Customer Reviews

Screenplay Workbook: The Writing Before the Writing

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every time a screenwriter sits down to start a new screenplay, he has to grapple with the daunting question of, "Where do I start?"

The preparation time, "the writing before the writing," can be intimidating. Not only is writing a screenplay difficult, with its rigid format, page counts, visual writing style, and realistic dialogue; screenwriting demands preparation. Characters, layers upon layers of plot and subplot, and every emotional rise and fall the audience experiences are planned out in advance, like a blueprint. For years screenwriters have been creating this blueprint from scratch. But all that is about to change.

Tom Mungovan and Jeremy Robinson present an instructional manual combined with proprietary worksheets, charts and fill-in lists to give screenwriters better focus in approaching the task of writing a screenplay. The worksheets contained in this workbook will help the screenwriter with the creation of characters, plots and concepts, bringing it all together and giving screenwriters a better way to focus on the task of actually writing a screenplay. Instead of starting with a blank page, screenwriters can now start with a series of worksheets that ask all the right questions to get creative juices flowing. All of the organization is done. All of the right questions are asked. All of the important subjects are covered. The Screenplay Workbook brings together every element needed to not only start a screenplay, but, more importantly, to successfully finish one. Enough worksheets to write several screenplays.

The Screnplay Workbook is a fantastic idea. I've been writing screenplay for (or trying to) for years. I've always had a hard time plotting everything out in my head...until this book came along. It makes every step simple and useful. With these worksheets, you can easily tell if your story is making sense or confusing; whre to go back and fix things or even improve on things. THIS BOOK ROCKS!!!

It's about time someone decided to include the use of graphic organizers for a book about screenwriting. I find the plot and character building graphic organizers excellent. If you can add plausible and interesting information about the story and your characters, it is quite possible for the rest to snowball from there. Spatial learners find this a much easier way to get started. You're never to old to use this type of writing strategy. I'd love to see a another workbook with graphic organizers exploring different story elements.

As for the knock on Canada, save your criticism (and sarcasm) strictly for the book.

All the worksheets in this book are great, but I have three favorites.

I found the plot structure worksheet extremely helpful because it includes all three acts, seven story elements (rising action, conflict, etc.) and a chart to show how plot points fit in with traditional story structure.

The character arc worksheet lets you work out the 12 steps in a character's story arc, including their physical and emotional changes. This also lets you see how the character's arc occurs within the three acts and in relation to plot points. Amazing!

I also found the scene worksheet helpful and "Jeremy's Inside Scoops" are funny and straightforward. All of the worksheets are great. I can't recomend this book enough. It's helped me immeasurably.

Here is one of the best examples of a waste of paper I've
recently encountered. Many of the "worksheets" are actually
little more than simplistic forms -- like the kind you were
given to do your homework on back in grade school.

A good example of this is the Plot Points worksheet. It consists
of three large, empty boxes. Calling this piece of paper a
worksheet takes the business of euphemism-making to new heights.
The other worksheets fare little better, ranging in quality from
the mediocre to the middling.

More remarkable is that the book lacks actual movie examples.
This striking deficiency demonstrates just how lazy an effort
this book represents.

For screenwriting novices who have successfully graduated
kindergarten, skip The Screenplay Workbook in favor of Dave
Trottier's Screenwriter's Bible. It's a billion times better. On
the other hand, if you're in kindergarten, maybe this workbook
is the right choice for you. Crayons recommended but not
included.

Co-written by Jeremy Robinson and Tom Mungovan (a pair of experienced and knowledgeable screenplay writers who currently have two of their own projects currently in pre-production), The Screenplay Workbook: The Writing Before The Writing is a superbly "user friendly" instruction manual to all aspects of writing in the strict screenplay format. In place of an overabundance of instructions and dialogue, The Screenplay Workbook keeps its narrative advice brief and to the point, as well as packing its pages with character development worksheets, character arc worksheets, scene worksheets, plot structure worksheets, and more. The Screenplay Workbook is confidently recommended as an especially useful guide for novice and aspiring screenplay writers looking for organizational and creative tools to craft projects that will succeed in being produced for a viewing public.

I've actually read other screenwriting books that say, "While you're at it, go make yourself some worksheets." Well, not everyone is a graphic designer, and we bought the book, aren't they supposed to do the work for us?

Well, this book does! The worksheets are great and easy to use/understand. And the instructions are fun and make several concepts of screenwriting that previously confused me, make perfect sense. This book definitely fills a void and I keep it next to me as I write. Worth every penny. Probably worth more.

I found the writing in this book to be not only humerous, but also very informative. And the comic strips at the start of each chapter are insightful and very funny. But what is best about this book is the worksheets. I found them easy to use and very helpful. I've never been so prepared to write a new screenplay as I am now. And I've used the book to find plot holes in older screenplays. I've been a screenwriter for six years and this is one of the best tools I've come across so far. It's a wonder no one made a book like this before. Definitely worth adding to your library if you're a screenwriter or thinking abou becoming one. Nicely done! :)

This is a MUST for people looking to get started writing screenplays. It is a great guide for both the novice or the expert. I highly recommend this book!!! :)

It's interesting that the fella from Canada used an almost duplicate criticism of The Screenwriter's Bible. Obviously, he has another agenda then providing constructive criticism.