Writing in Pictures: Screenwriting Made (Mostly) Painless

Writing in Pictures is a refreshingly practical and entertaining guide to screenwriting that provides what is lacking in most such books: a clear, step-by-step demonstration of how to write a screenplay.Seasoned screenwriter and writing teacher Joseph McBride breaks down the process into a series of easy, approachable tasks, focusing on literary adaptation as the best way to learn the basics and avoiding the usual formulaic approach. With its wealth of useful tips, along with colorful insights from master screenwriters past and present, this book is invaluable for anyone who wants to learn the craft of screen storytelling.CONTENTSIntroduction: Who Needs Another Book on Screenwriting? Part I: Storytelling1: So Why Write Screenplays?2: What Is Screenwriting? 3: Stories: What They Are and How to Find Them4: Ten Tips for the Road Ahead Part II: Adaptation5: Breaking the Back of the Book: or, The Art of AdaptationSTEP 1: THE STORY OUTLINE6: Research and Development STEP 2: THE ADAPTATION OUTLINE7: The Elements of ScreenwritingSTEP 3: THE CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY8: Exploring Your Story and How to Tell ItSTEP 4: THE TREATMENT Part III: Production9: Who Needs Formatting?10: Actors Are Your Medium 11: Dialogue as ActionSTEP 5: THE STEP OUTLINE12: The Final Script13: Epilogue: Breaking into Professional Filmmaking Appendix A: The Basic Steps in the Screenwriting ProcessAppendix B: "To Build A Fire" by Jack LondonSelected BibliographyAcknowledgments Index