Save the Cat vs. How to Write a Movie in 21 Days`
- Thread starter MonaLeigh
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I've read Save the Cat. It was the first book (no pun intended) I read on screenwriting, and it was a good introduction to the format for me. In fact, it's such a small book that it usually stays in my messenger's bag that I take to work so I can do some editing during lunch.
I'm such a huge fan of the "How to Write" books that I figure I'll read 21 Days sooner or later.
I'm such a huge fan of the "How to Write" books that I figure I'll read 21 Days sooner or later.
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I haven't read 21 Days, but I highly recommend Save the Cat, particularly the section on beat sheets/structure.
i've read 21 days and actually tried to follow it but, it's not as easy to produce "quality" writing with that method. you can do it but you'll probably have to do some massive rewriting. anyhoo - it's a good place to start with a really rough draft if you want to go that route.
21 Day is virtually worthless (to the point where the Sopranos actually showed Christopher Reading it).
Joe270
Banned
My memory of actually seeing the cover is fuzzy (I remember Chris refered to the book in the ep where he attends the acting class), but remember, everything on a TV show needs to be legally cleared beforehand.
Viki King's 21 Days is a great motivational read to get one started (indeed, she now does motivational work), but it's pretty outdated. She advocates the 30-page Act 1, and when the book gets to mapping out Act 2 (the most important/treacherous act), typical of many books in the genre, becomes woefully uninformative.
I recommend Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434 instead.
I recommend Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434 instead.
What rights would be infringed if a character happened to be seen reading a book in a scene?
I'm not a lawyer, but the practical fact is everything must be cleared, from posters to soda cans to dvds to books to cd albums to prints of Hopper's Night Hawks. If you ever listen to DVD commentaries you'll pick up a little of this phenomena.
Plus, from an authorial point of view, I wouldn't want my book in the hands of a child molestor or a dog beater on camera, y'know?
Plus, from an authorial point of view, I wouldn't want my book in the hands of a child molestor or a dog beater on camera, y'know?