Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
Posted by adminDec 8
Product Description
A generation of screenwriters has used Syd Field’s bestselling books to ignite successful careers in film. Now the celebrated producer, lecturer, teacher, and bestselling author has updated his classic guide for a new generation of filmmakers, offering a fresh insider’s perspective on the film industry today. From concept to character, from opening scene to finished script, here are easily understood guidelines to help aspiring screenwriters—from novices to pr… More >>
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
I have used this book as a reference tool for a few years now. When I take my finished product to an agent, he laughs at me and asked where I learned to write. When I told him that I used Sceenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field, he laughed at me even harder. He bascally told me that I had the BASIC concepts down, but if I wanted to follow a “good” writer he introduced me to The Screenwriter’s Bible by David Trottier.
This came from the William Morris Agency, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong. He liked the story and decided to represent me if I offered him a better product. I went home a little discouraged. I came online to Amazon and purchased the book. After I read it and looked over my screenplay, I saw where I made the mistakes.
Now, I have sold a few movies/treatments and have another project being looked at by another Hollywood staple. All thanks to Mr. Trottier.
In other words, pay out a few extra dollars to get the Screenwriters Bible and do it the “right” way.
Rating: 1 / 5
I thought Fred Saberhagen’s “Berserker Fury” (1997) was redundant. But while Syd Field’s “Screenplay” offers plenty of reassurance to the wanna-be screenwriter, pretty soon I got the point and was tired of all the cheerleading.
Field may indeed have something substantial to say, but I couldn’t help wondering if this book started out as photocopied handouts (since Field apparently taught at Sherwood Oaks Experimental College) and ended up as a hardbound book. That led me to question if the revisions to the successive editions of the book (1979, 1982, 1994) didn’t simply consist of inserting additional redundancies.
If you can stand to wade through (and/or “weed through”) the pep talk, you might actually get something out of this book. I couldn’t, so I didn’t.
That means it’s time to drag out J. Michael (“Babylon 5,” “Murder, She Wrote”) Straczynski’s “The Complete Book of Scripwriting” (subtitled “The all-in-one guide to writing and selling screenplays, teleplays, theatrical plays, radio scripts and animation scripts”).
Rating: 1 / 5
This book has been the best, is the best and will stay one of the best in the future. It is a must for any filmmaker. It is written very well and to the point. It guides filmmakers to develop the blue print of their projects.
e-mail: neschaut@hotmail.com
Rating: 5 / 5
This book is very much oriented around following a certain structure. Syd focuses on describing the three act structure and how to build your screenplay in this structure. While structure definitely is a valuable element, I would not recommend anybody concentrating on it too much, cause the right structure will come in the right way for your script. Much more important elements like how to create rich characters and to enhance your story are not dealt with very much. If creative advice is given it comes across in a quite rigid way, and is lacking foundation. You really feel that Syd didn’t gain his knowledge by working as a professional screenwriter, but just by analyzing them. I am missing that kind of sensitivity, creativity and flexibility in his messages to writers that would come from persons who have really written screenplays themselves. To sum it up: The book was not valuable for me, in fact it left me disappointed and a bit frustrated. Other screenwriting books on the contrary have been a very inspiring and motivating source!
Rating: 1 / 5
I red SCREENPLAY many years ago before righting my own movie, BILLY ‘N’ BILLIE. Iliked the book. It was reel good at showing you what elimints are need in construkting a movie that will cell.There was only one thing that buged me and that was he says that all good movies follow a certin pairadime. But then on page 118 he says “What about NASHVILLE? Is that an exception?” He then shows how it doesnt seem like it but NASHVILLE reely does follow the pattern. Then he winds it up by saying “Robert Altman…films may look randomly composed but in reality they are executed with sculpted finesse. NASHVILLE fits the paradigm to a tee.” (It seems I mispelled paradigm earlyer but you knew what I ment right?) But what bugs me is that NASHVILLE reely doesnt fit the paradigm to a tee at all and SYD FIELD didnt have the curage of his conviktions to come out and say so. and ferthermore NASHVILLE is not a good movie at all. I tryed to watch it three times and never made it. But the rest of this book is good. My movie BILLY ‘N’ BILLIE nobody bought but even tho that happened to me I still think this book is good and I wreckamend it. My copy is totaly dogeared! I still dont no why my movie didnt cell but I might re-right it today on my lunch brake and try it again. Goodluck everyone!!!
Rating: 4 / 5