Aristotle's Poetics for Screenwriters by
An insightful how-to guide for writing screenplays that uses Aristotle's great work as a guide. Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle's Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now Michael Tierno shows how this great work can be an invaluable resource to screenwriters or anyone interested in studying plot structure. In carefully organized chapters, Tierno breaks down the fundamentals of screenwriting, highlighting particular aspects of Aristotle's work. Then, using examples from some of the best movies ever made, he demonstrates how to apply these ancient insights to modern-day screenwriting. This user-friendly guide covers a multitude of topics, from plotting and subplotting to dialogue and dramatic unity. Writing in a highly readable, informal tone, Tierno makes Aristotle's monumental work accessible to beginners and pros alike in areas such as screenwriting, film theory, fiction, and playwriting.
Bambi vs. Godzilla by
In Bambi vs. Godzilla, David Mamet, the award-winning playwright and screenwriter, gives us an exhilaratingly subversive inside look at Hollywood from the perspective of a filmmaker who has always played the game his own way. Who really reads the scripts at the film studios? How is a screenplay like a personals ad? Whose opinion matters when revising a screenplay? Why are there so many producers listed in movie credits? And what the hell do those producers do, anyway? Refreshingly unafraid to offend, Mamet provides hilarious, surprising, and bracingly forthright answers to these and other questions about virtually every aspect of filmmaking, from concept to script to screen. He covers topics ranging from “How Scripts Got So Bad” to the oxymoron of “Manners in Hollywood.” He takes us step-by-step through some of his favorite movie stunts and directorial tricks, and demonstrates that it is craft and crew, not stars and producers, that make great films. He tells us who his favorite actors and what his favorite movies are, who he thinks is the most perfect actor to grace the screen, and who he thinks should never have appeared there. Demigods and sacred cows of the movie business–beware! But for the rest of us, Mamet speaking truth to Hollywood makes for searingly enjoyable reading.
Screenwriters by
Based on their major show at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Science, award winning authors Lumme and Manninen reveal the hidden talents behind Hollywood's most famous films. Forty-eight leading screenwriters are introduced in brilliant portrait photography and their own revealing words. From Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard), Ernest Lehman (North By Northwest) and Robert Towne (The Firm) to Oliver Stone (Platoon), Nora Ephron (Sleepless In Seattle), Richard La Gravanese (Beloved) and Steven Zaillan (Schindler's List).
Understanding Screenwriting by
From the author's introdution: This book isn't about me, it's about you. I am a teacher, not a guru. As a wise teacher once said, .With a guru it is all about the guru'his vision and the students' loyalty to him. Whereas with a teacher, it is all about the students learning.. You should be reading this book because you, as screenwriters, directors, producers, development executives, critics, historians, students in thosedisciplines, and just plain movie fans want to learn about screenplays. Feisty, clever, entertaining, and at times incredibly arch and cutting, Tom Stempel's Understanding Screenwriting delivers a practical how-to (or how-NOT-to) guide to writing a screenplay. Why study a bad screenplay? For the simple fact that it will train you to look for problems in your own work and avoid them in the future. ? Why does Rear Window's success owe more to John Michael Hayes's screenplay than Alfred Hitchcock's directing? ? Why is Bull Durham's .I believe in the church of baseball. one of the great opening lines in the history of movies? ? Why is James Cameron's first draft screenplay for Titanic better than the film? ? What can we learn from Kinsey about writing about sex for American audiences? ? Why is Lawrence of Arabia one of the best examples of .writing for performance. in films, not only the performances of the actors, but also of the director, cinematographer, and composer? Stempel guides the reader through a cross section of cinema: historical epic, adventure,science fiction, teen comedy, drama, romantic comedy, suspense'films with budgets large and small. selective in its discussions and (sometimes withering) analyses, Stempel dissects the blockbusters and the bombs, discusses why certain aspects of a screenplay work and others do not, explains the difference between the film we watch and what was, the screenplay, and lays out some of screenwriting's hard and fast taboos, only to give examples of screenplays that break them, with successful results. Full of insight for novice and expert screenwriters alike, Understanding Screenwriting is the perfect book for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of how screenplays work.
Writing a Screenplay by
Exploding the myth that a screenplay is the easiest literary form to master, this book navigates a relatively painless path through the screenwriting labyrinth and offers an easy-to-digest, step-by-step guide to writing a script from inception to completion. If you don't learn, you won't earn.
American Documentary Film by
Richard Wall Memorial Award 2012 - Finalist What key concerns are reflected in documentaries produced in and about the United States? How have documentaries engaged with competing visions of US history, culture, politics, and national identity?This book examines how documentary films havecontributed to the American public sphere - creating a kind of public space, serving as sites for community-building, public expression, and social innovation. Geiger focuses on how documentaries have been significant in forming ideas of the nation, both as an imagined space and a real place. Moving from the dawn of cinema to the present day, this is the first full-length study to focus on the extensive range and history of American non-fiction filmmaking.Combining comprehensive overviews with in-depth case studies, Geiger maps American documentary's intricate histories, examining the impact of pre- and early cinema, travelogues, the avant-garde, 1930s social documentary, propaganda, direct cinema, postmodernism, and 'new' documentary. Offeringdetailed close analyses and fresh insights, this book provides students and scholars with a stimulating guide to American documentary, reminding us of its important place in cinema history.
Professional and Business Ethics Through Film by
This book considers ethical issues arising in professional and business settings and the role of individuals making decisions and coping with moral dilemmas. Readers can benefit from engagement in filmic narratives, as a simulated environment for developing a stance towards ethical challenges. The book starts by elaborating on critical thinking and on normative ethical theories, subsequently presenting the structure and cinematic elements of narrative film. These two avenues are tools for evaluating films and for discussions on various ethical problems in contemporary business, including: the corporate and banking financial machinations (greed, fraud, social responsibility); workplace ethical challenges (harassment, violence, inequity, inequality); professional and business ethical challenges (corruption, whistleblowing, outsourcing, downsizing, competition, and innovation); environmental and social issues; international business and human rights; and personal responsibility and identity challenges due to career pressures, loss of privacy and cyber harassment, and job structure changes in light of changing technology.
Reeling with Laughter by
Film comedy has been around as long as cinema itself. Over the years, particular forms of the genre have emerged, evolved, and spawned other branches of comedy. While these subgenres may vary in their approach to humor, all of them have the same goal: amusing audiences. In Reeling with Laughter: American Film Comedies--From Anarchy to Mockumentary, Michael V. Tueth examines some of the most enjoyable comic movies of all time. Beginning with the anarchic romp Duck Soup (1933), each chapter explores a specific subgenre through a representative film. Along with the Marx Brothers' classic, other subgenres discussed in this volume include romantic comedy (It Happened One Night), screwball comedy (Bringing Up Baby and What's Up, Doc?), musical comedy (Singin' in the Rain), sex farce (Some Like It Hot), satire (Dr. Strangelove), parody (Young Frankenstein), neurotic comedy (Annie Hall), Dionysian comedy (Animal House), mockumentary (Waiting for Guffman), and animated comedy (South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut). In this volume, Tueth provides the background of each film's production and discusses their audience reception, critical appraisal, and the qualities that have characterized these enduring works. Reeling with Laughter will appeal to film students, as well as the general public eager to revisit these great American films.
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