How to Write a Selling Screenplay (Paperback)

by Christopher Keane (Author) "The process of writing a screenplay knows no rules..." (more)
Key Phrases: scene breakdown, inciting incident, first ten pages, Charlie Buck, New York, Mini Treatment (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
There are a lot of fine "how to write a screenplay" titles out and about, but what makes Keane's How To Write a Selling Screenplay unique is the examination on a step-by-step basis of a screenplay, The Crossing, that the author wrote. The teacher/pupil-type exchange, as you closely examine the screenplay, reads almost as if you were asking pertinent questions in class at just the right moments. Keane discusses each screenwriting point (opening sequence, inciting incident, plot point #1, etc.) as it occurs in his screenplay. This makes for twice the fun as you learn solid screenwriting tactics and get to read a thrilling story to boot! Wilson's Inside Hollywood is an eclectic sampling of Tinseltown, never too much information, never quite enough, but a perfect starting point for anyone interested in the motion picture industry. This survival guide to the biz also comes in a format unlike anything this reviewer has ever seen before. Where else will you find the history of Hollywood, an overview of the movie and television industries, and an examination of various film-related job titles, salaries, etc., while taking a quick look at the city of Los Angeles itself? Both books are well written and are essential for strengthening your movie-writing collection.?Marty D. Evensvold, Magnolia Branch Lib., TX
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Christopher Keane has spent 20 years in the business, learning the truths--and the tricks--of writing a selling screenplay. In How to Write a Selling Screenplay, he takes writers through the entire process, from developing a story to finding the best agent. Using an annotated version of an often-optioned screenplay of his own, and citing examples from movies ranging from Casablanca and Lethal Weapon to Sling Blade and The English Patient, he discusses how to create three-dimensional characters, find a compelling story, build an airtight plot structure, fine-tune dialogue, and much more. Keane's tips on the difference between writing for film and television, as well as his advice on dealing with Hollywood movers and shakers, make this an essential companion for people writing their first--or their fortieth--screenplay.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (April 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767900715
• ISBN-13: 978-0767900713
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #132,346 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good solid foundation, January 4, 2000

By	Frank Cunat (Chevy Chase, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This is a clearly written, easily read book that distills lessons derived from the author's long experience in the movie business. Keane is able to express his points purposefully and succinctly, unlike other authors I've read. I'm a playwright who is interested in branching into teleplays, and this is the first book I've read that discusses in detail the differences between teleplays and screenplays. Arguably Keane's book is a bit formulaic, but he'd probably say that he's just describing the formulas which the studios are interested in.

My only qualm was Keane's inclusion of *full text* of one of his own unproduced screenplays, complete with annotations (at one point he says, "WHAT A CLIMAX!"). Yes, the screenplay illustrates his points, but it also seems like a blatant attempt to find another producer. (Sorry, Chris, that's how it seemed.) He could have made the same points with only a few excerpts.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Extremely Helpful Guide, July 13, 2002

By	"melaniejaney2" (Lafayette, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I have never before written a screenplay and Chris' book has really helped me to get started. His method of first writing a 5 page summary of the story in 3 acts and then a scene-breakdown makes it easy to outline and see the entire story in front of you before you actually dive in and begin to write the screenplay. I disagree with what another user said, I enjoyed his script very much that he included as the second half of his book. Not only was it well-written, it is helpful as well, because he stops every scene or two and gives an explanation. I highly recommend this book if you are planning on getting into screenwriting!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Short on Namedropping, Long on Practical, Exemplified Advice, November 8, 2001

By	D C Hall (Dollar, Clackmannanshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

There are so many books on screenwriting already in existence that the real question any reviewer must address when another one comes along is: if you could only afford to buy one of them, why should you buy this one and save the others for any book tokens you might receive at Christmas? The title of this review forms the basis of my answer to that question.

Chris Keane has made his living as a professional writer for decades, focusing mostly on novels and screenplays. His success has brought him many offers of teaching posts, and indeed, he spends a considerable part of each year teaching at Emerson, where he is an Associate Professor, and at the International Film and Television Workshops in Maine. All this makes him actuely aware of the nitty-gritty needs of both the fledgling screenwriter and the writer who has been over the course more than once, but who needs to re-learn key lessons. These lessons are so key that for much of the first part of the book, one feels like one is directing a question and answer session, rather than having questions answered in which one might possibly be interested. From the question of work habits to how to generate ideas, and what to do with them once you have them, through to characterisation, dialogue, and the scene as the nucleus of the screenplay, Keane is both judicious and generous with his hard-won wisdom.

The second half of the book puts theory into practice. It consists of the full text of Keane's screenplay 'The Crossing', with honest, detached critical commentary at the end of each scene or section. This allows the reader to see exactly what Keane is talking about in the first half of the book, to experience the emotion that his own work needs to generate, to feel for the characters, and then, with Keane's assistance, to stop and reflect on why he feels as he does. In the hands of a writer with a bigger ego but less talent, this method might well have had the reader reaching for the sick bag after only a few pages, but it works wonderfully here, and it seems to me that anyone wishing a career in screenwriting could not wish for clearer, more genuine exemplification.

A final point on this structural feature of Keane's indispensable book. Something else the inclusion of this constantly optioned but not yet produced screenplay teaches the would-be screenwriter is how tough his desired career can be, that he could write a screenplay as good as Keane's and still wait a long, long time to see it on the big screen, if indeed he ever does.

Other books on screenwriting claim to 'make it easy'. Keane's puts the emphasis exactly where it should be: on the work.