101 Things I Learned in Film School [Hardcover]

Neil Landau (Author), Matthew Frederick (Collaborator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 2010 | Series: 101 Things I Learned

What are the essentials of screenplay structure? What's the difference between plot, story, and theme? What's the best camera angle to convey inner psychology? How are movie finances structured?

These questions and more are answered in this exquisitely packaged book by Neil Landau, an experienced screenwriter and script consultant to the major movie studios. Presented in the familiar format of the popular 101 THINGS I LEARNED® book series, 101 THINGS I LEARNED IN FILM SCHOOL's two-page, illustrated lessons will engage, inform, and inspire film school students, amateur filmmakers, high school grads, industry professionals, and casual aficionados.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Neil Landau's credits include writing for and producing for Universal Pictures, Disney, Columbia Pictures, and 20th Century Fox. He's worked on such diverse projects as "Melrose Place," "Doogie Howser MD," MTV's "Undressed," and "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead." He currently serves as a faculty advisor in the MFA Writing Program at Goddard College and teaches at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television.

Matthew Frederick is an architect, urban designer, and the creator of the 101 THINGS I LEARNED® book series. He has taught architecture, urban design, and urban planning at a number of colleges and universities. He lives in Hudson, New York.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (May 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446550272
• ISBN-13: 978-0446550277
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.9 x 7.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Performing Arts
  • #46 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Movies > Screenwriting
  • #53 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Movies > Direction & Production

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 101 Things I Learned in Film School - Buy this little black book! May 11, 2010

By Elizabeth Brown

Format:Hardcover

I carry around a little black book--101 Things I Learned in Film School by Neil Landau. Ever since I bought and read it, I have been carrying this excellent book around with me like a good luck charm so I can have Landau's sage wisdom and years of talent/expert advice and experience as a screenwriter/filmmaker at my fingertips. I am sure you will feel the same about its contents--you'll never "lose" this book - it's chocked full of 101 powerful lessons on screenwriting and film for the beginner, intermediate, or advanced student. Even professional filmmakers/screenwriters will benefit from reviewing all of the book's most pertinent ideas and advice to recharge their creativity or focus anew on a project or script.

As a professor of creative writing, I will now use 101 Things I Learned in Film School in all my film/screenwriting classes. Additionally, as the Director of both the Chicago Writers' Workshop and the Los Angeles Writers' Workshop, I am implementing this book into all of our screenwriting and film classes! Forget about spending thousands of dollars on film school when this book can give you so much at a fraction of the cost--expert advice from a master who knows Hollywood and his craft, Neil Landau. I highly recommend 101 Things I Learned in Film School!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! May 21, 2010

By S. Ward

Format:Hardcover

Film making is essentially storytelling, and as a writing teacher and avid reader, it's always fascinated me. I have been wanting to learn more about this storytelling process, and about the nuts and bolts of movie-making -- including scriptwriting, camera angles, and editing -- in a way that's relatively quick and accessible. This little book was perfect for me. It's deceptively straightforward and simple but rich with information. It helped me grasp the process of film-making, which Neil Landau described as both "painstakingly deliberate and fortuitously experimental." I am excited about looking for some of techniques he described next time I watch an excellent movie.

Some aspects of movie making the author touches on:

* The stages of film-making -- from pre-production to post-production.
* The nuts and bolts of screenplays -- have you ever wondered how to format a screenplay or how long it should be? (hint: 1 screenplay page = 1 minute of screen time)
* Writing and editing the screenplay -- it includes some of the standard gems cherished by us writing teachers, like "show, don't tell," plus tips for plotting, advice on developing a compelling protagonist, and more.
* Coming up with an effective movie title.
* Creating believable dialogue.
* How to pitch a screenplay to a film studio executive.
* How to use lighting and various camera lenses and angles to tell your story and reveal important things about a character's psychology.
* Tips for casting.
* Things the audience should experience during a movie, like catharsis.

This is a concise, intriguing overview of the art of film making, strewn with quotes from movie makers, actors, and writers, that I'll be keeping on a side table in my T.V. room for future reference. Many of the ideas explored in this book, including plot development, creating characters, storytelling, themes, and imagery, will also help with reading or writing fiction. I highly recommend it to writers, film buffs, teachers, homeschoolers and anyone who is fascinated with the process of telling a compelling story.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good films are like this book: concise October 3, 2010

By Daniel Estes

Format:Hardcover

I graduated from film school and I absolutely love little books like this one. Some of the wisdom was new for me though much of it was traditional film knowledge presented from the author's unique perspective. Some of the lessons were technical, like day-to-day stuff while working on a film, and some were about the art and how to best present it. The best tidbits had to do with trimming your work down for better clarity, better flow, better tension, and almost better everything. This applies to the screenplay, the film, and even the production itself.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is attributed to filmmaker Sidney Lumet: 'All great work is preparing yourself for the accident to happen.'