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Save the Cat!: The Only Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
 
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Save the Cat!: The Only Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need (Paperback)

by Blake Snyder (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
RRP: £11.99
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Price For All Three: £21.84

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Product details

  • Paperback: 195 pages
  • Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions; illustrated edition edition (10 Aug 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1932907009
  • ISBN-13: 978-1932907001
  • Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15.2 x 1.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 14,586 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #4 in  Books > Business, Finance & Law > Management > Management Skills > Communication & Presentation > Writing Guides
    #5 in  Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Film > Production & Technology > Screenwriting

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Product Description

Book Description

He's made millions of dollars selling screenplays to Hollywood and now screenwriter Blake Snyder tells all. "Save the Cat" is just one of Snyder's many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketablle and your script more satisfying - and saleable, including:

* The four elements of every winning logline
* The seven immutable laws of screenplay physics
* The ten genres and why they're important to your movie
* Why your Hero must serve your idea
* How to get back on track with ironclad and proven rules for script repair

This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by an industry veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.



About the Author

By Blake Snyder

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (9)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
54 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Not Worth the Price Paid, 28 Sep 2007
There are a couple of nuggets of advice that might be construed as semi-useful, but most of this is recycled from existing literature on the craft of screenwriting. It's really just a quick fix piece written with the assumption that its readership has the attention span of an aging goldfish.

You know that friend you have who is so in love with the sound of their own voice that they'll just riff on for ages and ages until you're on the verge of telling them to shut the heck up? Well, Blake is sort of like the literary equivalent of that. While it starts off all loud and sassy, it quickly deteriorates into a non-stop barrage of written noise. Just try counting the exclamation marks if you don't believe me. They start with the title.

As opposed to truly cogent and coherent form for constructing screenplays (with the exception of an oversimplified rewrite of the structural outlines that can be found in any screenwriting literature from Syd Field's 'Screenplay' onwards), Blake seems to be providing more arbitrary pieces of 'advice' that seem to be matters of personal taste as opposed to truly insightful information about the workings of drama. Ironically, his most valuable piece of information - the part about shifting between positive and negative values within a dramatic unit - is lifted straight out of Robert McKee's 'Story'.

The final straw in determining the author's mental frame of reference occurs when he begins to lampoon solidly crafted films like Steven Spielberg's 'Minority Report' or Christopher Nolan's 'Memento' whilst simultaneously praising vacuous pop hits like 'Miss. Congeniality' and 'Legally Blond'. What's more, he goes on to dedicate an entire portion of the book to dissecting 'Miss. Congeniality' as a case study in how to make a worthy film in a section called "$100 million in 15 Beats".

It suddenly becomes painfully obvious precisely what types of films Snyder seems to be wanting to will into existence. And they're certainly not the types of films I'd term 'classics' in any sense of the word.

His only notable screenplay successes are the 'Home Alone' rip-off 'Blank Check' and an expensive script sale to Steven Spielberg of an unmade screenplay called 'Nuclear Family' (it's just another version of 'The Incredibles').

If you're really looking to seriously invest in mastering the form, 'Save the Cat' is little more than a library rental on a weekend when you have absolutely nothing else better to do. The book is obviously geared towards readers looking for 'quick fix' methods to writing screenplays. Unfortunately for them, if there is a quick fix out there, this book is not it.
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17 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Serious about scriptwriting, 22 Aug 2006
By S. Jones (London UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I first came across Blake's writing in the Scriptwriter magazine and was intrigued by the quality of his article. This lead me to his web-site which is filled with really useful tools and templates for structuring your script and have now just had to buy this book - which is also EXCELLENT! Blake's book has really helped me get to the heart of my story, which is ultimately what scriptwriting is all about. I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about writing films.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Purrrrfect Pitch!, 8 April 2008
By Chiddkid (London, UK) - See all my reviews
Ah you're wrong, wrong, wrong, get with the fifteen beats Manfred, man. Never been moved to write a review before, but anyone anywhere interested in writing a successful screenplay MUST read this one. It IS a simple read - but movies aren't rocket-science. They have rules. Just takes someone to point them out. And sure the movies Blake critiques here could be described as bubble-gum movies, but the fifteen rule Beat Sheets apply to all well-constructed movies - from Alien to Zelig (as Blake shows to brilliant effect in Save The Cat Goes To The Movies). There's one easy way to see if these rules work and could help with your screenplay - read the book, then watch your favourite movie. See? It works!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Easily the best
Easily the best book on popular screenwriting you can buy. True, it is an easy read and the type of films that Blake champions were all successful at the box office. Read more
Published 29 days ago by TDJ

3.0 out of 5 stars I don't know if I like the author
I have to agree with alot of people, Blake Snyder is a bit of an egomaniac. He makes a few good points but ruins it with stupid comments and rants. Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Campbell

5.0 out of 5 stars The Craft, not the Art
Some of the reviews are missing the point; this is not a book intended to make anyone an artist. Sadly I don't think such a book could exist; art is within you or it isn't, it... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Steve

1.0 out of 5 stars A 'How To' in the art of conning
Do you want to be a script writer? Do you want to be credited with penning a cinematic masterpiece? Do you want to see your vision on the big screen, lauded by critics and... Read more
Published 3 months ago by N. Harrison

1.0 out of 5 stars Save Your Money!
This book is just plain terrible! I'm not working on my screenplay after reading it as I felt compelled to write this review. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Don Mcvey

5.0 out of 5 stars the new bible
i used to think 'story' by mckee was the definitive screenwriting book -- ladies and gentlemen, we have a new winner! Read more
Published 7 months ago by Self Help Junkie

4.0 out of 5 stars The best as an introduction
Snyder is not trying to tell you how to create a classic all time masterpiece. That can probably not be taught. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Joost J. Dantuma

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks Blake!
I have a vague idea about Structure. This helped to explain easily and helpfully. It also made me question and think about certain ideas and how to use them. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. Mark D. Morris

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and enlightening!
If you're serious about becoming a screenwriter, I can't recomment this book enough!

The notes on 'True Genre' alone are worth the asking price, but the 'Immutable... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mr. Leigh Oakley

5.0 out of 5 stars The Cat Saves the Day
There are many screenwriting books on the market, but this is undoubtedly one of the most helpful and the most fun. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Dan B

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