- Writing Movies for Fun and Profit: How We Made a Billion Dollars at the Box Office and You Can, Too!

by Thomas Lennon

Other authorsRobert B Garant
Paperback, 2012

Status

Available

Call number

808.23

Collection

Publication

Touchstone (2012), Paperback, 272 pages

Description

A guide to screenwriting by two authors who have actually done it, full of secret insider information about how to conquer the Hollywood studio system: how to write, pitch, structure, and get drunk with the best and most successful of them. If you are aiming to win an Oscar, this is not the book for you! But if you can type a little, and can read and speak English, then you too can start turning your words into money. The authors provide the kind of tips you won't find anywhere else, including: the art of pitching; getting your foot in the door; taking notes from movie stars; how to get fired and rehired ; how to get credit and royalties.--From ppublisher description.

User reviews

LibraryThing member l_manning
I should start by mentioning that I have no interest in writing a screenplay. I do however love The State, Viva Variety, and Reno 911!, so I was very familiar with the authors of this book. Naturally I was dying to read it. It was everything I expected and more. There was tons of humor mixed with
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some really useful information. My favorite section was probably the chapter on determining if you had made it in Hollywood by where the different studios sent you to park.

Through all the humor, you get a real sense of passion for writing. They don't just do this for money; they write because they feel compelled to. They go through their process of writing an outline, pitching to studios, and then writing the screenplay. There is also a lot of useful information about how the studio system works and what to expect from the entire movie making process. I also learned a lot about all the different writing and production credits and the arbitration system with the writing guild. It's all very complex and fascinating.

Clearly if you are interested in writing screenplays, there is a lot of useful information here. Even for us non-writers though, there is so much stuff to learn from this book. Naturally, it's all relayed with tons of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in movies. It is sure to entertain!

Galley provided by publisher for review.
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LibraryThing member akmargie
More than I probably ever wanted to know about screenwriting in Hollywood. But presented in a funny and approachable way. And reaffirms I would not do well in Hollywood.
LibraryThing member bobbybslax
A quick wit and a quick read. It's very entertaining and often informative.

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2011

ISBN

1439186766 / 9781439186763

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