The Way of the Screenwriter - by Amnon Buchbinder (Paperback)

About the Book

"A story is a living thing." So begins "Way of the Screenwriter, " a book with a novel, refreshing approach to the long-practiced art of screenwriting. Amnon Buchbinder brilliantly reinterprets screenwriting as a way for writers to capture a story's essence, thus giving it greater meaning and fascination for the audience. Full of practical examples and exercises to enhance the skills of both beginning and experienced screenwriters, the guide is far more than a how-to book. It is a comprehensive work that covers screenwriting from virtually every conceivable angle, while also offering a different, compelling approach. It is a book that illuminates the why behind the how and points the way toward a deeper understanding of how stories work on the screen. Perhaps most importantly, "Way of the Screenwriter" treats screenwriting not as some disreputable task, but rather as the fine art it is: the convergence of storytelling, writing, and filmmaking.

Book Synopsis

A story is a living thing. And you don't work on a living thing, you work with it. This is the way of the screenwriter, and it is something that writer and director Amnon Buchbinder believes all masterful screenwriters understand intuitively: learning how to work with story through a painstaking process of trial, error, and self exploration.

Amnon Buchbinder draws on his knowledge as a teacher and his experience as a script doctor and a story editor to explore this creative process. Along the way he illustrates principles often inspired by the philosophy of Laozi (Lao Tze) with examples drawn from major motion pictures such as Memento and The Piano.

For the beginning or seasoned screenwriter who aspires to more than mere competence, Buchbinder illuminates a path towards mastery of the craft. For the lover of the cinematic experience, he opens a curtain to reveal a rarely seen world behind the big screen.