Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay [Paperback]

Andrew Horton (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520084578 | ISBN-13: 978-0520084575 | Publication Date: September 22, 1994

"We need good screenwriters who understand character." Everywhere Andrew Horton traveled in researching this book--from Hollywood to Hungary--he heard the same refrain. Yet most of the standard how-to books on screenwriting follow the film industry's earlier lead in focusing almost exclusively on plot and formulaic structures.
With this book, Horton, a film scholar and successful screenwriter, provides the definitive work on the character-based screenplay. Exceptionally wide-ranging--covering American, international, mainstream, and "off-Hollywood" films, as well as television--the book offers creative strategies and essential practical information.
Horton begins by placing screenwriting in the context of the storytelling tradition, arguing through literary and cultural analysis that all great stories revolve around a strong central character. He then suggests specific techniques and concepts to help any writer--whether new or experienced--build more vivid characters and screenplays. Centering his discussion around four film examples--including Thelma & Louise and The Silence of the Lambs--and the television series, Northern Exposure, he takes the reader step-by-step through the screenwriting process, starting with the development of multi-dimensional characters and continuing through to rewrite. Finally, he includes a wealth of information about contests, fellowships, and film festivals.
Espousing a new, character-based approach to screenwriting, this engaging, insightful work will prove an essential guide to all of those involved in the writing and development of film scripts.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Tired of the hundreds of plot- and structure-oriented script books on the market? Tired of the "formula writing" espoused in an equal number of screen-writing seminars and weekend workshops? Horton (The Films of George Roy Hill, LJ 11/15/84) walks away with an Oscar in the "valuable tools for the prospective scripter" category with his latest rendering. He takes the reader step-by-step through the screen-writing process, with an emphasis on tried-and-true methods of developing stronger and more imaginative characters. Fully drawn characters are Horton's forte, and he pulls out every stop in his quest to educate the reader, even including a 14-week "character-building" exercise. Obstacles to writing the character-centered script are also discussed. Instructional books don't get much better than this. A great value; essential for all screen-writing collections.
Marty D. Evansvold, Magnolia P.L., Tex.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Distinctive because it moves beyond a how-to-text in addressing dramatic theory as it applies to character. . . . The scholarly and practical bibliography at the end of each of three sections in the book provides valuable sources for further study."--"Choice

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Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (September 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520084578
• ISBN-13: 978-0520084575
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,901,935 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A pretty good place to start, August 23, 2004

By 

Brian Day (Springfield, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay, Updated and Expanded edition (Paperback)

Having spent a sizable fortune on "how-to-write" books, I now realize that I need to stop buying these books and just start writing. Having said that, however, I think that Horton's book contains a lot of useful information and is better than most screenwriting books out there.

Whether you like this book probably depends on both your movie preferences and your writing style. If you are more Steven Segal than Woody Allen, then this book is probably not for you. Similarly, if you are a screen writer who meticulously outlines a story, then you should probably take a pass on Horton. If you can follow all those story diagrams in McKee's book, then you will hate this one. This book is the Anti-McKee.

Simply put, Horton view is that the most important part of a story is the development of the character rather than external events. A story should make us identify and empathize with the characters. Consequently, a great screenplay will have that identification and empathy as it's main goal.

The book is often written in a high-handed academic style. Horton is, after all, an academic. This may annoy some readers. For me, it imparted a measure of earnestness. Many of the reviewers had trouble with the "carvivalesque" concept. This could be explained a little more straightforwardly. Basically, it means that character: (i) is not static, but in a state of flux; (ii) is multi-faceted and does not always behave consistently; and (iii) is influenced by its background and evnironment. The first half of the book builds off of these themes.

The one quibble that I had with the book is that some of the exercises are unrealistic. For instance, am I really going to contact an agency to obtain a copy of a little-known short film so that I can review it? Of course not. Neither will you. Only a college professor would make such obscure assignments.

All-in-all, this is a good book to get one started in writing character-centered screenplays. I guess the name says it all.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not without some merit, but tedious and uninspiring, May 23, 2004

By 

J.A.R. "mobuli" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay, Updated and Expanded edition (Paperback)

I've now read this book twice, hoping I missed the insight on moving a script toward a character driven progression. But what I have had to sadly conclude is Horton's book on the "Character centered screenplay" is more of a college dissertation than a book designed to help the writer develop a character piece.

That's not to say the book is completely useless. It has an interesting take on character paradigms, going into deeper than other books might. Horton's ideas on the multiple voices a character might represent can help open up perspectives on how to make a character more rounded without having to blather out more exposition to explain characters. Vogler, McKee (both who's books I highly recommend) don't spend this kind of focus on character dimension... but they weren't writing books solely on character.

Horton throws his arms out patting himself on the back with his pontification regarding 'carnivalesque'. The idea might have been interesting in a glancing pass, and attempt at expanding our perspective about characters and their many sides with the allusion towards changing masks and showing different sides of self, but it became an esoteric exercise in proving academic chops. Had it be posed and then left so we could delve more deeply into other topics, it wouldn't have been an issue. But carnivalesque was dropped front and center at indulgent intervals, ending up being distracting and fruitless, the exact opposite of what a book about writing should be about.

In the end, 'Character-Centered...' is a flat, uninspiring read. Horton is probably a cerebral person who has spend time dissecting and analyzing films, but little time focusing on the writer's journey of producing a good script. In my meandering through screenplay literature, it is rare to find someone giving you 'hows' instead of 'whats'. "Character Centered..." simply doesn't live up to it's name on the basis of a lack of desire to direct would-be writers to produce character driven material.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spice up your screen stories with some character gumbo!, July 14, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay (Paperback)

You're as likely to discover memorable charactersin most scripts as you are to discover gold dustin the L.A. riverbed. Everyone reverentlypitches "strong characters" as essential to astrong story, but no one tells you how to do this.Andrew Horton eloquently demystifies the processof character creation. Having a MFA in screenwriting, I was familiar with some of thematerial, but I found a lot of the book, includingthe approach, fresh, inventive and inspired