Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction Linda Venis xi
Section I From Idea to Outline: Preparing to Write Your Feature Screenplay
1 Hollywood Storytelling: Its Enduring Appeal and Universal Principles Billy Mernit 3
2 Jump-starting the Screenplay Jon Bernstein 24
3 "What Happens Next?": Structuring the Screenplay Andy Guerdat 49
4 Building Characters Cindy Davis 75
5 Deepening Characters and Defining Their Arcs Billy Mernit 99
6 Outlining the Screenplay Juliet Aires Giglio 123
Section II Writing Your First Draft Feature Screenplay
7 Writing Through the First Draft Steve Mazur 151
8 The Who, What, Where, When, Why (and How!) of Writing a Scene Dan Vining 170
9 Pictures in Motion: Scenes and the Movement They Create Chrysanthy Balis 194
Section III Rewriting Your Feature Screenplay
10 Taking the Script to the Next Level: The Rewrite Process Begins Quinton Peeples 219
11 The Art and Craft of Dialogue Writing Karl Iglesias 242
12 "Show, Don't Tell": Visual Screenwriting Philip Eisner 271
13 Polish Workshop: Making Your Best Even Better Michael Weiss 294
Section IV Being a Professional in the Movie Business
14 Demystifying the Business of Feature Film Writing Laurence Rosenthal 319
15 Launching and Sustaining a Feature Film Writing Career Deborah Dean Davis 339
About the Editor and Contributors 365
Index 369