Customer Reviews

The Script-Selling Game: A Hollywood Insider's Look at Getting Your Script Sold and Produced / By Kathie Fong Yoneda

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An industry veteran of 25 years, Kathie Fong Yoneda is both a story analyst at Paramount and a script consultant. Her background as a development executive gives her an excellent perspective for helping screenwriters can break down the gates to Hollywood. And this book aims to do just that.

The book is divided into four major parts: working on the script, meetings and pitches, submissions and relationships. It is a very clearly structured guide to the do's and don'ts for writers looking for their breakthrough (hint: the first step is to WRITE A GREAT SCRIPT!).

Yonada includes advice on how to behave towards executives, how to find an agent, the special vocabulary used in Hollywood, how to start a writers group, even how to prepare for a conference. All of this is written in a clear manner, making the book a very useful reference.

The downside to this is that most of this information is out there already. If you read screenwriting magazines and keep up with recent books on the business side of screenwriting, there will be very little here you don't know already. Moreover, the book is very "pro-system" -- there is no criticism of the way things are done, and the advice is very much "mainstream" common knowledge.

I don't think this book has very much to offer veteran writers who are already well acquainted with the vagaries of getting their scripts through the Hollywood maze. For writers who are starting out, however, the book will serve very well to inform them about the basics of getting your script sold to Hollywood.

The Script-Selling Game by Kathie Fong Yoneda is one of the best books I've read on marketing screenplays and the movie business for writers. Full of clear, concise information with examples, organized logically and with an eye to reality in Hollywood, this book confirmed most of what I've learned the last 4 years marketing to Hollywood and triggered more ideas for my current projects. Highly recommend for screenwriters both new and veteran.

"The Script-Selling Game" is a "must have" not only for screenwriters, but also for novelists and narrative non-fiction writers who are interested in seeing their books made into films. Fong-Yoneda provides step-by-step information on essentials such as how to create high-impact log lines, compelling pitches, and effective marketing techniques. "The Script-Selling Game" helps authors to turn dreams of having their books optioned for film into reality."

Imagine you have an idea for a screenplay. You've read all the top books on format, act structure and character arc, so it's easy to sit down and bang out your screenplay's first draft. As you work, your mind ambles ahead to which producer, director or studio might jump at the chance to read, buy and finally produce your story. It's a delicious feeling. But, before you let that imagination of yours get too far ahead of you, check out story analyst/development specialist Kathie Fong Yoneda's "The Script Selling Game."

Sometimes it feels as if I've read just about everything there is on how to write, revise, pitch and sell a screenplay. However, I haven't read anything about getting through the Hollywood system from the view of a script analyst. It is a unique view.

Yoneda's book doesn't need screaming hype. It provides grounded, solid advice that leads you from the beginning of scriptwriting - the idea - and follows through to continuing to work after your first sale. From what to avoid to what to do, this is a great primer on playing the Hollywood game, and winning. You'll get pointers on how to avoid common writing potholes and even to how to dress and act when you're "taking a meeting." (Do leave the artsy-fartsy clothing at home!)

I'm particularly fond of chapter 8: Beware of The Big 8 - 8 Most Common Reasons Why a Script Can Be Rejected. It's information that bears repeating, mantra style.

Then, of course, there's Chapter 9: Walking the Walk - Creating Opportunities for Yourself. I know too many writers who think that the moment they get an agent they don't have to work at selling anymore. Yoneda gives you all the reasons why you should work harder.

Yoneda writes in a pleasant, easy style that makes you feel as if you're learning through osmosis rather than studying. The book is full of facts and examples presented economically and leaving no room for misunderstanding.

It's a great read, and thoroughly enjoyable.

I loved this little book! Not only was it a quick read, but it was also filled with a variety of solidly helpful information for new and experienced screenwriters. I found the "10 Point Checklist for Completed Scripts", the "Big Eight" and the section on pitching particularly useful and now put the information to use on every project. The book is certainly worth more than you pay for it!!

After writing my first screenplay, I was stuck on how to sell it. I have ran my own business for over tens years and have a natural flare for marketing - thinking that selling a script would be commonsense WRONG! After reading The Script Selling Game I was blown away by the fantastic real life tips and jargon given. It's motivated me more than ever to see my projects on the silver screen. IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT breaking into Hollywood - You MUST BUY THIS BOOK! It's easy-to-read and only an insider would know how to write it's contents.

Any screenwriter who is serious about getting their work sold must read this book. From the candid guidelines for pitching your project to the realities of approaching agents, etc., Kathie provides us with an excellent start to finish primer that cuts to the chase and challenges you to be prepared for the pitch way before the day comes. A guide to mastering the game!

As a working screenwriter, I found Kathie Fong Yoneda's book a real eye-opener, and I learned things from her I'd never managed to discover on my own. She candidly spells out what can turn producers off to your script -- and, on the positive side, how to make your work more desirable to potential buyers. And, let's face it, we don't just write for art alone -- we hope to sell our babies! Not only is this book practical, but it is also very encouraging and supportive -- she makes you feel like you've got a warm friend on your side, coaching you and cheering you on. Her writing style is extremely engaging. I really enjoyed the way she takes the reader behind the scenes in Chapter 7 and shows the steps a script goes through on the way to receiving that all-precious green light. The book is packed with useful information and tips, and she clearly defines terms that mystified me when I first arrived in Hollywood. An excellent book.

Finally! A highly-readable book that gives us the real skinny about the script-selling game. A true insider, Kathie Fong Yoneda has written a smart, straight-shooting book that demystifies the process for those of us on the outside. It guides us not just in selling a script but also in developing good script ideas and thinking about our relationship to our work and to others. If you only buy one screenwriting book with "selling" in the title, let it be this one!

The Script-Selling Game by Kathie Fong Yoneda is well-structured, offers easily understood translations of Hollywood-speak, gives valuable tips on writing for the reader, excellent step-by-step instructions on how to construct a story summary, suggests marketing research and networking strategies, and is actually encouraging in the face of all the daunting challenges of getting your script sold.