The Understructure of Writing for Film and Television

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Summary: Practical help for screenwriters
Review: With so many screenwriting guides focusing on broad brush elements such as story structure, plot points, and archetypal journeys, it's great to find a book which begins by teaching you something practical: how to write a scene. It seems an obvious thing for a screenwriting guide to teach, but 90% neglect it. And it's something that 90% of aspiring screenwriters desperately need to learn. So putting the cart firmly back behind the horse, Brady and Lee first help you build some fundamental skills as a dramatist. Only after the absolute basics of scene writing and dramatic conflict have been mastered do they move on - and because of this, their later chapters on character, crisis, climax, dialogue and theme are infinitely more effective. They all grow out of what has come before them. Every step of the way, Brady and Lee provide straightforward writing assignments which are pitched at precisely the right level to build your skills cumulatively. The text is occasionally a little wordy, and could perhaps be improved by the use of bullet points, diagrams and chapter summaries. But thankfully, every argument is thoroughly justified with nicely worked examples from Oscar-winning or nominated screenplays such as "The Godfather", "Kramer vs. Kramer", "Rocky", "Tootsie", "On The Waterfront", "Fanny and Alexander", "The Graduate" and "A Streetcar Named Desire". By explaining precisely what it is about these scenes/screenplays which make them work, this book give you the key to making your own do likewise. So if you're looking for a book to help develop your practical writing skills - rather than just another superficial introduction to three-act structure - then buy this book. You won't be disappointed.