Essentials of Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing [Paperback]

Richard Walter (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 29, 2010

Hollywood's premier teacher of screenwriting shares the secrets of writing and selling successful screenplays

Anyone fortunate enough to win a seat in Professor Richard Walter's legendary class at UCLA film school can be confident their career has just taken a quantum leap forward. His students have written more than ten projects for Steven Spielberg alone, plus hundreds of other Hollywood blockbusters and prestigious indie productions, including two recent Oscar winners for best original screenplay-Milk (2008) and Sideways (2006).

In this updated edition, Walter integrates his highly coveted lessons and principles from Screenwriting with material from his companion text, The Whole Picture, and includes new advice on how to turn a raw idea into a great movie or TV script-and sell it. There is never a shortage of aspiring screenwriters, and this book is their bible.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Walter has been the Screenwriting Chairman of the UCLA Film, Television, and Digital Media writing program for almost thirty years. A screenwriter and novelist himself, he lives in Los Angeles, California. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Plume; Revised edition (June 29, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452296277
• ISBN-13: 978-0452296275
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,649 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Reference
  • #9 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Movies > Screenwriting
  • #54 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Television

More About the Author

Richard Walter is a celebrated storytelling guru, movie industry expert, and longtime chairman of UCLA's legendary graduate program in screenwriting. A screenwriter and published novelist, his latest book, Essentials of Screenwriting, is available in stores now. His previous published works include the novels Escape from Film School and Barry and the Persuasions and screenwriting books The Whole Picture: Strategies for Screenwriting Success in the New Hollywood and Screenwriting: The Art, Craft and Business of Film and Television Writing.

He has written numerous feature assignments for the major studios and has sold material to all three networks. He has also written many informational, educational and corporate films. Richard lectures on screenwriting and storytelling throughout North America and the world. He has conducted master classes in London, Paris, Jerusalem, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Beijing and Hong Kong.

Students from Richard's screenwriting program at UCLA have written more than ten projects for Steven Spielberg alone, plus dozens of other Hollywood blockbusters and prestigious indie productions, including two recent Oscar winners for best screenplay: Milk and Sideways.

Richard is a widely viewed pop culture critic and media pundit who has appeared multiple times on The Today Show, The O'Reilly Factor, Hardball, ABC Primetime, Scarborough Country, CBS News Nightwatch, NPR, KABC-Talk Radio and numerous independent television and radio stations. More than a hundred newspaper and magazine articles have described his work and the program he directs at UCLA.

In addition to his stature in the media and academic world as a writer of substantial professional experience, Richard is also a leading expert witness in intellectual property litigation.

For more information and to order the new Essentials of Screenwriting, visit www.richardwalter.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Essentials of Screenwriting August 12, 2010

By J. Leisawitz

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Some teachers teach because they love school and never want to leave. Others teach because they get summers off. But the best teachers in the world do it because they have an insatiable desire to master a subject and share it with anyone who'll listen. If you're ever fortunate enough to find yourself in the same room (or book) as one of these types, it can be a life changing experience.

Professor Richard Walter, UCLA's Screenwriting Chairman, is one of these guys. He's been pondering the dynamics of story and structure every day for the past several decades and doesn't break a sweat referencing everything from Aristotle to Avatar in the same breath.

Essentials of Screenwriting covers all the big stuff in detail-- theme, conflict, character, dialogue, etc. But this book goes deeper, exploring the interplay of psychology, art and commerce before defining a 'foolproof, shockproof, waterproof, tamper resistant' method for reaching an agent.

Throughout these pages Richard also lays out a series of Screenwriting Principles. They are short and sweet, barbed and brilliant. These sixty odd philosophies (along with the story of the clueless Kindergarten teacher) are alone worth many times the cover price of this book.

Essentials cuts to the chase with more style, wisdom and funny than all of the other screenwriting books I've ever read... combined. It's a fun and informative read packed with practical knowledge about the biz along with profound insights on every conceivable subject, mistake, obstacle and/ or challenge a screenwriter is likely to face.

Professor Walter knows that movies are much more than just a way to kill a few hours on a Saturday night. Great movies express the love, pain, suffering, joy, triumph and tragedy of the human experience. That's why we love them.

This book will help you write them.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and honest, but redundant for experienced writers February 24, 2012

By Celeste Thoms VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

This is must in the collection of beginner and intermediate screenwriters. It really goes through every single detail of what you need to know about, not only the art but what it means as a job. It's an entertaining and easy read. I read through it in a couple of sittings. However, I will say that with a lot of the books I've read about the topic and writing screenplays myself, what is written is all that you will come to know and understand with experience. Even with experience it's sometimes good to have a reminder of what's important in a story. This book is a great reminder, but I did feel that a lot of the topics I have gone over so many times before and this wasn't really a new perspective on those topics. I recommend it especially for beginners who need an excellent overview of what it takes to be a writer. This book is honest about what it really takes and it's extremely hard work but Mr. Walters is never discouraging about that. If you are an experienced writer the topics may be bit redundant. Therefore, I would take it as a good refresher and not as something that will give you a lot of new insight.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep and inspiring December 14, 2010

By Pen Densham

Format:Paperback

As an active Hollywood Filmmaker I've had the privilege of working with students who studied with Richard. They adore him and write with a great strength. I also teach and adjunct class at USC and I ask my students to review a great many books on film. Richard's new revision of Essentials stands out as a wonderful deep and resonant overview of the craft and business. It speaks to both newer writers and as a great refresher course for working pros. Richard wants to inspire you to think, and enjoy the process, and he succeeds admirably at both!