Essentials of Screenwriting - by Richard Walter (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Hollywood's premier teacher of screenwriting shares the secrets of writing and selling successful screenplays in this perfect gift for aspiring screenwriters.

Anyone fortunate enough to win a seat in Professor Richard Walter's legendary class at UCLA film school can be confident their career has just taken a quantum leap forward. His students have written more than ten projects for Steven Spielberg alone, plus hundreds of other Hollywood blockbusters and prestigious indie productions, including two Oscar winners for best original screenplay--Milk (2008) and Sideways (2006).

In this updated edition, Walter integrates his highly coveted lessons and principles from Screenwriting with material from his companion text, The Whole Picture, and includes new advice on how to turn a raw idea into a great movie or TV script-and sell it. There is never a shortage of aspiring screenwriters, and this book is their bible.

Review Quotes

"This inspiring and comprehensive book teaches the nuts and bolts of screenwriting with clarity, wisdom, and humor."--Alexander Payne, Oscar-winning writer/director of Sideways

"In his legendary lectures, and now in this book, [Walter] kicks you in the tail, gets you laughing, and with invaluable specifics, makes that blank page seem surmountable."--Dustin Lance Black, Oscar-winning writer of Milk

"In the gold rush atmosphere of screenwriting, Richard Walter is a wise guide."--Andrew Bergman, writer/director of The Freshman and Honeymoon in Vegas

About the Author

Richard Walter is a celebrated storytelling educator, movie industry expert and longtime co-chairman of the graduate screenwriting program at UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television.

A screenwriter and widely published author, his books include the novels Escape from Film School and Barry and the Persuasions, as well as the non-fiction works The Whole Picture: Strategies for Screenwriting Success in the New Hollywood, Screenwriting: The Art, Craft and Business of Film and Television Writing and The Essentials of Screenwriting.