Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great source for the serious writer, October 29, 2005
This review is from: Write Screenplays That Sell: The Ackerman Way (Paperback)
I got this book just a couple of weeks ago, and I will admit openly that i am not done reading it, but I have read a lot of it, and he definitely knows what he's talking about. Hal Ackerman's book includes information on proper script format that a lot of other books leave out.
I'll also say that he doesn't sugar coat things for you, he tells you some real hard learned and down to earth facts about the film writing industry and states in no uncertain terms what your chances really are at making it big, getting recognition and what rights you have to your work once its made. I would rather learn about that from him then to learn it the hard way after I submitted my script. He also tells you about the usefulness of script writing software, among other things.
To me it's not really an air of arrogance about his tone, as stated in some other reviews, but an air of realism where he informs you that writing a movie is serious business.One thing that may throw a lot of people off in this book is that he tells you that you must "practice at screen writing" in order to actually be good at it and the book contains exercises at the end of each chapter (writers gym) for you to build your skills.
I wouldn't say that it's a distraction from doing real writing as one reveiwer stated, but something that you must do in order to sharpen your skills. Many other writing books say and include the same thing, and I see nothing amiss here.
All writing takes dedication and work, and thanks to Hal Ackerman we have a very useful guide that not only tells us the truth about screen writing, but helps us to get into it. The four star rating for this book is not deserved, five stars. Also if you're still not sure if you want to buy this book check it out of your local library first and read a bit of it for yourself (I did and I am now fervently seeking to own a copy of it permanently). Then you can see if it's for you.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Truly Helpful... With a Heart, October 16, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Write Screenplays That Sell: The Ackerman Way (Paperback)
I've read quite a few screenwriting books, and what I first noticed about this one was its comfortable, clever tone.
Some of the really big heavy hitters in screenwriting are too expensive and pretentious. They try and function like textbooks. (I have one book in mind that weighs about 3 pounds and costs about $60... and like many text books, it lost my interest when I fell asleep on page 10.)
Hal Ackerman's book isn't very long, and it's an easy, pleasant read -- sort of populist without being condescending. It doesn't take screenwriting too seriously, which I appreciate. At the same time, you get the sense that this UCLA Professor loves helping his students craft meaningful stories that will also sell. (Some of his past students have gone on to write scripts like Matchstick Men and A Walk on the Moon.)
This book's real strength lies in its dedication to helping writers build effective narratives. Ackerman has designed an index card technique called the Scene-o-Gram that helps writers diagram stories so that key emotional turning points and plot points are hit at regular intervals. This forces you to keep only what you need and to lose the rest. Since most writers suffer from wordiness and a total lack of editing abilities, a stringent guide like this is a godsend.
I am an aspiring screenwriter who recently hit a block and stopped writing for several weeks. My romantic comedy is a mixed up mess and my zombie movie hit page 60 before I realized I had no ending. I think this is because I'm relatively new and haven't yet internalized the rhythms of effective storytelling.
After reading this book, I feel like I have the concrete tools I need to help me finish my scripts. I'd describe the book as a method to reign in your madness. Nobody's saying you have to treat your scripts like calculated, mechanical schemes to make money, but the reality is that a screenplay without structure and pacing will bore its audience. It'll never get made. A certain amount of planning will save you time and benefit your writing in the long run.
Bottom line: this book is a great resource for anyone who's overwhelmed by the task at hand. I think it's equally valuable for beginner or intermediate writers.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!, January 15, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Write Screenplays That Sell: The Ackerman Way (Paperback)
This really is a great book. It is filled with practical, useful, helpful information that makes it much easier to sit down and be productive. The author's sense of humor also makes it a fun read. It all makes sense after you read it and then start to do it yourself. I can see why so many people have been successful using this guy's method.
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