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Summary: Any day now Armani will be out with the Kevlar tuxedo!
Review: A Screenwriters Guide to the Galaxy! If you subscribe to the theory of screenwriting that holds, "Write it and they will come," dive into the shark tank of this beautifully written and insightful primer. More than anything, the book gives the fledgling screenwriter a real sense of the market forces and fearsome intrigues that go on behind the Daily Variety headlines that trumpet the latest million-dollar sales. In a town William Goldman once described as Cloud Cuckooland where nobody knows anything, agent and script doctor Taylor - by detailing the behind-the-scenes stories of half a dozen famous scripts - does a wonderful job of depicting an industry where fear results in a Waterworld and courage gives us a Seven.
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Summary: Tired of reading negative books on screenwriting?
Review: As a person who always puts her fears in front of dreams, I seem to always get stuck reading books on the subject of writing that are demeaning meanderings of successful people preaching how difficult it is to 'break into the field', how dedication is only matched by how much rejection one can handle. A dog chasing it's tail in a downward spin. Have you ever felt that way? There's no doubt that whatever is worth pursuing to a person most often times comes with the hard-knocks of gained experience. Granted. I originally picked this book up from the library, then decided to purchase it due to all the incredible information, examples, and inspirational stories of those who DID succeed beyond their own expectations (and also those in the business who had originally brushed their scripts & ideas beside). The examples Thom Taylor sites are full of details, giving the whole story, instead of brief glimpses into their successes. Therefore, I find this book to be absolutely inspiring, and if inspiration is what you need, please read this. There are plenty of books, websites, etc. that tell you how to format a script, what NOT to include in a screenplay, what sells, what doesn't, how to find an agent, how to submit a script...and just as essential it is to read those books, give yourself a break from thinking "it could never happen for ME"...because when you really think about it, it HAS to happen for someone, why not you? Luck of the draw certainly comes into play in the script business, but this book helps put into perspective that only one person who reads your script can actually make a difference in your life. And THAT is what keeps me writing.
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Summary: Inspires the aspiring to keep going.
Review: As a screenwriter with four projects in development hell and still not able to quit my day job, The Big Deal reassured me that all the work and sacrifice can pay off. I've just finished my best spec script - romance. comedy. adventure - VERY castable. Reading The Big Deal I have a much better understanding of "the rules of engagement" and I'm now prepared to confidently take the offensive with my soon-to-be-hot project. Thank you for this timely book. I great read for anyone interested in knowing more about the Hollywood process and especially those trying to break down those tightly-guarded Hollywood doors.
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Summary: The Insider's Scoop to selling a Screenplay
Review: Finally, a book that explains the unexplainable: "How the does Hollywood's crazy, money-mad script market work?" THE BIG DEAL gives the inside skinny on the selling and the buying of such movies like SEVEN, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING and THE LAST ACTION HERO. It traces the hero journeys screenwriters took getting their scripts to the screen. The author does a nice job detailing strategies of which every budding screenwriter should take note. For instance, Andrew Kevin Walker, a writer who was eating Top Ramen in a New York City coldwater apartment, wrote the screenplay SEVEN. He couldn't find an agent to represent him. However, when Walker saw the movie BAD INFLUENCE, he wrote a fan letter to the screenwriter David Koepp (JURASSIC PARK). They became pen pals, then friends. Koepp ended up giving Walker's script to his agent. And that was the beginning of a movie career. As a screenwriter living outside the Hollywood maze, I found this book to be hands down the best overall take on the business of "the screen trade" currently available on any bookshelf or website. I've given it to several friends who are not interested in screenwriting but love movies. They were blown away. THE BIG DEAL is well researched and a great read, but what it really does is guide the budding screenwriter through the shark-infested waters of selling a screenplay to wily old Hollywood. Put this one on your desk and refer to it often. It could get you a job.
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Summary: A Window to the Inside Offers a Refreshing Breeze
Review: Hundreds of aspiring writers flock to LA every month. Their goal: to make a name for themselves in an industry that is as mysterious as it is naked to the public. Well, wonder no longer as Thom Taylor does a magnificent job of removing the shroud when he takes us on a tour of the inner workings of America's favorite industry. (Sorry dot.coms) Mr. Taylor, an insider himself, brings his first hand experiences and personal stories to life on the page in a way that can only be described as motivational. Aspiring artists, such as myself, should all give this book a read as it sheds some much needed light on the politics and behind-the-scene processes that make Hollywood work. We as Americans are conditioned to place people of fame and notoriety on an invisible pedestal, yet by reading and understanding Thom's book we are able to see that these same people are no different from ourselves. And to me, this is the greatest gift a book could ever give to an aspiring artist. If you have ever chased a dream, thought about chasing a dream or even just had a dream, this is a book for you. Take my word for it. It doesn't cost a lot of money and it's written so clearly that it's guaranteed not to take a lot of your time. Unless, of course, you do as I do and read it over and over and over and... You get the picture. Now get the book.
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Summary: Good examples of how screenplays are made into movies
Review: I occasionally work with a rotating group of amateur screenwriters that are looking for inspiration, and examples of how screenplays are sold (or not sold) and examples of how screenplays are made (or not made) into movies. This is the book that I recommend for writers looking for these examples. This book does not tell you how to write a quality screenplay, or even why a screenplay is successful or not (Thom states this is not the purpose of the book), but it does point out how random the Industry can be. Rock on, Thom!
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Summary: Million Dollar Spec Market
Review: I picked up this book hoping it would offer hints on how to go about writing and selling a screenplay, but, unfortunately, I was disappointed. The book is broken down into chapters that each analyze the writing and sale of a particular screenplay, such as _Seven_. But the chapters bog down into perhaps too great detail. At points, the book takes on the narrative of a novel, which one tires of. I hate to say it, but Taylor's observations did not strike me as especially keen, and the "objective" facts offered in the book -- such as how screenplays are "really" sold -- weren't all that helpful to an apprentice screenwriter. Unlike William Goldman, who wrote the book _Adventures in the Screen Trade_ and who is a devastatingly good and witty writer (so much so that one wonders why he's stayed in Hollywood so long), the author rarely stimulates with his writing. The title may encourage many budding screenwriters to pick up the book, but I doubt they will find it that useful. It may encourage many industry people to pick it up, too, but I doubt they will find it that interesting.
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Summary: Confirms what I've already known about the biz...
Review: I read this in a record-breaking three evenings. It was the fastest read I've had in a LONG time. _The Big Deal_ is highly enjoyable yet educational at the same time. I was already familiar with Jeff Maguire's story (screenwriter of _In the Line of Fire_; I'd read a New York Times Arts section article about how Maguire was living in a friend's garage at the time he made the spec sale that became that film) but was not aware of the fact that he had previously optioned some script before that film. I guess that goes to show you can't take your previous success for granted. For anyone who has stars in their eyes about making a million dollar script sale, this is a must-read reality check. The stories _The Big Deal_ traces of writers and their scripts that actually were made into films confirm that it could take you years for the stars to align before someone with money options or buys your script. And even after that it may not be a ton of fun (i.e., the screenwriter of _Waterworld_ burned out after 8 re-writes over a year and the studio replaced him). Thom Taylor's book goes a bit astray during chapters 11 and 12 where he covers writing for the made-for-TV and the independent film world, but they are still interesting tangents. Taylor covers these areas with verve and gives great insight into those aspects of the film industry (basically, it's a good thing that there are so many cable channels...that means more opportunity for more writers). I was a little shocked to learn that film industry pros encourage wannabes to stay away from the B-level, direct-to-video market, and that working at that level can actually hurt your chances of making it at the A-level. Overall, this was a fantastic read. Taylor's journalistic style of writing is tight and concise and a joy to read. I highly recommend anyone who wants to be a screenwriter to spend a few hours with _The Big Deal_. You'll learn a hell of lot about La La Land and how the agents and studios operate in terms of the screenplay market. Perhaps the most startling fact you'll learn reading this book is that half the members of the Writers Guild of America are unemployed in any given year. Now _there's_ some food for thought!
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Summary: Loved It!
Review: My friend gave me this book as a gift, and I can't thank her enough. This book was like an adrenaline rush. The way Taylor weaves his behind-the-scenes tales held me for every page. Taylor inspires writers to press on with their craft, and paints an intriguing picture of the script sale world. For screenwriters looking for a great book that goes beyond the usual How To information, you have found it.
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Summary: Maybe fine for scriptwriters, but not for the general public
Review: Sure, the book has lots of stories, but he writes like an insider more obsessed with the process than the craft -- and he's not even that insightful about the process. In fact, Taylor never seems to have any point at all, rarely rising above a hack journalist's dialogue-splicing. Read William Goldman -- or other actual scriptwriter -- before tackling this one.
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