Table of Contents
Introduction 4
Here's Your Cue! 4
The Bare Bones: What Is a Screenplay?
But Without You, the Writer, There Wouldn't Be a Movie!
"It Takes a Village...."
From Toddler to Titan: A Screenplay's Growth
"I'm Writing a What?": A Screenplay on Spec
Crafting Reality 11
Idea-lly, You've Been Brainstorming
Picture Your Audience (even if they're in their underwear!)
Dare to Bare: Personal Touches
The Inner Purpose of a Screenplay
Research Your Domain
What's Your Type? Genre
Flesh It Out: The Concept
Writing Your Treatment and Synopsis 21
Intro to Treatments
Writing a Synopsis
The Main Text and Example
Writing the Treatment
Staging Your Screenplay 29
Break It on Down: Three Main Acts
The Subplot
Time Can Play Tricks on You
Looks Are Everything
Help! Software
Go Ahead, Make a Scene! 37
Map It Out
The Importance of Narrative.
The First Scene
Units: Broken Down
Reel People: Characters 64
The Main Attraction: Your Protagonist
There's Got to Be a "Bad Guy"
The Chemistry Created
Speaking of the Stars
Supporting Characters Shouldn't
Hold You Up, but Help You Out!
Cliches: Working with and Against I Assumptions
Making It Interesting: Conflict and Dialogue 86
Conflict, Does a Movie Good!
Go Ahead, Meddle: Personal Relationships
Let's Talk About Dialogue
"And...Action!": Get to Your Point
Sound Like You Mean It: Vernacular
"Here's Looking at You,Kid": The Line Everyone Remembers
Now, Making It Good: Communicating Your Purpose 99
A Different Type of Game: Show, Don't Tell
Communicate: Metaphors, Flashbacks, and Voice-Overs
"What's Going to Happen?": Keep 'Em Guessing
Elements of Suspense and Tension
Did You Hear Something? It's Not Just Noise
A Life of Its Own: Reeling It In 115
Discipline, Not Just for Kids
Your Personal Style
The Three Rs: Review, Revise, and (Even) Rewrite!
Get Feedback
The Screenplay: An Adaptable Creature 126
Why Write an Adaptation?
Slippery When Wet: Copyright Issues
Novels, Short Stories, and Plays
"The Book Was Better" Syndrome
Welcome to the Jungle: Hollywood 134
The Studio
The Players
The Budget
Your Place in This World
Your Screenplay's Place: The MPAA System
Try Going "Alternative" 145
The Independent Studio
Go Ahead and Get Shorty
The Documentary
Who? The Market
The Motive-ation
You, a Teacher?
Your Baby
Writing for Television 160
Television: A Different Breed
A Look Back
Television Writers
Why Do It?
The Wonder of It All
Take a Stab at It: The Structure
Pitch Before You Ditch
Catching and Trapping 'Em: Agents 173
Plan Your Attack
Word-of-Mouth: Techniques to Market
Cold Calling
And Here's the Pitch
The Agents
How to Find a Good Agent
If You Can't Beat 'Em: Becoming an Agent
What the Future Holds 192
What to Expect When You're Expecting a Film
The Ups and Downs and How to Deal
You've Made It! What You Can Expect to Make in Return?
Deals and Doctors (Script Doctor, That Is)
Directing Your Own
Glossary 199
Additional Resources/Further Reading 203
Sample Material and Formatting Guidelines 206
Index 215
