WRITING BOOKS
Screenwriter's Bible
5th ed. By David Trottier - Sale $23 -
limited stock
How does a spec script differ from a shooting script? What kind of fasteners
should one use to bind a script? How did the term MOS come to mean without sound?
You'll find the answers to these pressing questions and much more in David Trottier's
eminently usable Screenwriter's Bible. The avuncular Trottier--a writer-producer,
script consultant, and seminar leader--has written a friendly guide through the
Hollywood morass. He touts it as six books in one: it's "a screenwriting
primer, a screenwriting workbook, a formatting guide, a spec writing guide, a
sales and marketing guide, [and] a resource guide." Much of Trottier's advice
is common sense: "Don't write anything that cannot appear on the screen";
to keep casting options open, don't make your physical descriptions too specific; "don't
say Ron Howard is looking at the project if he is not." But there are things
to know about Hollywood that are, well, quirkier. Don't write the title of your
script on the front cover or side binding; present action sequences using the "stacking
action" style; in query letters and scripts alike, avoid "big blocks
of black ink." Trottier's guidance--from character development and revision
to queries and pitches--is invaluable. Getting in the door can seem impossible,
but it's not, necessarily. "If you write a script that features a character
who has a clear and specific goal," says Trottier, "where there is
strong opposition to that goal leading to a crisis and an emotionally satisfying
ending, your script will automatically find itself in the upper five percent."
Alternative Scriptwriting: Rewriting the Hollywood Formula
By Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush - $32 - in stock
In a field where novelty often equals commercial success, scriptwriters
often strive to create screenplays that are innovative and exceptional.
Going beyond the conventional three-act structure and exploring more inventive
approaches, Alternative Scriptwriting challenges readers to take creative
risks with genre, tone, character and structure. Examples and case studies
demonstrate what works, what doesn't and why, and exercises encourage writers
to explore new ways of viewing their work and test the limits of their
skills. Because the film industry as well as the public demand greater
and greater creativity, one must go beyond the traditional three-act restorative
and predictable plot to test your limits and break new creative ground.
Rather than teaching writing in a tired formulaic manner, this book elevates
the subject and provides inspiration to reach new creative heights.
Topics covered:
The melodrama and the thriller
Adaptations from contemporary literature
Writing non-fictional narratives for the feature documentary
An in-depth exploration of point-of-view and perspective as expressive
of the film writer's voice
Voice-oriented genres--docudrama, the fable and experimental narrative
Non-linear storytelling-the narrative strategies that are necessary to
make an open-architecture story work
Considerations for writing for DV that speak to the flexibility and improvisation
this medium allows
The Canadian Writer's Market
Sale
$15 - limited stock
The Canadian Writer’s Market is designed to serve both the aspiring and
the experienced freelance writer who wants to get his or her work published but
needs some guidelines and/or accurate up-to-date listings of potential markets.
Use this reference tool as a guide to prepare your manuscript, acquire a literary
agent, approach an editor, evaluate a contract, choose a writing class, find
style guides and how-to writing books, join a writers’ organization, obtain
funding, or enter a writers’ competition. Refer to it also to determine
which publishers to pursue and what they pay for freelance work. The Canadian
Writer's Market is the authority on who publishes what and how best to bring
your work to their attention. It offers practical advice on everything from copyright
law, information on pay rates to writers' workshops. This useful guide also includes
comprehensive and up-to-date listings for: comsumer magazines; literary and scholarly
journals; trade, business, and professional publications; daily newspapers; book
publishers; literary agents; awards, competitions, and grants; writers' organizations
and support agencies; writers' workshops, courses, and retreats.
Interactive Storytelling for Video Games - $39 - in stock
A player-centered approach for creating memorable characters and stories
What really makes a video game story interactive? What's the best way to
create an interactive story? How much control should players be given? Do
they really want that control in the first place? Do they even know what
they want-or are their stated desires at odds with the unconscious preferences?
All of these questions and more are examined in this definitive book on interactive
storytelling for video games. You'll get detailed descriptions of all major
types of interactive stories, case studies of popular games (including Bioshock,
Fallout 3, Final Fantasy XIII, Heavy Rain, and Metal Gear Solid), and how
players interact with them, and an in-depth analysis of the results of a
national survey on player storytelling preferences in games. You'll get the
expert advice you need to generate compelling and original game concepts
and narratives.With Interactive Storytelling for Video Games, you'll:
* Explore popular styles and genres of games (RPGs, Online Games, First Person Shooters, and more) * Learn to create effective, original concepts and story lines with key components in mind: structure, process, characters, player desire, and outcome * Learn about what players want, what they expect, and how to create truly compelling player-driven experiences * Get access to an associated website with additional data on storytelling preferences in games, valuable PowerPoint lectures for professors for each chapter of the book, and links to movies, websites, game writer discussion boards, and more
Write Your Way Into Animation and Games - $39 - in stock
Create a writing career in animation and games.
Launch your career in writing
for video games or animation with the best tips, tricks, and tutorials
from the Focal press catalog--all at your fingertips. Let our award-winning
writers and game developers show you how to generate ideas and create compelling
storylines, concepts, and narratives for your next project. Write Your
Way Into Animation and Games provides invaluable information on getting
into the game and animation industries. You will benefit from decades of
insider experience about the fields of animation and games, with an emphasis
on what you really need to know to start working as a writer. Navigate
the business aspects, gain unique skills, and develop the craft of writing
specifically for aniamtion and games.
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