Writing Short Films: Structure and Content for Screenwriters
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Product Description
Product Description
Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Lucas all began their careers making a short film. By contrasting and comparing the differences and similarities between feature films and short films, "Writing Short Films, 2nd Edition", offers readers the essential requirements necessary to make their writing crisp, sharp and compelling. Emphasising characters, structure, dialogue and story, Linda Cowgill dispels the 'magic formula' concept that screenplays can be constructed by anyone with a word processor and a script formatting program. This new edition has been completely updated and revised along with the addition of several new chapters and new film examples. Currently, this title remains the best selling university text book on writing short film screenplays.
From the Publisher
Learn screenplay writing for shorter films
Writing a good screenplay, short or long, is a difficult job, and Writing Short Films offers readers the essential requirements necessary to make their writing crisp, sharp and compelling. Citing numerous examples from short films as well as feature films, Cowgill teaches strategies to keep a short film on track and writer's block at bay. For more information, visit the Lone Eagle Web Site at http://www.loneeagle.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Writing a good screenplay, short or long, is a difficult job, and Writing Short Films offers readers the essential requirements necessary to make their writing crisp, sharp and compelling. Citing numerous examples from short films as well as feature films, Cowgill teaches strategies to keep a short film on track and writer's block at bay. For more information, visit the Lone Eagle Web Site at http://www.loneeagle.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Stories are how we understand the world. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Stories are how we understand the world. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A wonderful introduction to screenwriting for a shorter format. Filled with tips and strategies on structure, constructing scenes, developing characters. The book takes the writer's perspective, from start to finish. And it all starts with story. Author also gives examples you can find in video stores. Another bonus. And all the information in this book is transferable to writing feature length screenplays. A real find.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
15 reviews
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Not Specifically About Short Films
18 Sep 2007
Format:Paperback
While the subtitle of this book is accurate ("structure and content for screenwriters"), the main title is incredibly misleading. While many short films are used as examples, I can sum up what the book says about writing the short screenplay with: They must be focused, because they are short.
The information in the book about writing a story for film is informative and worthwhile, and could be applied to any form of storytelling. But, as I was looking for specific information about working in a short screenplay format, I found that this book has very little to offer on the subject.
4 stars as a book on story structure
0 stars as a book about writing short films
The information in the book about writing a story for film is informative and worthwhile, and could be applied to any form of storytelling. But, as I was looking for specific information about working in a short screenplay format, I found that this book has very little to offer on the subject.
4 stars as a book on story structure
0 stars as a book about writing short films
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Excellent textbook for short and full length scriptwriting
28 April 2003
Format:Paperback
I have used Linda Cowgill's book, Writing Short Films, for a three-hundred level course, which I have taught at the University of Arizona, for over four years. It continues to be an excellent basic text for my students even though I have read many of the other books on the market. Linda defines all the important tools of a writer and their uses within the craft. She uses many short films in the book to exemplify her points directly and easily. The short films are excellent references and are accessible for showing--which is a perfect visual teaching tool. Even though the title is for short scriptwriting, she talks about full length films in comparison and, of course, all of these elements and tools are equally important for the full length form. It remains my favorite reference book for my own writing of screenplays and recommend it as the best of the screenwriting books on the market.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
...like striking gold
4 July 2003
Format:Paperback
As Head of Film and Media Production at a British college I had been on the look-out for a long time for a book that would really excite aspiring screenwriters - and now I've found it. Anyone hoping to make their breakthrough short film should read this book cover to cover and see how successful filmmaking is dependent on strong scriptwriting. Linda Cowgill has a tremendous ability to illustrate the need for both structure and originality when writing for what is, in truth, a very difficult format to get right.
The book covers the entire writers journey from 'starting out' to producing a lean, focused, innovative screenplay. Through observing the impact it has had on new writers I would say that this book is in a league of its own.
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