11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Read Frensham after Robert McKee's "Story" book., 2 May 2003
This review is from: Teach Yourself Screenwriting (TY Creative Writing) (Paperback)
The best thing about Frensham is his emphasis on characterisation.
The main arguement of Robert McKee's book is plot-structure being far more important than characterisation. Thus if you want to know about plot-structure then buy McKee but if you want a great character biography analysis checklist buy Frensham.
Also frensham has lots to say about how to approach rewriting: he outlines his 6 different stages: again with good checklists.
Best of all he has a typical production company script reader's (story analyst) checklist, so that we know what how the enemy thinks.
However, on plot-structure he is too formulaic: he doesn't prove story principles the way McKee does. McKee's principles are based on Aristotle and Stanislavski.
I'd suggest you'd buy "An Actor Prepares" if you really want to 'Act at the desk' so that you feel what the characters feel.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent guide for the beginner, 29 July 2001
By A Customer
This book is brilliant, not only showing you how to lay out a screenplay but going into the fine detail of how to structure plots without being confusing or full of jargon. Frensham also provides a lot of help in generating and refining ideas, an area that is neglected by many other screenwriting texts. I refer to this book on an almost daily basis, I can't give higher praise than that!
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Think Big! Think Hollywood! Think Where To Start!!, 11 Mar 2002
By A Customer
Frensham begins at the beginning and finishes at the end: visual layout of your script (including size of pages, colour, text size, UK or US), synopsis, genres, the 8 basic stories, development of your story, character development, 1st draft, 2nd draft, to promotion.
Frensham takes you on a journey, he advises films to watch and take note from. HE IS TEACHING, it's kind of an interactive book.
If you are thinking of writing for film or TV, to say this book is invaluable is an understatment.
Alfred Hitchcock said 'To make a great movie, you need just three things: a great script, a great script, and a great script.' (taken from TY Screenwriting By Raymond Fresnsham.)
I say 'To learn to write that great movie, you need just three things: this book, this book, God! You need this book!'
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