A valuable guide presented in an entertaining, practical format and filled with the humor and insight of an industry veteran.
An entertaining, practical how-to guide on the art of writing screenplays for television and movies.
Debut author and former adjunct professor Friedman (University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts) presents the fundamental principles of screenplay writing in a breezy, engaging primer that will appeal to students and experienced writers alike. Written in an easy-to-read, whimsical style with dozens of illustrations, useful quotations and references to movie scripts, Friedman’s guide takes delight in making the craft of writing fun. Insightful nuggets of wisdom pop from pages covering topics such as “The Structure of Screenplays,” “A Checklist Before You Choose a Story for a Movie,” “How to Create Great Characters,” “How to Write Good Dialogue” and “Plots.” Friedman’s years of experience in the movie industry and in teaching screenwriting are evident in succinct, often illustrated suggestions to compress time, add tension and “toss in something unexpected.” For instance, one illustrated example features an unaware man walking to his mailbox that houses a live snake. Friedman emphasizes that the core of drama is conflict, and he teaches the key elements of creating a good story by developing and resolving conflict through plotting, action and character development. Also, he explains the frameworks, such as the three-act structure, that typically produce successful screenplays. He goes on to addresses other, more complex topics like turning points, climaxes, flashbacks, subtext, camera directions and denouements. Several checklists will help writers get started, as will tips on how to format a screenplay. At the end, Friedman suggests which genres sell best and how to market a screenplay. Illustrations by artist Nelson Dewey are funny and incisive, functioning like a storyboard to help emphasize the author’s basic points and keep the text from being overly dry or academic.
A valuable guide presented in an entertaining, practical format and filled with the humor and insight of an industry veteran.Pub Date: May 15, 2012
ISBN: 978-1450546829
Page Count: 276
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: March 6, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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