Hot Property: Screenwriting in the New Hollywood

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Summary: Another winner from Keane
Review: A nice companion to his other screenwriting book, this fun and easy to follow volume is worth picking up.

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Summary: Helpful book is honest and practical
Review: Christopher Keane's second screenwriting book is a wonderful, in-depth look at how a novice or seasoned screenwriter can write a marketable screenplay. I found this book filled with on-target and no-nonsense advice about how to get motivated writing, what audience to target, and how to get your screenplay sold. The book includes a full screenplay example.

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Summary: Another great screenwriting book from Keane
Review: Even if you think you don't need another book on screenwriting, you should check out HOT PROPERTY. It's jam-packed with information that's vital to any screenwriter who wants to break into the business. Keane doesn't hold back and it's this frankness that motivated me to continue working on my script. Get this book!

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Summary: hot property---hot book
Review: For beginners and professionals alike this is the best book around. This shows how a writer can get to the heart of the subject he or she needs to write about,when writing a movie screenplay. ....Lyn Szep

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Summary: Another great screenwriting book from Keane
Review: I can't say enough about this new screenwriting book... I have just about every screenwriting book ever written and some of them are really good and I refer to them quite often...

Having said that...

HOT PROPERTY blew me away! Christopher Keane explains all the little idiosyncracies you, as a screenwriter for the New Hollywood, need to be aware of.

There are a lot of problem solving ideas in the book which is what I liked best... Turning points for your characters, plot, structure, etc., that you need to look at before completing and sending out your script.

Although I have been writing screenplays for a few years now, I think even new and old screenwriters could gain a lot from this book. I cannot recommend it enough. The book blew me away so much that I even searched for the author on the web to see if he does script analysis... And, he does... A FANTASTIC READ! YOU WILL WEAR THIS BOOK OUT BY REFERING BACK TO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Matt

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Summary: Hot Property is Hot Stuff
Review: I found Chris Keane's new book, "Hot Property: Screenwriting in the New Hollywood," to be extremely informative in a fresh and fun format. He starts you off by helping you to focus on what your own areas of expterise are going to be. He then steers you through the Hollywood jungle. He helps you determine what implements and tactics will be the best to use. In between, he brings in his own anecdotes which I truly enjoyed.

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Summary: Keane has created a masterpiece!
Review: Keane has created a masterpiece!

If you are new to screenwriting or even thinking about writing a screenplay Hot Property is the book for you. Mr. Keane has written an excellent book that is a must have to any screenwriter's library. What makes Hot Property stands out is that it is created for the Hollywood of today. Does this mean that Keane tells you how to write mindless drivel to impress the style over substance MTV crowd? No, Keane says you should try to create low budget screenplays that are built on emotion and great writing. Think Good Will Hunting, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and American Beauty. Not only is it very hard for a new writer to have blockbuster big budgeted screenplays produce but Hollywood is in a little recession right now hence the sudden influx of romantic comedies and horror movies they are the cheapest to make.

Hot Property is set up in a very basic format. Instead of chapters Keane has classes making one feel that they are attending a screenwriting class or seminar. Keane's explanation of Situation, Concept, Story and Plot is clear and very simple something that the new screenwriter can understand.

Besides having a screenplay at the end of the book in which Keane breaks down the creation of a screenplay, the next thing that gives Hot Property a leg up on other screenwriting books is the chapter on creating treatments. Even the most season of screenwriters are not happy with doing treatments but the way Keane sets it up in his book by using examples of his students, showing what they did right and wrong are amazing to say the least.

While there are a few other books that maybe are a little better in the overall creation of a screenplay ie... The Screenwriter's Bible, which teaches you how to write a spec script, which is actually what, you will be creating... Hot Property is still a book not to overlook especially if you are new to screenwriting because it is a book that you will refer back to from time to time. Which makes Hot Property a good purchase.

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Summary: Learn to think like a Writer
Review: The great thing about Christopher Keane's book is that it helps you to think like a writer, from concept to completion. More than that, he tells you how others who have learned from him have made it in Hollywood. And in addition to all the good advice and inside stuff, he writes in a snappy, conversational style that makes it seem as if he were sitting right there telling you his stories and giving you his opinions. A "how-to" book that is never boring. A great way to get started on your first script.