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The Screenwriter's Workbook: Exercises and Step-by-Step Instruction for Creating a Successful Screenplay
Here is your very own hands-on workshop--the book that allows ou to participate in the processes that have made Syd Fields workshops invaluable to beginners and working professionals alike.
211 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
248 people are currently reading
2056 people want to read
About the author
Syd Field
37 books211 followersSydney Alvin Field was an American screenwriting guru who wrote several books on the subject of screenwriting. He also conducted workshops and seminars on the subject of producing salable screenplays. Hollywood film producers have increasingly used his ideas on structure as a guideline to a proposed screenplay's potential.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
April 22, 2009
This is one of many "how to write a script the Hollywood way so you can sell it and make tons o' money" books. It's full of really boring standard rules about how stories and scripts work and what you're supposed to do and they're just all very unconvincing. It was good to read just to kind of get a grasp of what this famous guru thought, but i was pretty skeptical the whole way through.
I think with a lot of books like this, it's for people who really aren't that creative or don't think they are, and want some by-the-numbers method of becoming an "artist." but there is none. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably scamming you.
Read "Me, You, Memento and Fargo" instead of this, for ways that many great films don't follow the standard formulas.
I think with a lot of books like this, it's for people who really aren't that creative or don't think they are, and want some by-the-numbers method of becoming an "artist." but there is none. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably scamming you.
Read "Me, You, Memento and Fargo" instead of this, for ways that many great films don't follow the standard formulas.
April 6, 2017
وجدته في زاوية كتب في مقهى اثناء انتظاري لصديقتي...قرأت منه اول 10 صفحات ولم يتسنى لي اكماله يومها، عدا ان المقهى لا يسمح بشراء الكتب.
وجدت نفسي بعد عدة ايام اذهب وحدي للمقهى لاكمل قرائته ليبين لي انه عندما تبدا كتابة سيناريو لديك فقط اول عشر صفحات لتجذب القارئ، "اي المشاهد عندما يتعلق الأمر بالسينما".
كتاب رائع...مختصر مفيد...جدا.
وجدت نفسي بعد عدة ايام اذهب وحدي للمقهى لاكمل قرائته ليبين لي انه عندما تبدا كتابة سيناريو لديك فقط اول عشر صفحات لتجذب القارئ، "اي المشاهد عندما يتعلق الأمر بالسينما".
كتاب رائع...مختصر مفيد...جدا.
September 3, 2018
Μου το σύστησαν, μπας και καταφέρω να ξεπεράσω ένα συγγραφικό πρόβλημα που έχω. Ανακάλυψα ότι τα μισά -και παραπάνω- από αυτά που λεει, τα κάνω ήδη, στον αυτόματο. Από τη μία χάρηκα, γιατί τα έχω καλύψει, από την άλλη... δεν πήρα ακριβώς τη βοήθεια που περίμενα.
Κατά τα άλλα, πολύ ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα, απλές (υπερβολικά απλές κάποιες φορές) συμβουλές. Απευθύνεται σε Αμερικανάκια, οπότε να περιμένετε ότι κάποιες φορές θα τα κάνει πιο λιανά κι από τα λιανά, όχι απλά μασημένη τροφή, περασμένη στον μπλέντερ.
Κατά τα άλλα, πολύ ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα, απλές (υπερβολικά απλές κάποιες φορές) συμβουλές. Απευθύνεται σε Αμερικανάκια, οπότε να περιμένετε ότι κάποιες φορές θα τα κάνει πιο λιανά κι από τα λιανά, όχι απλά μασημένη τροφή, περασμένη στον μπλέντερ.
August 8, 2010
Quintessential screenwriter's how-to book. I read this a few times and reference it now and then as well. It was a tremendous help in getting me off the ground when I first started writing scripts, especially since I'd never even taken a class in it or had any study on the subject whatsoever.
May 21, 2020
This Workbook explains only one screenplay structure and all of its standard rules step by step. Field is basically going through a play which Hollywood loves and which would actually "make money" or smth like that. It ends up being really boring and mechanical, especially if you end up writing more than one screenplay.
There's many other structures in screenwriting as well, as for example episodes, biographical etc., but none of them are even mentioned. I really would have hoped he would have atleast mentioned the others too. In general it's kind of upsetting how most of the film industry is mostly concentrating on this what Field explains.
I didn't read some parts of this book, because they were so boring and Field just kept rambling and not getting to the point. He also keeps repeating many same things over and over again in different chapters, as if we wouldn't understand in the first reading, and it gets annoying. You already told us that before, we know and remember.
But Syd Field gives good examples and analysis about different movies about the subject he's writing about in each chapter. They are helpful to understand the concept better. There's also exercises in the end of each chapter and you could have made some kind of a screenplay after reading this.
This book does have a lot useful information and Syd Field definitely knows his stuff. But there's much more to screenwriting than only this structure.
There's many other structures in screenwriting as well, as for example episodes, biographical etc., but none of them are even mentioned. I really would have hoped he would have atleast mentioned the others too. In general it's kind of upsetting how most of the film industry is mostly concentrating on this what Field explains.
I didn't read some parts of this book, because they were so boring and Field just kept rambling and not getting to the point. He also keeps repeating many same things over and over again in different chapters, as if we wouldn't understand in the first reading, and it gets annoying. You already told us that before, we know and remember.
But Syd Field gives good examples and analysis about different movies about the subject he's writing about in each chapter. They are helpful to understand the concept better. There's also exercises in the end of each chapter and you could have made some kind of a screenplay after reading this.
This book does have a lot useful information and Syd Field definitely knows his stuff. But there's much more to screenwriting than only this structure.
December 11, 2022
all this could be written just in three sentences
January 20, 2016
Back in the late nineties I wrote eighty-plus pages of an aimless screenplay, carried it to a writers conference in San Luis Obispo, CA, where I expected to be showered with praise, but was instead introduced to this work by Syd Field. (I wish I could remember the name of the woman who taught the course there. She was a script doctor who did some uncredited work on The Santa Clause, I remember she said, kicking herself for declining credit when it was offered).
There are so many arguments out there for and against structure in Hollywood and this system, Syd Field's paradigm is held in contempt by many now, but let me add my voice to his chorus of true believers. My screenplay "Soul to Keep" won first place in the inaugural Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition in 1999 in huge part because of the lessons I learned here.
Read this book. Use it. It will help.
There are so many arguments out there for and against structure in Hollywood and this system, Syd Field's paradigm is held in contempt by many now, but let me add my voice to his chorus of true believers. My screenplay "Soul to Keep" won first place in the inaugural Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition in 1999 in huge part because of the lessons I learned here.
Read this book. Use it. It will help.
March 6, 2012
This book has some great, basic knowledge about what happens in our minds whenever we sit to read, watch, or write a story. I think the author did a great job of simplifying the content and keeping it in line with Aristotle's "Poetics" (upon which this book and all other books about stories are based).
The only thing I don't like about a lot of these books is that they often times put dissolute content in without giving the reader a good warning of when it's coming. Still, on the whole it's a really good knowledge base.
The only thing I don't like about a lot of these books is that they often times put dissolute content in without giving the reader a good warning of when it's coming. Still, on the whole it's a really good knowledge base.
Read
March 18, 2009اين كتاب مكمل كتاب اصلي نويسندهي آن :سيد فيلد" يعني كتاب بسيار معروف و مرجع "چگونه فيلمنامه بنويسيم" است. كتاب خوبي است و همانطور كه گفتم جزو كتابهاي مرجع فيلمنامه نويسي است
ترجمهي آن را آقاي عباس اكبري انجام داده
انتشارات نيلوفر هم با قيمت 2900 تومان به بازار داده
ترجمهي آن را آقاي عباس اكبري انجام داده
انتشارات نيلوفر هم با قيمت 2900 تومان به بازار داده
October 10, 2010
I thought it was a great analysis of how movies are put together. I ended up watching DIE HARD after reading it, and I was shocked at how more in-tune I was with the movie. Even if you're not interested in writing, I'd recommend this book.
April 8, 2022
این کتاب با نام راهنمای فیلمنامهنویس اثر سیدفیلد به ترجمه عباس اکبری دومین کتاب فیلمنامه نویسی از این فیلمنامه نویس بزرگ بود که من مطالعه کردم و درس های زیادی از این کتاب آموختم
کتاب اول تحت نام چگونه فیلم نامه بنویسیم باز هم به ترجمه عباس اکبری و مسعود مدنی باعث شد تا درس های خوبی از این کتاب فرا بگیرم و شروع به نوشتن فیلمنامه بکنم
برای کسانی که علاقهمند به نوشتن فیلمنامه هستند این کتاب و کتاب قبلی رو به شدت توصیه میکنم
این کتاب از دو بخش و ۱۷ فصل تشکیل شده است بخش اول تهیه مقدمات
۱:نویسنده از کجا شروع میکند
۲:ساختار
۳:الگو
۴:چهار صفحه
۵:چه چیزی یک شخصیت خوب را می سازد
۶:ابزار خلق شخصیت
۷:پویاییهای بصری شخصیت
و بخش دوم اجرا
۸:ساختار بخشیدن به پرده اول
۹:ده صفحه اول
۱۰:ده صفحه دوم و ده صفحه سوم
۱۱:الگوی جدید
۱۲: نقطه میانی
۱۳نیمه اول نیمه دوم
۱۴:نگارش پرده دوم پرده سوم
۱۵:گرهگشایی
۱۶:بازنویسی
۱۷:فیلمنامه خواندنی
کتاب راهنمای فیلمنامهنویس بر اساس درسهای سید فیلد در کارگاههای فیلمنامهنویسی او شکل گرفته و برای علاقهمندان به این رشته در حکم یک نقشه راهنماست راهنمایی در روند طولانی نوشتن فیلمنامه.
این راهنما فرصتی برای خواننده علاقمند و پیگیر فراهم میآورد تا مهارتهایی را که برای نوشتن فیلمنامه نیاز دارد به دست آورد.
هدف این کتاب افزایش آگاهیهای خواننده در مورد فیلمنامه و تکنیکهای آن و نیز پرورش مهارت در نوشتن و به انجام رساندن یک فیلمنامهی کامل است.
این کتاب برای چگونه نوشتن نیست بلکه برای نوشتن است. اگر فکر اولیه برای نوشتن فیلمنامه دارید و نمیدانید چگونه از پسِ آن بر آیید این کتاب شما را در غلبه بر این مشکلات راهنمایی خواهد کرد و به شما در دستیابی به یک فیلمنامه موفق یاری خواهد رساند.
سختترین کار نوشتن آن است که بدانید چه باید نوشت.
با سپاس از ژان رنوار که در کوره راه جنگل انبوه، راه را به من نشان داد.
کتاب اول تحت نام چگونه فیلم نامه بنویسیم باز هم به ترجمه عباس اکبری و مسعود مدنی باعث شد تا درس های خوبی از این کتاب فرا بگیرم و شروع به نوشتن فیلمنامه بکنم
برای کسانی که علاقهمند به نوشتن فیلمنامه هستند این کتاب و کتاب قبلی رو به شدت توصیه میکنم
این کتاب از دو بخش و ۱۷ فصل تشکیل شده است بخش اول تهیه مقدمات
۱:نویسنده از کجا شروع میکند
۲:ساختار
۳:الگو
۴:چهار صفحه
۵:چه چیزی یک شخصیت خوب را می سازد
۶:ابزار خلق شخصیت
۷:پویاییهای بصری شخصیت
و بخش دوم اجرا
۸:ساختار بخشیدن به پرده اول
۹:ده صفحه اول
۱۰:ده صفحه دوم و ده صفحه سوم
۱۱:الگوی جدید
۱۲: نقطه میانی
۱۳نیمه اول نیمه دوم
۱۴:نگارش پرده دوم پرده سوم
۱۵:گرهگشایی
۱۶:بازنویسی
۱۷:فیلمنامه خواندنی
کتاب راهنمای فیلمنامهنویس بر اساس درسهای سید فیلد در کارگاههای فیلمنامهنویسی او شکل گرفته و برای علاقهمندان به این رشته در حکم یک نقشه راهنماست راهنمایی در روند طولانی نوشتن فیلمنامه.
این راهنما فرصتی برای خواننده علاقمند و پیگیر فراهم میآورد تا مهارتهایی را که برای نوشتن فیلمنامه نیاز دارد به دست آورد.
هدف این کتاب افزایش آگاهیهای خواننده در مورد فیلمنامه و تکنیکهای آن و نیز پرورش مهارت در نوشتن و به انجام رساندن یک فیلمنامهی کامل است.
این کتاب برای چگونه نوشتن نیست بلکه برای نوشتن است. اگر فکر اولیه برای نوشتن فیلمنامه دارید و نمیدانید چگونه از پسِ آن بر آیید این کتاب شما را در غلبه بر این مشکلات راهنمایی خواهد کرد و به شما در دستیابی به یک فیلمنامه موفق یاری خواهد رساند.
سختترین کار نوشتن آن است که بدانید چه باید نوشت.
با سپاس از ژان رنوار که در کوره راه جنگل انبوه، راه را به من نشان داد.
January 10, 2022
Pros:
- Well structured and clear guide to follow
- Lots of useful tips and ways of working
Cons:
- Waayyyy too repetitive. Could have been half the length
- Some bits are a bit silly. For example, his story of getting emotional in the bathtub (at seeing a bee not being able to escape) was such a waste of space and was laughable in a book like this
Overall:
A decent guide if you want a workbook to follow when scriptwriting. I didn’t use it for that, I just read it, and so my opinion might be less valid to the people that want to use this as a “Workbook”. As a read, start to finish, it was UNBELIEVABLY repetitive - saying the same sentences and metaphors over and over and over.
It read like a classroom teacher - informative, but hammering the points home too much for a casual reading experience.
- Well structured and clear guide to follow
- Lots of useful tips and ways of working
Cons:
- Waayyyy too repetitive. Could have been half the length
- Some bits are a bit silly. For example, his story of getting emotional in the bathtub (at seeing a bee not being able to escape) was such a waste of space and was laughable in a book like this
Overall:
A decent guide if you want a workbook to follow when scriptwriting. I didn’t use it for that, I just read it, and so my opinion might be less valid to the people that want to use this as a “Workbook”. As a read, start to finish, it was UNBELIEVABLY repetitive - saying the same sentences and metaphors over and over and over.
It read like a classroom teacher - informative, but hammering the points home too much for a casual reading experience.
July 24, 2010
I admit that I didn't read this book in its entirety. I could tell just by flipping through it that it was a bit repetitive, but that doesn't mean that Field doesn't impart useful knowledge. He does! His approach has led to many a successful movie. And I appreciate that he points readers to Aristotle's Poetics in the end notes.
March 15, 2018
A brilliant follow up after Syd Field's master piece: Screenplay. This book is more focused on the know how, on the application. Its a good refresher and has more practical tips and insights. Again, a must read book like for anyone interested in screenwriting like its predecessor.
December 12, 2023
Some useful tips here, but Field just isn't a good writer (on the page). He rambles, digresses, and there isn't much structure to be found. Beginning screenwriters are much better off with McKee.
December 1, 2022
Wow, I just looked at all the negative reviews and laughed.
First, knowing structure and how narrative works is essential for writers, even if they are going to write all over the place and break any rule they see. Understanding structure and how narrative works is even better, and so I use Syd Field in a writing class for fiction. Laughing. Because once you know and completely understand and YES!—master the art of basic narrative structure, you can manipulate it to your own needs. That little paradigm is worth its weight in pure gold.
We have been telling stories for thousands of years and basically, we are still telling them the same way. People are drawn to a sort of ritual in fiction and yes, in film. I do admit that style is important and bending rules is important, how else would we get books that transform narrative and lead to change, if not beginning with the core idea. But let me say this, art is transforming right now and has been. Postmodernism is over. One day soon, along will come a novel that will shift how we view fiction. I think Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has probably done that for this generation, and the author looked back toward old methods in order to move forward.
The paradigm is something I love, and I use it to block out the plot of all my stories. And then, I manipulate the block to my inner visions. If you use Syd Field, you are going to learn so many tools, pacing among them, but just one of many.
We wouldn't know how to write a film like Memento if we did not really understand the paradigm and how structure affects story. But hey, who am I trying to convince? No one. I use it. It's great book and I pass them out to students all the time.
Highly recommended for all writers of fiction.
First, knowing structure and how narrative works is essential for writers, even if they are going to write all over the place and break any rule they see. Understanding structure and how narrative works is even better, and so I use Syd Field in a writing class for fiction. Laughing. Because once you know and completely understand and YES!—master the art of basic narrative structure, you can manipulate it to your own needs. That little paradigm is worth its weight in pure gold.
We have been telling stories for thousands of years and basically, we are still telling them the same way. People are drawn to a sort of ritual in fiction and yes, in film. I do admit that style is important and bending rules is important, how else would we get books that transform narrative and lead to change, if not beginning with the core idea. But let me say this, art is transforming right now and has been. Postmodernism is over. One day soon, along will come a novel that will shift how we view fiction. I think Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has probably done that for this generation, and the author looked back toward old methods in order to move forward.
The paradigm is something I love, and I use it to block out the plot of all my stories. And then, I manipulate the block to my inner visions. If you use Syd Field, you are going to learn so many tools, pacing among them, but just one of many.
We wouldn't know how to write a film like Memento if we did not really understand the paradigm and how structure affects story. But hey, who am I trying to convince? No one. I use it. It's great book and I pass them out to students all the time.
Highly recommended for all writers of fiction.
October 23, 2021
A nice and useful book about the art of writing a screenplay.
Syd Field in this classic book teaches us the fundamentals of screenplay. Maybe not only screenplay since if you read this book your knowledge about cinema and movies in general, will undoubtedly increase. Many basic definitions are contained here. Screenplay is a story narrated by pictures, writing means I'm asking myself and he/she answers, drama is conflict.
There are also many useful tips such as: dialogue comes from the hero's inner psychological state, there are two ways to write a screenplay; the first is to find an idea and then fit in this idea the heroes and the second to concoct the hero first and through his desires and actions to fabricate the plot, the best way to start a screenplay is to know how it ends.
Some observations and quotes are also very interesting: in a true art the artist has to do everything by himself/herself (Pierre Renoir), a director can take a great screenplay and turn it into a great movie or take a great screenplay and turn it into an lousy movie, but he can't take a lousy screenplay and turn it into a great movie.
There are many good movies that the author recommends and examines but he mostly analyzes Chinatown (1974), so it would be a good idea to have seen this movie before reading the book.
The disadvantage of the book is that it can be considered dated nowadays since many years have passed from its publication. Moreover, Syd Field is a bit dogmatic about his rules of writing a good script.
Syd Field in this classic book teaches us the fundamentals of screenplay. Maybe not only screenplay since if you read this book your knowledge about cinema and movies in general, will undoubtedly increase. Many basic definitions are contained here. Screenplay is a story narrated by pictures, writing means I'm asking myself and he/she answers, drama is conflict.
There are also many useful tips such as: dialogue comes from the hero's inner psychological state, there are two ways to write a screenplay; the first is to find an idea and then fit in this idea the heroes and the second to concoct the hero first and through his desires and actions to fabricate the plot, the best way to start a screenplay is to know how it ends.
Some observations and quotes are also very interesting: in a true art the artist has to do everything by himself/herself (Pierre Renoir), a director can take a great screenplay and turn it into a great movie or take a great screenplay and turn it into an lousy movie, but he can't take a lousy screenplay and turn it into a great movie.
There are many good movies that the author recommends and examines but he mostly analyzes Chinatown (1974), so it would be a good idea to have seen this movie before reading the book.
The disadvantage of the book is that it can be considered dated nowadays since many years have passed from its publication. Moreover, Syd Field is a bit dogmatic about his rules of writing a good script.
December 28, 2022
Es un manual práctico de fórmula hollywoodiense, eso sí, está bastante desfasado (1979) en lo relativo a los ejemplos que da (y da muchos) el método de escritura y corrección (máquina de escribir, tijeras y celo). También se quedó anticuado en cierta manera en la estructura, la fórmula digamos, del guion comercial ya que métodos como Save the Cat ahora son más populares (pero no olvidemos que Blake Snyder se basa en la estructura de Syd Field). Field divide el guion en 4 partes (1er acto, 1a mitad del 2o acto, 2a mitad del 2o acto, y 3er acto). Cada parte tiene sus escenas clave (nudos, pinzas, confrontación ) y cada parte está estructurada en una página muy concreta del clásico guion de 120 páginas de Hollywood. Este manual es como un taller, te da ejercicios para ir practicando cada parte. Bien estructurado y con muchos diagramas que facilitan la comprensión, igual que infinidad de ejemplos. Narración en clave de profesor y no de gurú (lo que se agradece), sin prejuicios y con humildad. El libro del guion fue la biblia del guionista hasta hace un par de décadas, entiendo porqué (aunque no deja de ser una mejora sobre la estructura clásica, de la antigua Grecia, de la historia en tres actos). Funciona, pero a los jóvenes les puede dar pereza una lectura tan desactualizada. Recomendable para aquellos que ya han leído manuales más actualizados.
March 30, 2020
The newly revised and updated edition from 2006 uses an excellent array of examples from more modern films(than it's predecessor). The process is explained masterfully and helped me complete my first two complete scripts. From the first thoughts on paper exercise to the elusive middle plot to the resolution, Syd Field guides you to craft your own original script.
Even if you are not necessarily looking to craft a script the book will change the way you watch films. Soon you will find yourself breaking down movies, based on the paradigm structure for example (**read no further if you've never seen Dead Poet's Society**)
Act I (Set up) Introduction to Helton School, students and Mr. Keating
Plot point 1- Inspired by Mister Keating the boys resume Dead Poets Club
Act II-(Conflict)The boys thrive under Mr. Keating
Plot point II- Neil commits suicide
Act III (Resolution) Mr. Keating is fired, but, his inspiration to his students is enduring and everlasting.
Even if you are not necessarily looking to craft a script the book will change the way you watch films. Soon you will find yourself breaking down movies, based on the paradigm structure for example (**read no further if you've never seen Dead Poet's Society**)
Act I (Set up) Introduction to Helton School, students and Mr. Keating
Plot point 1- Inspired by Mister Keating the boys resume Dead Poets Club
Act II-(Conflict)The boys thrive under Mr. Keating
Plot point II- Neil commits suicide
Act III (Resolution) Mr. Keating is fired, but, his inspiration to his students is enduring and everlasting.
July 30, 2020
Me gustó mucho leer este libro antes de cualquier otro referente a guionismo, considero que para alguien que no tenga la más mínima idea de cómo se escribe un guión cinematográfico le va perfecto.
Es muy sencillo, esta bien estructurado y tiene muchos ejemplos (desconozco la mayoría de ellos) y aunque en la primera mitad del libro me quejaba de lo repetitivo que podía ser el autor en algunos casos, en la segunda mitad me pareció bastante útil para seguirle el ritmo a la lectura y entender otras cosas.
Como es un workbook trae ejercicios, eso me gustó mucho, el primero de ellos resulta uno de mis favoritos.
Mi parte favorita de todo el libro sucede casi al final, cuando habla de las rutinas de algunos guionistas, y me parece muy importante la aclaratoria de la perseverancia y la determinación.
Este libro es una buena herramienta para comenzar, pero puede que resulte un poco obsoleto, así que toca investigar y leer más.
Es muy sencillo, esta bien estructurado y tiene muchos ejemplos (desconozco la mayoría de ellos) y aunque en la primera mitad del libro me quejaba de lo repetitivo que podía ser el autor en algunos casos, en la segunda mitad me pareció bastante útil para seguirle el ritmo a la lectura y entender otras cosas.
Como es un workbook trae ejercicios, eso me gustó mucho, el primero de ellos resulta uno de mis favoritos.
Mi parte favorita de todo el libro sucede casi al final, cuando habla de las rutinas de algunos guionistas, y me parece muy importante la aclaratoria de la perseverancia y la determinación.
Este libro es una buena herramienta para comenzar, pero puede que resulte un poco obsoleto, así que toca investigar y leer más.
March 31, 2020
I was thrown into the deep end with having to teach a screenwriting course and this was useful in terms of getting students kickstarted on their writing projects. There are a lot of useful exercises, and prompts to get you thinking a bit more deeply and I think it would be really helpful in preparing material for anything. I also like how he kind of takes you by the hand and guides you through the process.
Some of his examples are really enlightening, and I think that's what I enjoyed most about the book. Some of them remain unclear, and the book itself is really badly written with lots of repetition. I definitely had to draw on a lot more material than this in order to bring them through the course. But as a starting point, and as a walk through the process, it's not bad at all.
Some of his examples are really enlightening, and I think that's what I enjoyed most about the book. Some of them remain unclear, and the book itself is really badly written with lots of repetition. I definitely had to draw on a lot more material than this in order to bring them through the course. But as a starting point, and as a walk through the process, it's not bad at all.
December 21, 2024
Genuinely such a good foundation book for screenwriting. Field never imposes his methodology on the reader but re-iterates that these are simply tools that one can use. Some might say, this workbook gets repetitive a times, but I think Field's constant re-iteration of certain theories, concepts, or merely his consistent encouraging words are meant to be drilled into the aspiring writer's mind. It is particularly this last point that made me really appreciate this book. Field is an encouraging voice; he acknowledges that writing is hard and he sympathizes with you, but he also emphasizes consistently that it is natural to mess up at first.
This was the book that helped me lay down the foundation for my understanding of the craft.
This was the book that helped me lay down the foundation for my understanding of the craft.
May 5, 2017
The best book for a starting screenwriter - I've learned a lot and the workbook exercises help with finishing your own story - way more useful than any of the novel writing books I've read. Work through it slowly and it does wonders to your writing!
Screenwriting is about the structure and knowing what you want to write to the detail. Knowing the structure helps you guide your story through the difficult scenes. Asking correct questions and noticing the rhythm. High praise for this book for the enthusiasm I felt reading it and the power to continue writing.
Screenwriting is about the structure and knowing what you want to write to the detail. Knowing the structure helps you guide your story through the difficult scenes. Asking correct questions and noticing the rhythm. High praise for this book for the enthusiasm I felt reading it and the power to continue writing.
November 9, 2019
So extremely badly written (typical American self-help style) that it became a stuggle to finish. Sometimes Field will literally write the same thing three times in consecutive sentences. Worst book I've ever held in my hands. Plus, it destroys screenwriting as an art form. That said, it has a couple useful ideas, as well as a certain motivational value.
It was recommended by Dan Harmon. He used it with Rob Schrab to write their first screenplay. But I feel like he gives Field too much credit.
It was recommended by Dan Harmon. He used it with Rob Schrab to write their first screenplay. But I feel like he gives Field too much credit.
June 10, 2020
Amazing handbook that really explains thoroughly how to look at writing a screenplay not just as Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 alone. Perfectly narrates how to take a screenplay step by step from development to the actual writing. Exercises are included at the end of each chapter that are helpful for implementing each chapter towards your own personal learning. Would recommend for anyone who really wants to understand structure and the organization of a screenplay.
October 18, 2020
I recommend Syd for all aspiring screenwriters and writers in general. I have read several of his books and they hold useful information in constructing a movie script. He offers some great expertise and explores the techniques that make a great film. Many of his plot construction devices and story methods work not only in film but in novels as well. Well worth a read for anyone wanting to become an author.
April 4, 2023
I loved the expansion in the subject, and the great variety of examples given in this book.
I do reccomment reading "Screenplay" frist.
This book is know part of my reference library on the every day writing references.
It talks about the 30-60-30 structure. Which is the standard in the industry and would help very much in the understanding of producing with it.
Loved it, Syd Filed is fun and helpful and the book is not only educational but entretaining to read.
I do reccomment reading "Screenplay" frist.
This book is know part of my reference library on the every day writing references.
It talks about the 30-60-30 structure. Which is the standard in the industry and would help very much in the understanding of producing with it.
Loved it, Syd Filed is fun and helpful and the book is not only educational but entretaining to read.
February 19, 2025
To fully understand the contents of the book, reading it once is not enough. You should read the book completely at least twice and refer to your notes on other occasions. Overall, it is a very good option for starting screenwriting.
برای آنکه دقیق متوجه مطالب کتاب شوید یک بار مطالعه کافی نیست . باید حداقل دو بار کتاب را کامل خوانده و بارهای دیگر نیز به نکته برداری هایتان رجوع کنید . در کل برای شروع فیلمنامه نویسی گزینه بسیار مناسبی می باشد
برای آنکه دقیق متوجه مطالب کتاب شوید یک بار مطالعه کافی نیست . باید حداقل دو بار کتاب را کامل خوانده و بارهای دیگر نیز به نکته برداری هایتان رجوع کنید . در کل برای شروع فیلمنامه نویسی گزینه بسیار مناسبی می باشد
September 22, 2020
I can see why attending Field's workshops would be an amazing experience, because through this book you can really tell that putting words on paper in doing a disservice of what could be a wonderful speech. Still, this was so informative and helpful, packed with some great examples to make everything as clear as it can.
May 27, 2023
Viele Anekdoten des Autors sind auf der einen Seite schön, auf der anderen leider sehr wiederholend. Teilweise werden absurde Binsen vermittelt, etwa „Wenn Sie nicht wissen, wie die Story geht, wer soll es dann wissen?“ Die vermittelte Struktur ist hilfreich. Die wesentliche Aussage und Inhalt des Buches könnte wohl auf 3-5 Seiten ausreichend beschrieben werden.
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