The Screenwriter S Workbook

At last! The classic screenwriting workbook—now completely revised and updated—from the celebrated lecturer, teacher, and bestselling author, Syd Field: “the most sought-after screenwriting teacher in the world”* No one knows more about screenwriting than Syd Field—and now the ultimate Hollywood insider shares his secrets and expertise, completely updating his bestselling workbook for a new generation of screenwriters. Filled with new material—including fresh insights and anecdotes from the author and analyses of films from Pulp Fiction to Brokeback Mountain—The Screenwriter’s Workbook is your very own hands-on workshop, the book that allows you to participate in the processes that have made Syd Field’s workshops invaluable to beginners and working professionals alike. Follow this workbook through to the finish, and you’ll end up with a complete and salable script! Learn how to:• Define the idea on which your script will be built• Create the model—the paradigm—that professionals use• Bring your characters to life• Write dialogue like a pro• Structure your screenplay for success from the crucial first pages to the final actHere are systematic instructions, easy-to-follow exercises, a clear explanation of screenwriting basics, and expert advice at every turn—all the moment-to-moment, line-by-line help you need to transform your initial idea into a professional screenplay that’s earmarked for success.The Perfect Companion Volume to Syd Field’s Revised and Updated Edition of Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting*Hollywood Reporter

Providing examples from well-known movies, Field explains the structural and stylistic elements as well as writing techniques basic to the creation of a successful film script.

Writing Skills Reference | Film Screenwriting | Guided Prompts For Easy Screenwriting Capturing your thoughts, mapping out your story and outlining your screenplay is essential if you are to write with clarity and purpose. This notebook is designed to help you do just that, by employing and combining the techniques and ideas outlined by a number of famous screenwriting experts, all in one convenient and easy to use package. This book provides a template for: The title and loglines The premise Character profiles The Protagonist checklist Key story phases - one page per phase A double-spread storyboard - ideally used with sticky Post-Its, but this isn't essential - you can use a pencil and eraser! Space for 4 screenplay plans - 98 sides in total Features: 8.5" x 11.5" large format high quality white interior Glossy cover Softcover for easy carrying and storage IDEAL GIFT FOR SCREENWRITERS!

Yes, you can write a great screenplay. Let Syd Field show you how. “I based Like Water for Chocolate on what I learned in Syd's books. Before, I always felt structure imprisoned me, but what I learned was structure really freed me to focus on the story.”—Laura Esquivel Technology is transforming the art and craft of screenwriting. How does the writer find new ways to tell a story with pictures, to create a truly outstanding film? Syd Field shows what works, why, and how in four extraordinary films: Thelma & Louise, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Silence of the Lambs, and Dances with Wolves. Learn how: Callie Khouri, in her first movie script, Thelma & Louise, rewrote the rules for good road movies and played against type to create a new American classic. James Cameron, writer/director of Terminator 2: Judgement Day, created a sequel integrating spectacular special effects and a story line that transformed the Terminator, the quintessential killing machine, into a sympathetic character. This is how an action film is written. Ted Tally adapted Thomas Harris's chilling 350-page novel, The Silence of the Lambs, into a riveting 120-page script—a lesson in the art and craft of adapting novels into film. Michael Blake, author of Dances with Wolves, achieved every writer's dream as he translated his novel into an uncompromising film. Learn how he used transformation as a spiritual dynamic in this work of mythic sweep. Informative and utterly engrossing, Four Screenplays belongs in every writer's library, next to Syn Field's highly acclaimed companion volumes, Screenplay, The Screenwriter's Workbook, and Selling a Screenplay. “If I were writing screenplays . . . I would carry Syd Field around in my back pocket wherever I went.”—Steven Bochco, writer/producer/director, L.A. Law, Hill Street Blues

Hollywood’s script guru teaches you how to write a screenplay in “the ‘bible’ of screenwriting” (The New York Times)—now celebrating forty years of screenwriting success! Syd Field’s books on the essential structure of emotionally satisfying screenplays have ignited lucrative careers in film and television since 1979. In this revised edition of his premiere guide, the underpinnings of successful onscreen narratives are revealed in clear and encouraging language that will remain wise and practical as long as audiences watch stories unfold visually—from hand-held devices to IMAX to virtual reality . . . and whatever comes next. As the first person to articulate common structural elements unique to successful movies, celebrated producer, lecturer, teacher and bestselling author Syd Field has gifted us a classic text. From concept to character, from opening scene to finished script, here are fundamental guidelines to help all screenwriters—novices and Oscar-winners—hone their craft and sell their work. In Screenplay, Syd Field can help you discover: • Why the first ten pages of every script are crucial to keeping professional readers’ interest • How to visually “grab” these influential readers from page one, word one • Why structure and character are the basic components of all narrative screenplays • How to adapt a novel, a play, or an article into a saleable script • Tips on protecting your work—three ways to establish legal ownership of screenplays • Vital insights on writing authentic dialogue, crafting memorable characters, building strong yet flexible storylines (form, not formula), overcoming writer's block, and much more Syd Field is revered as the original master of screenplay story structure, and this guide continues to be the industry’s gold standard for learning the foundations of screenwriting.

Teaches writers how to be creative within the craft of screenwriting, and discusses theme development, sensation-thinking, dream images, character opposition, and personal vision.

An instructional manual combined with proprietary worksheets, charts and fill-in lists designed to give screenwriters a better way to focus on the task of writing a screenplay.

Flex your screenwriting skills and stretch your creativity with The Screenwriter's Workout! The Screenwriter's Workout is a complete training program for your mind - with over 75 exercises and hundreds of activities specifically designed for both new and experienced screenwriters to train the neural pathways that generate story. Have Fun While You: Design Dynamic Characters - New character creation tools make it easy to create characters designed to fit seamlessly with your script. Explore Structure - Delve inside structure to learn what it does, what it really is, and why you need it. Create Stories - Explore the art, science and craft of cinematic narrative with story-building tools, lessons and theories specifically designed to enhance your storytelling skills. Redefine Conflict - Learn what conflict actually is and what it does to an audience. Analyze Your Work - Save time and effort with rewriting tools to analyze the design of your screenplay. Craft Compelling Loglines - Learn how to write powerful loglines designed to help your screenplay sell. Discover Interactive Screenwriting - Learn the techniques and theories behind writing screenplays that engage and interact with audiences. Written in a conversational style, The Screenwriter's Workout is a fun and interactive way to strengthen your craft, hone your writing skills and refine your storytelling.