Screenwriting for Dummies (Paperback)

by Laura Schellhardt (Author), John Logan (Foreword) "So how do you know if this book is for you?..." (more)
Key Phrases: nutshell synopsis, teaser pitch, low diction, Turning Your Story, American Beauty, Star Wars (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Ideal for general readers, the book uses everyday examples and addresses social issues such as sweatshops and fair trade." Moneywise June 2008 "A guide for absolute beginners, it will take you through the whole process".Writers Forum June 2008 --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Includes all the essentials for writing a screenplay, from crafting dialogue to marketing a script
Packed with easy-to-understand guidelines and writing projects, Screenwriting For Dummies makes film writing accessible to novices and helps more experienced writers improve their scripts. This engaging guide walks readers through the essential elements of every good screenplay, from character development, to creating a story, to writing compelling dialogue, to adopting a screenplay from a different source. It also includes all the specific formatting details that go into writing a visual screenplay from scripting character introductions, to writing the camera into the script, to creating a cinematic collage. In addition, Screenwriting For Dummies covers the important task of selling a screenplay, including tips for getting a spec script into the proper marketing format, protecting intellectual property rights, and securing an agent.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (January 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764554867
• ISBN-13: 978-0764554865
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #251,763 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Schellhardt provides clear analysis of structure, February 20, 2004

By	CASSANDRE LEE (ROSEDALE, MD United States) - See all my reviews

Screenwriting for Dummies provides comprehensive information about how to construct a screenplay, from concept to pitch, but its most valuable aspect is Schellhardt's coverage of film structure. She shows the bones of a good screenplay in a manner that doesn't seem so much formulaic as archetypal: a movie starts with its status quo, hits an inciting incident; its protagonist forms a plan of action at plot point one, hits the high or low of his story at the midpoint, renews his efforts at plot point two, and earns his reward, or tragedy, in the conclusion. Schellhardt clued me in to the pattern, and now, when I sense a movie petering out or losing its focus, I have a notion why it happened.

Schellhardt also covers outline writing in detail and takes a couple of pages to discuss the purpose and interleaving of subplot, as well as the usual stuff about formatting and marketing. This has not only become my favorite book on screenwriting, but has proven useful in my evolving understanding of plot in fiction.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Thorough, January 5, 2004

By	N. Johnson "Nathanael" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Laura Schellhardt, author of the book, spells it all out. I am always daunted when I set out to write a screenplay, but this book allowed me to break down that process into managable tasks. This book covers it all from the pre-writing phases of research, character development, outlines and plot structure to the writing phase of screenplay format, scene development and overall layout and ends with suggestions on how to further develop and revise your work when it is finished and eventually sell it. I recommend this book to anyone, as it covers topics that will make any screenwriter's work (whether beginner or pro) fuller and richer and the process all the more simpler.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good book. too much information in one book., June 1, 2006

By	Parham A. (Bay Area, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

I bought it 1 month ago and I haven't finished it yet. it's more of a reference book. I refer to it quite a bit. her writing has flow and easy to understand. I personally don't like "dummies" series but this one is good.

I wish she had a CD with it for search and indexing. this book has lots of information, I orginally planned to finish it in a week and I am still reading it.

I haven't bought it for actually writing a script but for a project I am working on.

probably the best I've seen so for.

cheers