The definitive guide to identifying and fixing common screenwriting problems from “the most sought-after screenwriter teacher in the world” (Hollywood Reporter) “If I were writing screenplays . . . I would carry Syd Field around in my back pocket.”—Steven Bochco, writer/producer/director, L.A. Law, Hill Street Blues All writing is rewriting. But what do you change, and how do you change it? All screenplays have problems. They happened to
Die Hard: With a Vengeance and
Broken Arrow—and didn’t get fixed, leaving the films flawed. They nearly shelved
Platoon—until Oliver Stone rewrote the first ten pages and created a classic. They happen to every screenwriter. But good writers see their problems as a springboard to creativity.
Bestselling author Syd Field, who worked on over 1,000 screenplays a year, gives you step-by-step instructions on how to make your screenplay shine. With
The Screenwriter’s Problem Solver, you’ll learn how to:
•Understand what makes great stories work
• Make your screenplay work in the first ten pages, using
Thelma & Louise and
Dances With Wolves as models
• Use a “dream assignment” to let your creative self break free overnight
• Make action build character, the way Quentin Tarantino does
• Recover when you hit the “wall”—and overcome writer’s block forever
Field provides the professional secrets that make movies brilliant—secrets that can make your screenplay one headed for success . . . or even Cannes.
All writing is rewriting. But what do you change, and how do you change it? All screenplays have problems. They happened to Die Hard: With a Vengeance and Broken Arrow-and didn't get fixed, leaving the films flawed. They nearly shelved Platoon-until Oliver Stone rewrote the first ten pages and created a classic. They happen to every screenwriter. But good writers see their problems as a springboard to creativity. Now bestselling author Syd Field, who works on over 1,000 screenplays a year, tells you step-by-step how to identify and fix common screenwriting problems, providing the professional secrets that make movies brilliant-secrets that can make your screenplay one headed for success...or even Cannes. Learn how to:
•Understand what makes great stories work
•Make your screenplay work in the first ten pages, using Thelma & Louise and Dances With Wolves as models
•Use a "dream assignment" to let your creative self break free overnight
•Make action build character, the way Quentin Tarantino does
•Recover when you hit the "wall"-and overcome writer's block forever
With examples from
Pulp Fiction, How to Make an American Quilt, The Shawshank Redemption, Crimson Tide, Broken Arrow...and more of Hollywood's biggest hits
"The most sought-after screenwriting teacher in the world."—
The Hollywood Reporter"If I were writing screenplays...I would carry Syd Field around in my back pocket wherever I went."—Steven Bochco, writerproducerdirector,
L.A. Law, NYPD Blue"I based
Like Water For Chocolate on what i learned in Syd's books. Before, I always felt structure imprisoned me, but what I learned was structure really freed me to focus on the story."—Laura Esquivel
