GET IT ON THE PAGE

Two seasoned Hollywood script
consultants offer a crash course on how to turn one’s ideas into a polished
screenplay.

Debut co-authors Kellem, a former
development executive at Universal Television and 20th Century Fox Television,
and Hammett, a former employee at Universal Studios and the Agency for the
Performing Arts, currently run HollywoodScript.com, a boutique script-consulting
service. In this entertaining, to-the-point debut—written with screenwriter and
producer Bailey and contributing writer/producer Mark C. Miller, with
occasional illustrations by Tokar—these industry pros walk readers through the
nuts and bolts of writing scripts that will catch the eye of Hollywood decision-makers.
The first section focuses on prep work—time spent reading other people’s
scripts, “playing in the sandbox” of developing ideas, and fine-tuning a
concept and story. Those tempted to skip straight to pounding out dialogue do
so at their own peril, the authors argue, noting that pros spend most of their
time prepping: “the only writers who get the chance to write without preparation
are those who are not getting paid,” Hammett writes. The second part covers “Drafting
and Crafting,” offering helpful advice, although they do it in fairly broad
strokes. Don’t expect a deep analysis of why the final scene in Chinatown is
so powerful; instead, Kellem
provides such nuggets as “Less is almost always better” and “Surrender to the
fact that writing is rewriting,” and Hammett offers brief explanations of why
screenwriters should embrace stage directions. The final section discusses
marketing and selling a script; in it, Kellem explains why sending
less-than-perfect work is a big mistake: “After all, who wants to buy a brand
new Mercedes with a dent?” They’re also helpfully candid about the bumpy, often
frustrating path to production. Overall, this insider’s look at the industry is
invaluable, although it may throw cold water on some readers’ Tinseltown
dreams. That said, the book is also full of encouraging asides, and the authors
seem dedicated to using their extensive knowledge to help others succeed in a truly
competitive business.

A frank, funny introduction to the
realities of making it as a screenwriter.