Publisher Description

It's simple: films need to have commercial value for the studios to produce them, distributors to sell them, and theater chains to screen them. While talent definitely plays a part in the writing process, it can be the well-executed formulaic approaches to the popular genres that will first get you noticed in the industry.Genre Screenwriting: How to Write Popular Screenplays That Sell does not attempt to probe in the deepest psyche of screenwriters and directors of famous or seminal films, nor does it attempt to analyze the deep theoretic machinations of films. Duncan's simple goal is to give the reader, the screenwriter, a practical guide to writing each popular film genre. Employing methods as diverse as using fairy tales to illustrate the 'how to' process for each popular genre, and discussing these popular genres in modern television and its relation to its big screen counterpart, Duncan provides a one-stop shop for novices and professionals alike.

Notes

Advice on writing screenplays for all the genres, with a bonus section discussing how each genre has fared from the 1950s.

Author Biography

Stephen Duncan is an Associate Professor, and currently Chair of the Screenwriting Department, at Loyola Marymount University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Basics of Dramatic ScreenwritingThe Film PremiseStory ThemeCharacterSuspension of DisbeliefStory & PlotThe Seven Elements of a SceneThe Sequence ApproachScreenplay Structure: Classic & Alternative ApproachesThe "Rules" Versus the "Visceral" ApproachChapter 2: Writing the Action-Adventure GenreLights! Camera! Action!Origins of the Action-AdventureSome Important DefinitionsHollywood's Love Affair with the Action-Adventure GenreKey "How To" Elements to the Action-Adventure ScreenplayWriting Style Examples from Produced ScreenplaysAction-Adventure & Television SeriesYour AssignmentChapter 3: Writing a Thriller GenreSpine Tingling Nail BiterFirst Things First: The Key Elements to the Murder MysteryBrief Historical Perspective & Key Elements of NoirThe Thriller & Television SeriesYour AssignmentChapter 4: Writing the Science-Fiction-Fantasy GenreThe Illusion of RealityHollywood's Addiction to Computer Generated ImagesScience-Fiction-Fantasy & Television SeriesYour AssignmentChapter 5: Writing the Horror-FantasyA Frightening JourneyA Brief Historical Perspective of the Horror-Fantasy GenreHorror-Fantasy & Television SeriesYour AssignmentChapter 6: Writing the Comedy & Romantic Comedy GenresMake "Em LaughThe Origins of ComedyThe Romantic Comedy GenreComedy & Television SeriesYour AssignmentChapter 7: Marketing Your Finished Genre ScreenplayNirvana: The Four QuadrantsFrom Script to Screen: How Films Get MadeSelling Your ScreenplayLanding RepresentationThe Screenplay Marketplace by GenreThe Appendix: Genre Screenwriting Templates

Review

"[This book] reveals the secrets of a successful screenplay across a range of genres and employs a variety of methods to illustrate the processes" Writer's Forum, December 2008
"Duncan (screenwriting, Loyola Marymount Univ.; A Guide to Screenwriting) concentrates here on the nuts and bolts of writing commercial screenplays. He explores each of the five primary film genres and a few subgenres to help readers understand the formula for each well enough to write—and perhaps sell—a successful screenplay of their own. Although not aiming for a general screenwriting primer, Duncan gives a brief overview on screenwriting basics. He uses his own speculative scripts, based on reworked fairy tales, as illustrations for each genre covered...Each chapter closes with helpful textual notes; appendixes provide worksheets for genre and character development." -Stacey Rae Brownlie, Library Journal, February 1, 2009
In this useful and approachable offering, screenwriter Duncan (whose film credits include A Man Called Hawk and Tour of Duty) provides aspiring screenwriters with the tools to write the most popular genres on the big screen, including action-adventure, thriller, science fiction and fantasy, horror-fantasy, and romantic comedy. Duncan breaks down the elements of each genre, showing readers how the protagonist, the antagonist, and the supporting characters function within the structure of the plot. Duncan uses his own spec scripts for dialogue and format tips and transforms fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks and the Three Bears into examples of various genres. In addition to his own work, Duncan references popular films in each category and shows how they typify their respective genres. At the end of the book, he offers suggestions for marketing and attempting to sell the finished screenplay. Indie aficionados might turn up their noses, but Duncan's handy how-to is a practical, accessible guide for those eager to work in popular contemporary movies."-Booklist

Promotional

Genre Screenwriting: How to Write Popular Film Genre Screenplays That Sell's simple goal is to give the reader, the screenwriter, a practical guide to writing each popular film genre. Employing methods as diverse as using fairy tales to illustrate the 'how to' process for each popular genre, and discussing these popular genres in modern television and its relation to its big screen counterpart, Duncan provides a one-stop shop for novices and professionals alike.

Long Description

It's simple: films need to have commercial value for the studios to produce them, distributors to sell them, and theater chains to screen them. While talent definitely plays a part in the writing process, it can be the well-executed formulaic approaches to the popular genres that will first get you noticed in the industry. Genre Screenwriting: How to Write Popular Screenplays That Sell does not attempt to probe in the deepest psyche of screenwriters and directors of famous or seminal films, nor does it attempt to analyze the deep theoretic machinations of films. Duncan's simple goal is to give the reader, the screenwriter, a practical guide to writing each popular film genre. Employing methods as diverse as using fairy tales to illustrate the 'how to' process for each popular genre, and discussing these popular genres in modern television and its relation to its big screen counterpart, Duncan provides a one-stop shop for novices and professionals alike. >

Review Quote

"[This book] reveals the secrets of a successful screenplay across a range of genres and employs a variety of methods to illustrate the processes" Writer's Forum, December 2008

Promotional "Headline"

Genre Screenwriting- How to Write Popular Film Genre Screenplays That Sells simple goal is to give the reader, the screenwriter, a practical guide to writing each popula,DSIMEXT,IMBLURBTXT,,DSIMEXT,IMAUTBLB,

Details