techniques such as point-of-view, close-ups, cutaway shots, and effective lighting. Spice up the sound by incorporating audio tracks, and find out how to create special effects. There's even a detailed description of how to set up a fully functional home editing suite.
Customer Reviews:
For anyone who wants to start using a video camera.......2007-09-13
I would recommend this book as a start here before anything else. Even though you'de have had a camera for months and years but just shoot movies where the ones you share it with are happy to get away from it. Buy it, it teaches you in very in an easy non jargon way how to do things looking good and impress the audence. It is good when people ask for a copy after they've seen the movie. And you hear they wantch it over and over. I love this book it is brilliant.
So-so and a little dated.......2007-08-05
I was assigned this book as the text for an intro to digital video grad class. The book was okay, but not especially impressive. It was redundant in some places and some of the information seemed dated. It's a very general book, so it's appropriate for a class where the instructor doesn't know what kinds of cameras or editing programs students will use.
However, if you're looking for a book to help you with the program and camera you have, you can probably find something more specific to your situation.
The title is a bit of a misnomer as well. There are no step-by-step guides or lessons in the book.
It's not a bad book, but it's not great either.
Nice Book..........2007-06-30
I liked the presentation, organization and the the printing of the book wich I consider is of the highest quality, It also has good color ilustrations and photos, I didn't find errors of any kind. But even when I'm a beginner videographer, I consider the information contained in the book is very general and the book is oriented to explain that "there are easy ways of making things..., that you can use several good applications available in the market for you..." But I would have liked the book explained: "ways of making... and the steps for finishing your projects.." I mean the book lacks of "How to...or the step by step for beginners". But in general is a good book. Please be aware of that...So you won't be disapointed.
Excellent for today's high quality digital video .......2007-06-25
I'm a semi-pro photographer of stills, based in film, now dSLR's and so I understand fairly well photographic considerations in acquiring good images! This book will easily help beginners and existing still photographers bridge the gap into Digital Video capture. Going beyond just understanding the latest advances in digital camcorders, the book guides you through actual processes of capturing good story-telling footage, things that we see in broadcast everyday, but probably don't give much of a thought as to how video was captures, sequenced and edited. I was really looking for such a guide as a starting place as i just purchased a Sony HDR-HC7 mini-DV camcorder ... and needed to know basic camera operation, as well as shooting techniques and video editing techniques. The book is VERY well laid out, simple to read and find headings and TIPS as needed - I think I'll pull from this volume a great deal of useful information and wish to thank the author!
Excellent book to learn Video Photography without the jargon.......2006-05-20
After an extensive research I tried my luck and bought this book (as I could not preview the content), and I am really impressed with it. This is the perfect book for someone who really wants to learn video photography, as opposed to just learning to buy the greatest gadget and press the right buttons, thereby capturing worthless video.
I am an advanced amateur photographer for the last 15 years, and I know that taking good photo is 90% work of the mind - finding out the perfect frame and the perfect moment to shoot a great photograph, and 10% work of the hand to use the camera. Most of the other Digital Video books focus mostly on the later 10% aspect. Not this book - It teaches you extensively what to look for in a good video and how to get them.
The book is divided into 5 sections:-
- What you need to know about your camcorder
- Step-by-step shooting techniques
- How to shoot great home movies
- Step-by-step digital video-editing techniques
- Showing and sharing your movies
The sections about "shooting techniques" and "great home movies" are the largest in this book, and that's what I liked. The author is a professional in this field (former television producer, editor and cameraman), unlike authors of other books who are either wannabe movie producers or small movie makers. The other books instruct you to write down a storyboard on paper which is not feasible in a vacation movie or capturing unpredictable activities of your newborn. Here you will learn how to think so that you can create a great story on the fly.
This book is filled with lots of tips used by professionals, one good example is: not to use the zoom during shooting. Most professional productions do not contain zooming sequence. They take a wide angle shot to show the background, then next shot they show a close up of the subject, the zooming being done off-camera. Lots of zooming sequence is the typical sign of a poor home video.
On the whole, this is a perfect book to study before diving into the world of serious video photography.
Amazon.com
The title of The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is something of an oxymoron, because this thorough book covers everything you need to know about filmmaking production, from concept to screening. The only missing element is film itself.
Film and video production are in transition. Film and analog videotape rapidly are approaching the end of their technological lives, being replaced by digital videotape and digital cameras. You can buy computers that connect to DV cameras and edit DV tape almost anywhere, and they cost only slightly more than an entry-level computer. The Digital Filmmaking Handbook, then, is for anyone buying into the DV revolution who wants to do more than shoot home movies of the kids. It's for filmmakers young and old, professional and hobbyist, who want to learn to shoot, edit, and make great movies.
Unlike traditional filmmaking books, in which only the camera and some audio and editing equipment are addressed, part of this book approaches the medium from a computer hardware and software perspective. Numerous hardware issues like choosing the components for an editing workstation (chapter 5), the kind of digital video camera to use (chapter 6), selecting editing and audio software (chapter 7), and various output formats (chapter 18) are discussed. Also, there are chapters on effects, making video look like film (chapter 17), and digital titling (chapter 16).
The book never strays from speaking to moviemakers instead of moviemaking-gear buyers. Everything from preproduction tasks (such as scripting, storyboarding, and budgeting) to production tasks (like set preparation, lighting, filming (sans film), and sound recording) through final editing, color correction, titles, and output is explained. Filmmaking is heavily dependent on technology, and each of these subjects is well covered. Chapters on audio, for example, include selection of microphone types; differences between mic types; how to connect mics to a DV camera or synchronize audio in postproduction; how to control sound levels; and so on.
The chapter on editing reflects the experience of the authors. Films are understood through their own language, and how scenes are edited determines the dialect of that language. Such techniques as matching screen position, matching emotion and tone, matching action, when to use pauses and overlapping edits, and the effect of pauses and pull-ups (shortening a scene) are defined and justified.
If you can't get into NYU's film school--or even if you can--The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is a worthy reference to keep at your fingertips. --Mike Caputo
Book Description
Since the advent of digital video and desktop editing software, scores of independent producers have become equipped to make their own movies. But because filmmaking involves much more than just buying a camera and a computer, there's The Digital Filmmaking Handbook. This one-stop digital filmmaking resource will guide you from your initial idea to getting your finished project "in the can." It will show you how to create shots and effects that are rarely associated with low-budget productions. And it covers everything from writing and pre-production planning to shooting and post-production editing and effects. Now in its third edition, this best-selling book has been completely updated and revised to include detailed information on a number of important new digital video technologies, including both high-end HD video and the new HDV format, and affordable new digital video standard that lets even low-budget producers work in high-definition video. All of the chapters have been revised to cover the latest hardware, software, and production workflows,, and new exercises offer help with everything from writing to special effects. Whether your goal is an industrial project, a short subject for your Web site, or a feature-length movie for a film festival, this book will help you understand the questions you need to ask, so that you will be prepared to solve the myriad problems that will arise.
Customer Reviews:
This is the book you'll need..........2007-04-19
If you're like me, just getting started as a hobbyist filmmaker, this is the book. I only received it yesterday and glancing through the contents, it covers most, if not all of the questions I've had about certain aspects of filmmaking. It is well written in everyday english, easy to understand.
Since yesterday when I first opened the cover, I haven't been able to set it down for very long. It's that good. I highly recommend this book to any and all levels of individuals who want to learn about filmmaking from the ground up. It covers it all.
From writing to production: everything you'll need..........2006-03-16
Ben Long and Sonja Schenk's DIGITAL FILMMAKING HANDBOOK THIRD EDITION pairs a fine DVD packed with project files, film clips and tutorials with an updated, revised edition of a best-selling guide to new digital video technologies. Chapters have all been revised to cover the latest hardware and software configurations and new exercises provide help with everything from writing to production. Black and white screen shots and examples throughout make DIGITAL FILMMAKING HANDBOOK a one-step resource.
Good Description of How to Get Started.......2006-03-13
An excellent one stop guide to getting started in digital filmmaking, realizing of course, that there is no film involved.
This book starts with selecting the things like the type of camera you need to make digital video. And for good work, a good camera is necessary, and expensive. IThe book is intended for the person who is just getting started. It explains the terms, the basic equipment you will need, and so on.
The concept of making a film, no, a video starts with a story. From here you need a script. Then you do a story board to plan your shoot. If this sounds a bit professional, it is. This book presumes that you are serious about making a video. This is a rough cut at what the pros do to make a film. ==From this book alone you probably won't get to the Academy Awards show, but reading and putting into practice what the book says might get you into a commercial or a local indistrial film production.
All in all a good summary of getting started in the digital AV business.
Great for begginners--NOT for advanced or anyone who has any brains.......2005-10-31
This book was written for people that have no clue what a computer, a video camera, or a movie is. It is written for the very inexperienced or novice--the people that should not be making movies to begin with.
But it is packed with information a 7 year old or 88 year old can understand, and it is 95% close to being accurate. I guess if one needs to start somewhere, here it is, but after reading it, please do not make your first movie to send to festivals, make as many as you can, practice, practice, practice, then get a real book. Digital Filmmaking 101, Digital Moviemaking, Independent Filmmakers Manual, and so forth before getting into the movie making world--please.
Great starting guide and more!!.......2003-05-20
This book covers all aspects of digital film making and as such doesn't really have the space needed to go into in depth detail on every subject. Regardless, it is a great place to start. It's a very easy read, unlike a lot of film making books that assume you've already got a Masters degree in film. I wont talk much about content descriptions as other reviewers have done a good job of that already - infact, it was on the strength of such user reviews that I bought the book in the first place. I will say this though, if you haven't already bought a camera, buy this book before you do. Lack of funds may make your choices limited anyway, but you wont regret having read this book first.
I have given the book 4 stars instead of five simply because I found the tutorial sections to be a little out of place. The tutorials seem to make the assumption that you have equipment at your desposal - such as expensive lighting kits - and as I imagine that many readers wont, the significance of these tutorials will be slightly lost by the time you do actually have these items in front of you. Unfortunately I couldn't rate the book at 4.5 stars, but that is what I'd like to give it.
In closing, this shouldn't be, and if you're anything like me it wont be, the only book on digital film making that you buy, but it is definately the perfect place to start.
Book Description
Welcome, foolish mortals, to The Haunted Mansion, one of the most popular attractions in Disney theme park history. The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies fleshes out how the Mansion's 999 grim grinning ghosts were brought to life. Rare early sketches and story concepts, and stunning architectural drawings illustrate the Mansion's evolution as it was constructed at each Magic Kingdom Park around the globe. The attraction has now been brought to an afterlife like never before in a movie starring Eddie Murphy, with special effects by Rick Baker. Readers will get an insider's view of uncanny costume creations, spine-tingling set developments, and the latest in CGI (computer ghost imaging) technology. This is one book you'll be dying to have on your shelf!
Customer Reviews:
Welcome foolish mortaals, to the haunted mansion!.......2007-08-17
THis book was great! A ton of information on the ride! I couldnt put it down! It was great.
A SPIRITED TRIBUTE TO A DISNEY CLASSIC.......2006-07-18
This book is a must read for ALL ages and ANYONE interested in Disney theme park attractions around the globe. Any Disney fan knows that the Imagineers are very particular about what is revealed to the general public in terms of how they make their Disney 'magic' and I was pleasantly surprised (being an avid Disney fan myself) by the research that went into the making of this book and the amount of knowledge shared with the reader - it DOES in fact reveal some secrets of the mansion and never before seen history of the making of the attraction. (It confirms and dispels some rumors about the attraction once and for all too!) A pattern of discussion is followed throughout the book as you are verbally walked through the mansion's corridors and rooms. Surrell consistently covers the Haunted Mansion in a logical order (Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris) in every chapter. He takes the subject matter full circle by including information about how the attraction was translated to the big screen, and gives the reader insight to how decisions were made pertaining to set design, costume design, and casting for the movie of the same name. If you want an intelligent, thorough and enjoyable read about a classic Disney attraction, and especially an insight to the magic that is Imagineering, this is a MUST READ!
Weak information...a promo for the ride and the movie.......2006-07-10
You buy this book thinking it's a great "behind-the-scenes" resource, but it's not. Yes, there is some background information, but the book skips confusingly from park to park, and offers very little technical information on the special effects. The photos are all standard Disney promotional stuff...this book tells you what Disney wants you to know, and nothing else.
Go to doombuggies.com for a much better treatment of this classic ride.
This reader says "hurry ba-ack, hurry ba-ack".......2006-07-03
Lots o' great info on both the Ride @ the Disney Theme Parks + the Movie [which I loath - sorry but the Haunted Mansion wasn't meant to be made into a 2 hour episode of the Fresh Prince of Bellaire, mmmkay ?] + the Haunted Mansion Holiday ....
Future editions should drop all reference to the Movie, then spend more time on the Haunted Mansion Holiday [Nightmare Before Christmas Holiday makeover] + recent "changes" that occured in 2006 [I'd make it a 5 star if they did that] ....
If you don't want to read the book, please buy it for the artwork
[best priced Disney Merchandise vs. what you will pay @ the Theme Parks] ....
~(^)~
Great read!.......2006-06-18
I picked this book up at Disneyland and it's fantastic! I only wish I'd have read it before going on the ride, there's so many little details I didn't know to look for.
If you're a fan of the attraction, you'll love this book!
Customer Reviews:
Interesting.......2006-11-07
An interesting if not biased look at the life (and art?) of Roger Corman. Essential reading for low-budget filmmaking.
Very interesting read for pop culture, film and business buffs.......2006-06-24
I'm not sure of how I happened upon this biography, but I'm glad I did. I'm not particularly a Roger Corman fan, having seen perhaps three or four of his films without really noticing that Corman had a part in their making.
Corman's life is interesting. Not only was he probably the most successful independent filmaker in history, he was also mentor and first-chance for many of today's leading producers, directors, writers and stars.
Remarkably down to earth and honest, Corman admits that his life has not been totally fulfilling: like many successful people, success is never enough - there's always one more challenge down the road and more than one challenge left unexplored in the past.
Corman engages in some, but not deep, analysis of his films, explains his evolving political philosophy and provides snippets that from another author might be construed as name-dropping. But Corman was there and it's his interactions with these people he's talking about, so it's not in the least obnoxious.
Above all, the value of Corman's book may not be to film buffs, but to business people, especially small scale entrepreneurs. Corman's management methods and his approach to filmaking were true nose-to-the-grindstone. He knew his market; he studied his market; he created his product to appeal to his market and he kept costs down to a minimum in order to reduce his risk of loss.
Quite a guy and his biography is worth the couple of hours it takes to read it.
Jerry
You'll Understand Corman Better.......2005-06-26
To this day, I haven't seen one Corman film I've liked. Still, this book is a nice look into the world of low-budget producing. It gave me the opportunity to truly understand my disdain for Corman and AIP.
Most of the book focuses on three or four of the productions Corman is most proud of. I would have preferred him spending additional time on his more obscure films. Teenage Caveman only gets a paragraph or two written about it.
A documentary would have been a more appropriate format for this material than a book. It would have been much shorter that way at the very least. Then again, Corman always had a knack for dragging things out in his films. Ever seen Swamp Diamonds?
The main theme of the book seems to be, "Yeah, Corman's films were bad, but he did pretty good for what he had." That doesn't take away the fact that they're bad films. Don't watch them unless you have a high threshold of pain.
Roger Corman, John Waters & Jack E. Jett.......2003-11-18
i love this book. i love this man. i love what he has done with very little money and some big....imagination. i love women, cereal, movies, and water. and i love roger corman too.
cinemajohn
for
the jack e. jett show
Good book from the king of Trash.......2003-11-12
First, this is really a 1990 book, and all information pertains to 1988 and prior. I enjoy exploitation films and this book adds to my enjoyment. Many films today are boring and darkly filmed. Just a bunch of special effects done on a computer. It's nice to know that many of Roger Corman films are still available. Maybe not at you local Wal Mart, but they do appear on TV occasionally. This book provides information to further my appreciation of what Roger Corman was able to accomplish during his life-time. Well through 1988, anyway.
Book Description
Digital Filmmaking 101 reveals the secrets of making professional-quality ditial moviemaking on ultra-low budgets.
Customer Reviews:
Digital Filmmaking 101.......2007-06-01
Has lots of information and tips on "how-to-" do many things. But I wouldn't try to make a movie of it. It just didn't hit me.
Where is the digital?.......2007-04-05
I bought this book thinking it would help in a film project utilizing a good camera and a few volunteers. Unfortunately it does not even have much to say about the possibilities of digital filmmaking, but rather gives a disorganized (how about some editing?) depiction of their experience in making two films. I am not sure they even used the digital format.... The true focus is how to produce a film with little budget, and little experience. Not a bad topic, but not what I was expecting from the title. Three stars for the appendix, the chapter on working with the crew, and budget.
Excellent book.......2007-03-09
A well written, humorous book, includes lots of helpful hints, and several templates that help with the production process.
Informed, clear, cogent information and advice.......2007-01-12
This is the most informative, clearly written, cogent source of information on this subject I have read. Although you need rudimentary knowledge to practice what the authors preach, they provide intermediary and advanced tips and strategies that more than make this book worth the price of admission. Don't miss it!
Jeffrey M. Freedman
Screenwriter
'Vivaldi'
[....]
Great read. Recommended 4 anyone starting out........2006-12-14
Easy to follow, and worth every cent paid for it.
Book Description
You Lose Some, You Lose Some authors Lou Harry and Eric Furman continue their preoccupation with failure with In the Can — a look at fifty major movie stars and their biggest critical and box office duds. Some stars’ lowest moments may be obvious, while others take a bit more digging. Sections include:
• Bury It (or, Go Directly to Video/DVD): Including Jerry Lewis’s legendary (and never released) The Day the Clown Cried and Jim Varney and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Slam Dunk Ernest.
• Out of the Vaults: Forgotten movies that get dragged into the spotlight when a star hits it big, like Kevin Costner’s Sizzle Beach U.S.A. and Sylvester Stallone’s Party at Kitty and Stud’s.
• Oscar Jinx: You’d think an Oscar would lead one to better projects. Sometimes you’d be wrong. Think Jane Darwell after The Grapes of Wrath or Marisa Tomei after My Cousin Vinny.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointning, underresearched effort.......2006-06-03
This book sounded good: An alphabetical listing of nearly all recent movie stars with a discussion of each star's worst film. To qualify, a film had to be both a commercial and critical disaster. Only problem is the authors appear to have written the book over a long weekend. The entries are very short -- usually a page, sometimes less -- and contain almost no background on the films, apart from their box office take and, occasionally, quotes from reviewers. We all know Halle Berry's a fine actress and Catwoman was a bomb. Why not tell us how she came to make the film, what problems the film encountered in production that made it so bad, and so forth? The authors did essentially no research that might have enabled them to discuss these issues. Instead they provide a brief summary of the actor's career before and after the bomb under consideration and make a few smart remarks about the movie itself. They would have to be far wittier than they are to pull this off. In short, if you are movie fan, you probably already know everything you will read in this book. For a much better book on the same subject, check out James Robert Parish's Fiasco.
A great idea...and a fun, informative read.......2005-10-06
The authors seem to have had a very rough job while researching this book--it consists of nothing but big, big Hollywood bombs. I never thought it would be this fun reading about Battlefield Earth, Surviving Christmas, Mary Reilly and other tanks by Hollywood's biggest stars. Lots of interesting information. It's a page-turner.
Book Description
Crafty Screenwriting is the first book not only to offer a successful screenwriters tricks of the trade but to explain what development executives really mean when they complain that the dialogue is flat or the hero isnt likable. Smart, provocative, and funny, Hollywood insider Alex Epstein diagnoses problems that other screenwriting books barely address and answers questions that they rarely ask, like Why is it sometimes dangerous to know your characters too well before you start writing, or Why does your script have to be so much better than the awful pictures that get made every day? And as both a development executive who has accepted and rejected countless screenplays and a produced screenwriter, Epstein can take you into the heart of the most important question of all: Is this a movie? Crafty Screenwriting is a crucial book for anyone who has ever wondered what it takes to get their movie made.
Customer Reviews:
Read this book first.......2007-05-24
All of the real-world (how to get your script in front of the people who can buy it) advice is in this book. I've read 'em all and this is the best.
The helping hand to concentrate on script writing........2007-01-18
This is the started you need to boost your confidence. Lots of tips and websites too.
Good rewriting overview.......2006-06-08
Just another spec monkey here in L.A. working on a few scripts. But I think the previous review by mobuli gets this wrong.
Last month I tore apart a script and was trying to figure out how to put it back together properly. Like many a writer I found myself in need of specific techniques. Didn't need anymore discussion about mythic structure or formatting or act breaks or character, etc. All that stuff is valuable and good, but I was really in desperate need of good solid methods for laying out my action more clearly, threading action down a page. Using ..., -- and descriptions like
ME
pulling my hair out.
And did you know I could not find one screenwriting book currently in print that deals with just that sort of thing? It wasn't until I picked up Crafty Screenwriting and got to page 99 that I had found what I needed. Bought it before I got to page 100. For 31 pages, this book gave what I used as a rewrite tutorial to help me put my script together in the manner God intended. It was so useful that I demanded that every member of my screenwriting group march out immediately and buy it themselves.
When Substance Matters.......2006-05-31
For any writer out there it isn't a mystery how many screenwriting, writing and writing for the screen books exist in the world today (please note my redundancy had a point).
Reading one book is usually like reading them all. The same message, means and delivery - mechanical, trite and simplistically frustrating as we all know writing isn't easy - on the page is only 1/5 of the battle.
4/5 of the battle comes once the screenplay has been written and for those of us who don't have a dad, uncle, aunt, sister, cousin or best friend "since we were three" in Hollywood our perceptions on that ratio may be less than what we would like to admit.
It is refreshing then to find a book that not only covers that 4/5, but does it in a way that allows the reader not to be overwhelmed by clearly such overwhelming odds and circumstances. Crafty Screenwriting is actually an exterior title, because the book goes much deeper than that to explore the world of screenwriting, on the page, off, before, during and after the process. What exists, what doesn't, what to do, what not, how to do it, how not, etc ...
Anyone looking to read a book simply about how to write a screenplay, look elsewhere - you aren't ready for this level yet. If you're looking for knowledge on how to write a screenplay, how to get an agent, what to say in Hollywood, the moves you should be making and how to seal the deal - then you've found the 5/5 right here.
Anything but mechanical, nothing but informative and here's how you should feel after:
INT. HOUSE, COMPUTER ROOM - AFTERNOON
Bob, an unemployed writer, closes the book Crafty Screenwriting and places it to his left, while sitting in front of his computer.
The cursor from his screenwriting software blinks on the blank screen in front of him - BEAT, BEAT, BEAT.
Bob begins to type.
BOB (v.o.)
"Now I'm finally ready."
My bible.......2006-04-04
Of course we all have different ways to write. Some of the techniques from this book will not work the same way for everyone. But this book is a great source of dos, don'ts and gotchas of the process of getting a movie made.
This is money well spent.
And not that much anyway, which is even better!
Book Description
This groundbreaking book takes the reader behind the closed doors of the editing room where Sam O'Steen along with some of the world's top directors controlled the fate of many legendary films. Editors don't usually sit on movie sets, but Sam was there through the entire shoot and his editing tales are spiced with juicy anecdotes about exotic locations and colorful producers, directors, and stars.
Customer Reviews:
A compelling mix of a master at work and celebrity intriques.......2002-03-29
This book documents the creative evolution of the editor's role in Hollywood. Sam and Bobbie O'Steen weave a fascinating tale of how Sam worked his way from messenger at Warner Bros. to 'a pair of hands cutter' to master artist crafting the most amazing films that emerged after the fall of the studio system: "Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf", "Catch 22","Carnal Knowledge", "Chinatown". He worked with the top artists of his time and shares many unique and special anecdotes about them. Along the way he gives us insight into a master editor at work, writing about the choices and changes that can make a good film, great. A great addition to film fan or film students library.
Required Reading.......2002-03-23
Sam and Bobbie O'Steen have given us an exceptional mix of Sam's takes on all the elements that go into movie making - human, technical, personalities, talent/no talent and gossip - in a way that made me feel as though I was in a living room listening to Sam O'Steen tell stories. What a treat.
Sam O'Steen's editor's view of movie making combined with quite a cutting sense of life is unique. His throw away lines about some executives and stars are very telling. His generosity talking about editing brings great sense to the whole movie making process, and his body of work (Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe, The Graduate, Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, Catch 22, Carnal Knowledge, Silkwood, Working Girl, and all the rest...) allows him to speak with an earned cockiness. This book is a treasure for anyone who loves movies.
Very highly recommended for any film student or movie buff.......2002-03-21
Cut To The Chase: Forty-five Years Of Editing America's Favorite Movies is a rare look into the film editor's trade. In the format of an extended interview of Hollywood legend Sam O'Steen, editor of such renowned movies as "The Graduate," "Chinatown," and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?", and with the assistance of his wife, Bobbie O'Steen (herself an experienced writer and former film editor) covers all aspects of the creative movie making process as it really is in the lumbering, confusing, and sometimes merciless machine that is Hollywood. Showcasing the stars that he worked with, and much more, Cut To The Chase is very highly recommended for any film student or movie buff curious about what really goes on behind the silver screen.
not as much actual editing info as expected.......2002-02-18
While I do recomend this book as a good insight into the politics of making a major motion picture, I found it lacking in the one area it should have exceled in-editing. As an editor myself I was looking for more insight to O'Steen's thought process and editiorial technique and less behind the scenes gossip. Skip all the chapters after "Chinatown". It is a good read up to that point.
A Must-Read For Film Fans.......2002-02-10
This is one of the best books about the film business I've ever read. Legendary film editor Sam O'Steen tells all about his craft and about the importance of the relationship between editor and director. In doing so, we learn how the editor's role was crucial in shaping some of the greatest films of the last forty years including Who's Afraid Of Virgina Wolf, The Graduate, Carnal Knowledge, Silkwood and others. The book is the transcribed conversations between Sam and his wife and fellow editor, Bobbie O'Steen. It is remarkably intimate and wonderful in its backstage gossip as Bobbie gets a great performance from Sam, a classic storyteller who pulls no punches. Critical insight into the technique of filmmaking is mixed with racous and often breathtaking tales of Hollywood before parents began sending their kids to film school as an alternative to being a doctor.
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How Not to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make
The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script
Writer's Guide to Selling Your Screenplay
Writing Screenplays That Sell: The Complete, Step-By-Step Guide for Writing and Selling to
How to Write a Selling Screenplay
