Articles

In Defense of Character:
Creating Surpassing Drama with Character Transformation Stories
by Jennine Lanouette
Reprinted from Release Print Magazine, August, 2003

Thickening the Plot:
Three-Act Structure and the Character-Driven Film
by Jennine Lanouette
Reprinted from Release Print Magazine, Nov./Dec. 2003

High Ideals:
Changing the World With Your Theme-driven Screenplay
by Jennine Lanouette
Reprinted from Release Print Magazine, March 2003

Screenwriting sage Linda Seger discusses
structure, craft, subtext and more
interview by Jennine Lanouette
Reprinted from Release Print Magazine, January/February, 2004

The Social Criticsm of I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy 1932
by Jennine Lanouette
Reprinted from Release Print Magazine July/August supplement, 2004

Books

People often ask me what books I recommend. These are a few I have found particularly useful in teaching my classes.

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting
by Robert McKee, HarperCollins

Robert McKee has been a prominent leader of weekend workshops on screenwriting given in New York, Los Angeles and other cities for over 20 years and a few years ago came out with this book. It is a very comprehensive view that regards screenwriting as much in terms of art as it does in terms of commerce.

The Tools of Screenwriting
by David Howard and Edward Mabley, St. Martin’s Press

I am particularly fond of this book because it has a forward by Frank Daniel who I studied with at Columbia University in graduate school. Back then there was not the superabundance of screenwriting how-to books that there is today so we read playwriting manuals instead. However, the one manual that Frank recommended above all others – Dramatic Construction by Edward Mabley – was out of print and impossible to find. The author of this book is another former student of Frank’s, David Howard, who eventually managed to find a copy of the Mabley book. He then made it his job to rewrite it and update it, incorporating more films and more of Frank’s philosophy. He shares credit with Edward Mabley since it draws on Mabley’s book as a source although they didn’t work together directly on it.

How Scripts Are Made
by Inga Karetnikova, Southern Illinois University Press

This is another favorite of mine because the author speaks from much more of a European aesthetic than Hollywood and she utilizes so many European films to illustrate her points. It is very dense and packed with information, but if you give it your time and attention, there is much to be learned from it.

Creating Unforgettable Characters
by Linda Seger, Henry Holt and Company

Useful books about character are hard to find. This, fortunately, is a good resource. Linda Seger is also well known in the American film industry for her seminars and weekend workshops. Her other popular book which I would recommend is Making a Good Script Great. She also has a new book out called Advanced Screenwriting: Taking Your Script to the Academy Award Level. See my interview with Linda Seger.