How to Write a Selling Screenplay Review

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How to Write a Selling Screenplay ReviewThere are so many books on screenwriting already in existence that the real question any reviewer must address when another one comes along is: if you could only afford to buy one of them, why should you buy this one and save the others for any book tokens you might receive at Christmas? The title of this review forms the basis of my answer to that question.
Chris Keane has made his living as a professional writer for decades, focusing mostly on novels and screenplays. His success has brought him many offers of teaching posts, and indeed, he spends a considerable part of each year teaching at Emerson, where he is an Associate Professor, and at the International Film and Television Workshops in Maine. All this makes him actuely aware of the nitty-gritty needs of both the fledgling screenwriter and the writer who has been over the course more than once, but who needs to re-learn key lessons. These lessons are so key that for much of the first part of the book, one feels like one is directing a question and answer session, rather than having questions answered in which one might possibly be interested. From the question of work habits to how to generate ideas, and what to do with them once you have them, through to characterisation, dialogue, and the scene as the nucleus of the screenplay, Keane is both judicious and generous with his hard-won wisdom.
The second half of the book puts theory into practice. It consists of the full text of Keane's screenplay 'The Crossing', with honest, detached critical commentary at the end of each scene or section. This allows the reader to see exactly what Keane is talking about in the first half of the book, to experience the emotion that his own work needs to generate, to feel for the characters, and then, with Keane's assistance, to stop and reflect on why he feels as he does. In the hands of a writer with a bigger ego but less talent, this method might well have had the reader reaching for the sick bag after only a few pages, but it works wonderfully here, and it seems to me that anyone wishing a career in screenwriting could not wish for clearer, more genuine exemplification.
A final point on this structural feature of Keane's indispensable book. Something else the inclusion of this constantly optioned but not yet produced screenplay teaches the would-be screenwriter is how tough his desired career can be, that he could write a screenplay as good as Keane's and still wait a long, long time to see it on the big screen, if indeed he ever does.
Other books on screenwriting claim to 'make it easy'. Keane's puts the emphasis exactly where it should be: on the work.How to Write a Selling Screenplay OverviewChristopher Keane has spent 20 years in the business, learning the truths--and the tricks--of writing a selling screenplay. In How to Write a Selling Screenplay, he takes writers through the entire process, from developing a story to finding the best agent. Using an annotated version of an often-optioned screenplay of his own, and citing examples from movies ranging from Casablanca and Lethal Weapon to Sling Blade and The English Patient, he discusses how to create three-dimensional characters, find a compelling story, build an airtight plot structure, fine-tune dialogue, and much more. Keane's tips on the difference between writing for film and television, as well as his advice on dealing with Hollywood movers and shakers, make this an essential companion for people writing their first--or their fortieth--screenplay.

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The Moral Premise: Harnessing Virtue & Vice for Box Office Success Review

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The Moral Premise: Harnessing Virtue & Vice for Box Office Success ReviewI remember this like it was yesterday: I read a letter to the editors in regards to the film "The Deer Hunter." The person wrote: "I can't understand how a film that glorifies violence and beer drinking and hunting can win Best Picture." This person was, obviously, looking at the over all story - not at what the movie was REALLY about which is a film about love and sacrifice and, literally, laying one's life down for a friend. Far more depth than "beer drinking and hunting."
What are we talking about? The "subtext" of a film. What the film is REALLY about. "The Incredibles?" What's the movie about? "It's about a family of superheroes that does battle against an evil villain and saves the world!" What's it REALLY about: It's about love, the power of family, finding your identity, making sacrifices and doing what is right against all obstacles."
In the book: "The Moral Premise" author Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D. takes the concept of subtext and creates a layer of subtext under it. It almost asks: "What's the SUBTEXT really about?" And if you come up with the answer, then you have the Moral Premise.
The Moral Premise can be described easily as saying: "Evil actions equal failure, Good actions equal success" (depending on the script you are writing). That's a poor example of what the author creates. For example, Dr. Williams's Moral Premise for "Bruce Almighty" is:
Expecting a Miracle Leads to Frustration; but
Being a Miracle Leads to Peace
By digesting a number of films, including "The Incredibles," "Bruce Almighty," "An Officer and a Gentleman" and, to a greater extent, "Braveheart" - he breaks down the Moral Premise and then shows how those films adhered to the premise as stated. It is within the process of dealing with that Moral Premise and the fact that the characters first reject, return to, and live out, that Moral Premise that not only gives the film depth but also, in turn, creates Box Office Success (see full title of the book above).
Dr. Williams goes into extreme detail when it comes to figuring out that Moral Premise and then applying it to your story taking you first through chapters describing the Moral Premise and then taking you through steps giving you a step-by-step of applying the Moral Premise to your script.
The initial chapters, with titles like: "The Moral Premise in Modern Writing Guides" and "Structure of the Moral Premise" give you a fully detailed analysis of the subject (including footnotes) and then the chapters end with exercises to give you a better understanding of what was discussed.
The step-by-step chapters encourage you to apply what you've learned with your own script. Where the previous chapters felt, in some ways, like a class room - the steps feel more like you have been let loose on the world to use the knowledge that you have learned.
I will warn you: This is a weighty book - not in terms of size - but in concept. I found myself re-reading sentences to get a better grasp on what he was saying (often times thinking in my head how to apply what I was reading to my current story - and not paying attention to what I was reading). I am still not sure that I fully have the concept - but I do see how I can use some of the tools he has given me to add more depth to my current script - to give my characters more of a purpose, more of a reality, more of a "Moral Premise."
Where I felt the book could have improved was by providing BAD examples. We know there are a lot of terrible films out there that had no box office success - how did their lack of Moral Premise add to that failure? And how could have ADDING a Moral Premise possibly pull the film out of studio killing tailspin. Is there a Moral Premise in "Catwoman?" What about "Basic Instinct II?" But then there's the rub, I bet with both "Catwoman" and "Basic Instinct II" if you looked for a Moral Premise you could probably find one - so the movies sucked by either NOT focusing on the Moral Premise or they just sucked on a whole.
Another suggestion that Dr. Williams makes is by going through your characters, figuring out the arcs and the plot points and the dramatic (or comedic) beats BEFORE you put pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboards). He suggests getting out 3x5 cards (or using a computer program) to plot these out and arrange them in a way that reinforces the Moral Premise. As helpful as this sounds - and I'm sure it is VERY helpful - most of my students want to jump right in and start writing their script and not think about these nuances and details (as important as they are). So if you want to dive right into your screenplay - go ahead - but you might need to do some backtracking.
Stan Williams does an outstanding job of cutting through what you think your screenplay is about and getting to the heart of what your screenplay is REALLY about. A must read for any screenwriter.
The Moral Premise: Harnessing Virtue & Vice for Box Office Success OverviewThe Moral Premise reveals the foundational concept at the heart of all storytelling and successful box office movies. In concrete terms it explains how you can create your own success and, in the process, entertain, delight, challenge, and uplift this generation and the ones to come.

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