Writing the Screenplay: TV and Film, 2/E [Paperback]

Alan A. Armer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2002

A well-written screenplay is the single most important ingredient in making a successful motion picture or television show. Alan Armer mixes time-honored theory with down-to-earth practical advice, giving beginning and advanced students the benefits of his experiences in both the entertainment industry and the college classroom. He balances professional screenwriting methods with techniques that explain and clarify those methods for students. What truly makes this text vital is his knack for tapping the creative spirit of aspiring screenwriters to become competent writers who can deliver fresh stories that "glow in the dark." Essential topics include organization and structure, conflict, dimensional characters, dialog, subtext, comedy, the profession, among others. Candid, personal discussion by top industry professionals; examples, anecdotes, and scenes from popular films; and challenging screenwriting projects illuminate the realities of successful screenwriting.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Titles of related interest and available from Waveland Press: Gerard, Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life (ISBN 9781577663393); and McCloskey, Economical Writing, Second Edition (ISBN 9781577660637).

About the Author

Alan Armer has more than two decades of entertainment industry experience, first as a director, then as a writer-producer who developed close to 350 screenplays. He received an Emmy Award for producing The Fugitive and a Producers Guild Award for The Untouchables. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Waveland Pr Inc; 2 edition (January 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577662334
• ISBN-13: 978-1577662334
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,331 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Screenplay Book I Know (By Far), January 14, 2003

By 

Jeffrey D. Melvoin (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Screenplay: TV and Film, 2/E (Paperback)

I've been a professional television writer for twenty years, including "Remington Steele," "Hill Street Blues," "Northern Exposure," "Picket Fences," and "Early Edition." I have won an Emmy and Golden Globes for my work and have taught at UCLA Extension among other places. For my money, Alan Armer's book is the best guide to the actual work of professional screenwriting that exists. This is the real thing. It is honest, wise, and free of jargon. It contains useful exercises so that both instructor and student can concentrate on the work at hand rather than spend a lot of initial time and emotional energy discussing an aspiring writer's personal work, a process which often puts unnecessary and unfortunate obstacles in the way of learning the craft. Armer doesn't try to sell you any shortcuts, smake oil, or magic formulas. Quite the contrary, he encourages you to open your mind and imagination through the discipline of solid craftsmanship. He understands the process of writing. He gives many examples about what works and what doesn't and explains why. He includes priceless interviews with some great writers. It's simply a marvelous textbook from a great teacher, a lovely man, and a master practitioner of the art.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you can afford only one book on screenwriting this is THE ONE, August 7, 2010

By 

Vladimir Todosijevic - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Screenplay: TV and Film, 2/E (Paperback)

About four years ago, when I started to think I would like to write screenplays instead of novels, I bought THIS BOOK first. However, I continued to search "THE BEST BOOK" which will teach me to do it properly.

Until today, I bought a dozen of books about the subject - The Foundations of Screenwriting from Sid Field, Writing screenplays that sell (Michael Hauge), The Writers Guide to Writing Your Screenplay (Cynthia Whitcomb). Writing a Great Movie (Jeff Kitchen), Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting, The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, to name a few.

Some of them I have read, and some only skim through. After all that time I finally have found that this book deserves THE TITLE. Why?

Because no other book alone will help you to write as good as your limits are and will push that limits up as this book does.

It is so colorful and dense and chances are you will read it twice, maybe three times. After all, it is very enjoyable to read.

So It's going to open your eyes widely, and everything about screenwriting will fit in its own place. There won't be any doubt about what you should do to improve your own writing, and if you follow exercises for practice they will help your writing tremendously.

It is some kind of a brilliant among screenwriting books and it's a shame that only a small number of writers know of it.

Sorry, my English is not good as this book is.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book from a Great Writing Teacher, July 21, 2003

By 

Patricia Holtby (Malibu, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Screenplay: TV and Film, 2/E (Paperback)

Alan Armer will take you through every step of creating your screenplay masterpiece with the most valuable and practical advice you could ever wish to have. His words are worth reading to anyone who cares about the craft of screenwriting.