Writing for Film: The Basics of Screenwriting

by Bowden; Darsie

• ISBN13: 9780805842586
• ISBN10: 0805842586
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2006-04-25
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In this introduction to screenwriting, author Darsie Bowden provides sage, real-world advice and instruction on the process of writing film screenplays. This text will help budding screenwriters to structure their dramas, refine their characterizations, and craft their language, while also introducing them to the appropriate screenplay formats. It covers the complexities of writing for the screen and points out the contradictions to expect if readers pursue this work as a career. In addition to covering the elements of the dramatic film screenplay, Bowden discusses writing for such "alternative" markets as documentaries, independent films, experimental films, and other non-Hollywood options. Features of the text include: *guidelines for working as a screenwriter; *applications and exercises to enhance skills; *suggested readings for further development; and *a comprehensive list of resources for screenwriting. Successful writing for film lies in being able to heighten one's perceptive abilities about the world and to communicate those perceptions in a cinematic way. In this text, Bowden introduces readers to an approach to screenwriting that will help them see the world in a different way and write about it using different genres and media. This most valuable skill prepares readers for the range of possibilities they will encounter on the path to successful screenwriting.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
The Dramatic Film
The Rhetoric of the Screenplay	p. 3
Introduction: What Does it Mean to Write for the Movies?	p. 3
Some General Guidelines	p. 7
Screenwriting Versus Literary Writing	p. 14
The Road to Success	p. 19
Applications and Exercises	p. 19
Suggested Reading	p. 21
The Film Drama	p. 23
What Is a Good Idea?	p. 24
What Is a Good Story?	p. 25
Plot	p. 30
Filmic Structure	p. 42
Ready to Go	p. 54
Applications and Exercises	p. 54
Suggested Reading	p. 55
Character	p. 57
What Is an Effective Character?	p. 57
Types of Characters	p. 58
How to Create a Good Character	p. 61
What Is Effective Dialogue?	p. 69
Applications and Exercises	p. 87
The Nuts and Bolts of Screenplay Format	p. 89
Some General Rules	p. 89
The Mechanics of Screenplay Form	p. 91
Checklist	p. 107
Applications and Exercises	p. 111
Suggested Reading	p. 114
Crafting Your Screenplay (Brilliance With Just a Little Extra Effort)	p. 115
All-Purpose Principles for Writing That Dazzles and Impresses	p. 116
Quick and Dirty Troubleshooting Tips	p. 120
Style	p. 121
Final Notes on Revising	p. 144
Applications and Exercises	p. 145
Suggested Reading	p. 146
Selling Your Screenplay	p. 147
Potential Players	p. 147
Presenting Your Material	p. 152
Screenplay Scenarios	p. 164
The Follow-Through-After the Script Is Completed	p. 166
The Writers Guild of America	p. 169
The Measure of Success	p. 172
Suggested Reading	p. 173
Applying Dramatic Principles
Adaptations	p. 177
Distinctions Between Literary Fiction and Screenplays	p. 177
The Process of Adaptation	p. 179
Adapting Plays	p. 197
Adaptations and the Creative Process	p. 198
Applications and Exercises	p. 199
Suggested Reading	p. 201
The Fact Film: Documentaries-Form and Format	p. 203
What Is a Documentary Film?	p. 203
Writing a Documentary Film	p. 206
Sample Proposals	p. 213
A Sample Treatment	p. 218
The Documentary Screenplay	p. 221
Notes on Style in Documentary Writing	p. 225
Dialogue and Narration	p. 226
Screenplay Format	p. 228
Troubleshooting	p. 234
Audience	p. 236
Applications and Exercises	p. 237
For Viewing	p. 237
Suggested Reading	p. 239
Marketplace: Screenplay for Films That Inform, Explain, and Sell	p. 241
The Communication Triangle	p. 243
Format	p. 254
Finding a Market	p. 256
A Final Comment	p. 257
Applications and Exercises	p. 257
Introduction to the Experimental Film	p. 259
What Is an Experimental Film?	p. 261
Writing and Designing an Experimental Film	p. 265
What Is a Good Idea for an Experimental Film?	p. 267
Work With the Medium	p. 267
Market	p. 270
Form and Format	p. 272
Why Bother?	p. 281
Experimental Films as Art	p. 281
Applications and Exercises	p. 281
Suggested Reading	p. 282
Epilogue	p. 283
Appendix	p. 285
General References	p. 291
Author Index	p. 297
Subject Index	p. 299
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