Writing Screenplays That Sell

"No one is better than Michael Hauge at finding what is most authentic in every moment of a story...." Will Smith, actor "In the field of teaching screenwriting, Michael Hauge is indeed a master." The Freelance Screenwriter's Forum A bestseller for 20 years, Hauge's unique 'six step' approach to screenwriting cuts through nonsense, striking the perfect balance between commercial advice, artistic encouragement and lucid examples from hundreds of great films. Never losing sight of the fundamental purpose of a script: emotional impact, Hauge's engaging and inspiring book takes you on a journey through story concept, character development, theme, structure and scenes. Screenwriting is an art, but Hague's book is unashamedly commercial with advice on how to submit a manuscript, select an agent and market yourself. Updates to this edition include a new, masterful analysis of Avatar's script, new scripts examples, a new chapter on breaking the rules - succussful scripts that don't follow the traditional Hollywood model and online marketing tools for screenwriters.

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. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Screenplays ... How to Write and Market Them is an accessible yet comprehensive book aimed at those with a keen interest in writing feature film screenplays. Using case studies, creative exercises and interviews from the industry, the book will guide readers through the necessary stages of writing a screenplay, from finding and developing ideas to creating and executing characters to shaping structure and constructing scenes. It will also consider how a screenplay might be sold, or used to raise interest in the writer, looking at areas such as finding and working with an agent, networking, using competitions, and raising private production funds. The book's approach is both creative and reflective, giving readers the opportunity to learn a wealth of creative skills alongside skills that will encourage them to think about themselves as writers and the work that they are developing. As such, the book will empower readers in their own creative processes and allow them to successfully tell the stories they want to tell. Rich with analyses from classic and contemporary films, littered with practical models, paradigms and creative tasks, and enhanced by the views of key industry figures, the book is a must for any aspiring feature film screenwriter.

It's simple: films need to have commercial value for the studios to produce them, distributors to sell them, and theater chains to screen them. While talent definitely plays a part in the writing process, it can be the well-executed formulaic approaches to the popular genres that will first get you noticed in the industry. Genre Screenwriting: How to Write Popular Screenplays That Sell does not attempt to probe in the deepest psyche of screenwriters and directors of famous or seminal films, nor does it attempt to analyze the deep theoretic machinations of films. Duncan's simple goal is to give the reader, the screenwriter, a practical guide to writing each popular film genre. Employing methods as diverse as using fairy tales to illustrate the 'how to' process for each popular genre, and discussing these popular genres in modern television and its relation to its big screen counterpart, Duncan provides a one-stop shop for novices and professionals alike.

It may be drama features that win the most awards and kudos from critics, but in the current marketplace you're unlikely to sell a drama screenplay in the way you would a genre script. Breaking down the nuts and bolts of what differentiates drama from genre, Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays considers questions such as: - What is 'emotional truth'? - What separates stereotypical and authentic characters? - What are the different types of drama feature screenplay? - How do we make these films, when there's 'no money'? - What are the distribution opportunities for dramas? - Exploring the ways in which drama and authenticity work, it will empower screenwriters to make their own story and character choices, so they can write and also help to package, finance and even make their own drama features. Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays includes detailed case studies of produced dramas made on both shoestring and bigger budgets, and industry insights from their writers, directors and producers. It looks in-depth at Scottish BAFTA-winning Night People, the iconic coming out movie Beautiful Thing, the touching New Orleans drama Hours, starring the late Paul Walker, and the ambitious true story of Saving Mr Banks, based on the battle of wills between Mary Poppins author PL Travers and Walt Disney himself. It also discusses films such as Brokeback Mountain, American Beauty, The King's Speech, Juno, Erin Brockovich, Changeling and Girl, Interrupted. 'A top-notch, cutting-edge guide to writing and selling, not just practical but inspirational. Lucy's distinctive voice infuses the entire journey. Quite brilliant. Here's the woman who'll help you make things happen' - Barbara Machin, award-winning writer & creator of Waking the Dead 'Delivers the stirring call to arms that writers must not only write, but take their work to the next level themselves, making sacrifices and taking risks if they want to see their stories on screen' - Chris Jones, Filmmaker, Screenwriter & Creative Director at the London Screenwriters Festival Check out Lucy V. Hay's other screenwriting books: Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays and Writing Diverse Characters for Fiction, Film and TV

For more than twenty years, Writing Screenplays That Sell has been hailed as the most complete guide available on the art, craft, and business of writing for movies and television. Now fully revised and updated to reflect the latest trends and scripts, Hollywood story expert and script consultant Michael Hauge walks readers through every step of writing and selling successful screenplays. If you read only one book on the screenwriter's craft, this must be the one.

You don't have to attend film school to take a screenwriting course with the master teacher in the field -- it's all in his book! Meet Hal Ackerman, up close and personal, just as hundreds of his students have known him through the years. Hal Ackerman offers a treasure trove of information on the writing of quality, saleable screenplays by teaching the art of story structure, substance and style. Over the last quarter century, dozens of screenplays written in his classes have been sold and several have become films, including ones starring Tom Hanks (directed by Steven Spielberg), Gwyneth Paltrow, Christian Bale, Hilary Swank and Diane Lane. They have won accolades in many prestigious contests and have been the gateway scripts to writing jobs in feature films and TV including HBO, Showtime, TNT, OWN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Disney, and more. With this book every professional writer gets a lifetime collaborator and every aspiring writer has a teacher in residence on his or her shelf. *Newly Revised and Updated edition featuring Pose, Moonlight, La La Land, Juno, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, among others. *Top-selling screenwriting book for almost 20 years -- 20th Anniversary Edition