by Craig Kellem and Judy Hammett with Amy Bailey , illustrated by John Tokar ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 6, 2019
A frank, funny introduction to the realities of making it as a screenwriter.
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Two seasoned Hollywood script consultants offer a crash course on how to turn one’s ideas into a polished screenplay.
Debut co-authors Kellem, a former development executive at Universal Television and 20th Century Fox Television, and Hammett, a former employee at Universal Studios and the Agency for the Performing Arts, currently run HollywoodScript.com, a boutique script-consulting service. In this entertaining, to-the-point debut—written with screenwriter and producer Bailey and contributing writer/producer Mark C. Miller, with occasional illustrations by Tokar—these industry pros walk readers through the nuts and bolts of writing scripts that will catch the eye of Hollywood decision-makers. The first section focuses on prep work—time spent reading other people’s scripts, “playing in the sandbox” of developing ideas, and fine-tuning a concept and story. Those tempted to skip straight to pounding out dialogue do so at their own peril, the authors argue, noting that pros spend most of their time prepping: “the only writers who get the chance to write without preparation are those who are not getting paid,” Hammett writes. The second part covers “Drafting and Crafting,” offering helpful advice, although the authors do it in fairly broad strokes. Don’t expect a deep analysis of why the final scene in Chinatown is so powerful; instead, Kellem provides such nuggets as “Less is almost always better” and “Surrender to the fact that writing is rewriting,” and Hammett offers brief explanations of why screenwriters should embrace stage directions. The final section discusses marketing and selling a script; in it, Kellem explains why sending less-than-perfect work is a big mistake: “After all, who wants to buy a brand new Mercedes with a dent?” They’re also helpfully candid about the bumpy, often frustrating path to production. Overall, this insider’s look at the industry is invaluable, although it may throw cold water on some readers’ Tinseltown dreams. That said, the book is also full of encouraging asides, and the authors seem dedicated to using their extensive knowledge to help others succeed in a truly competitive business.
A frank, funny introduction to the realities of making it as a screenwriter.Pub Date: April 6, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5355-7544-7
Page Count: 191
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: April 3, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by William Strunk & E.B. White ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 15, 1972
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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