Write Your Screenplay with the Help of Top Screenwriters! It’s like taking a Master Class in screenwriting … all in one book! Discover the pitfalls of writing to fit a budget from screenwriters who have successfully navigated these waters already. Learn from their mistakes and improve your script with their expert advice. "I wish I'd read this book before I made Re-Animator." Stuart Gordon, Director, Re-Animator, Castle Freak, From Beyond John Gaspard has directed half a dozen low-budget features, as well as written for TV, movies, novels and the stage. The book covers (among other topics): Academy-Award Winner Dan Futterman (“Capote”) on writing real stories Tom DiCillio (“Living In Oblivion”) on turning a short into a feature Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”) on writing for a different time period George Romero (“Martin”) on writing horror on a budget Rebecca Miller (“Personal Velocity”) on adapting short stories Stuart Gordon (“Re-Animator”) on adaptations Academy-Award Nominee Whit Stillman (“Metropolitan”) on cheap ways to make it look expensive Miranda July (“Me and You and Everyone We Know”) on making your writing spontaneous Alex Cox (“Repo Man”) on scaling the script to meet a budget Joan Micklin Silver (“Hester Street”) on writing history on a budget Bob Clark (“Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things”) on mixing humor and horror Amy Holden Jones (“Love Letters”) on writing romance on a budget Henry Jaglom (“Venice/Venice”) on mixing improvisation with scripting L.M. Kit Carson (“Paris, Texas”) on re-writing while shooting Academy-Award Winner Kenneth Lonergan (“You Can Count on Me”) on script editing Roger Nygard (“Suckers”) on mixing genres This is the book for anyone who’s serious about writing a screenplay that can get produced! Grab it today! ★★★★★ "A perfect read for anyone who wants to write a film script or for anyone who just enjoys watching movies." Fred Willard, Actor, A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman "This volume is packed full of useful little nuggets of information." Jonathan Lynn, Director, My Cousin Vinny, Clue, Nuns on the Run, The Whole Nine Yards “Packed with war stories and savvy advice for beginning screenwriters.” Larry Gross, Screenwriter, 48 hrs., Streets of Fire, True Crime

Named One of The Hollywood Reporter’s “100 Greatest Film Books of All Time” Famed independent screenwriter and director Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids, Machete) discloses all the unique strategies and original techniques he used to make his remarkable debut film El Mariachi on a shoestring budget. This is both one man's remarkable story and an essential guide for anyone who has a celluloid story to tell and the dreams and determination to see it through. Part production diary, part how-to manual, Rodriguez unveils how he was able to make his influential first film on only a $7,000 budget. Also included is the appendix, "The Ten Minute Film Course,” a tell-all on how to save thousands of dollars on film school and teach yourself the ropes of film production, directing, and screenwriting. A perfect gift for the aspiring filmmaker.

Dying to make a feature? Learn from the pros! "We never put out an actual textbook for the Corman School of Filmmaking, but if we did, it would be Fast, Cheap and Under Control." Roger Corman, Producer ★★★★★ It’s like taking a Master Class in moviemaking…all in one book! Jonathan Demme: The value of cameos John Sayles: Writing to your resources Peter Bogdanovich: Long, continuous takes John Cassavetes: Re-Shoots Steven Soderbergh: Rehearsals George Romero: Casting Kevin Smith: Skipping film school Jon Favreau: Creating an emotional connection Richard Linklater: Poverty breeds creativity David Lynch: Kill your darlings Ron Howard: Pre-production planning John Carpenter: Going low-tech Robert Rodriguez: Sound thinking And more! Learn the tricks and pitfalls of low-budget filmmaking from 33 successful independent films and the filmmakers who created them. Includes never before published interviews with low-budget mavericks such as Steven Soderbergh, Roger Corman, Jon Favreau, Henry Jaglom, and many more. Learn the lessons from such classics as Clerks, Night of the Living Dead, Swingers, Open Water, El Mariachi, Slacker, sex, lies and videotape, The Blair Witch Project, Eraserhead, Monty Python & The Holy Grail, Dark Star, Return of the Secaucus Seven, The Little Shop of Horrors, Caged Heat and Targets. Are you dying to make a movie? This is the one book that can help you make it a reality. Grab it now! ★★★★★ Praise for the Fast, Cheap and Under Control: "This terrific little book explains how to make every penny count on the often-arduous journey from script to screen." John Carpenter, Director, Halloween, Starman, Escape from New York "A helpful and funny guide for beginners and professionals alike." Jonathan Demme, Director, Silence of the Lambs "This book is as good as film school, and a lot less expensive. It's required reading in Tromaville." Lloyd Kaufman, President, Troma Entertainment, Creator, Toxic Avenger "I wish I’d read this book before I made Re-Animator." Stuart Gordon, director, Re-Animator "This simple and sensible book injects reality into the process and helps any filmmaker prevent their film from becoming a money pit. Lessons like those in this book are cheap at ten times the price." John Badham, director, Saturday Night Fever, Dracula, Blue Thunder "For everyone who wants to make art without breaking the bank, John Gaspard’s book is worth every penny." Derek Pell, Editor, DingBat Magazine "A richly-detailed, highly readable and inspiring book jam-packed with information that will keep low-budget filmmakers from making costly mistakes. Filled with a ton-full (not a spoonful) of fascinating, insightful interviews, with a you-can-do-it approach." Dr. Linda Seger, consultant on over 2,000 screenplays, best-selling author of Making a Good Script Great and 7 other books

It's a comprehensive step-by-step overview of how to complete a low-budget short film and get it shown. It discusses how to write a short script, prepare it for production with a scene breakdown or storyboard, direct the film or work with a director, audition and cast the actors, participate in the shoot, work with an editor, and promote your film.

Advice from the Trenches Are you looking to break into the film business? Read valuable lessons from these formidable women about the art and craft of making movies: How to break in, stay in and rise to the top. Eleven women who've found success in the film and television industry (directors, actors, writers, editors, executives) talk about what it took to get them to where they are today. Amy Heckerling (Director, Clue, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) Susan Seidelman (Director, Desperately Seeking Susan) Lesli Linka Glater (Director, Homeland, The West Wing, Twin Peaks) Carol Littleton (Editor, The Big Chill, Body Heat) Nancy Savoca (Director, True Love, Household Saints) Dody Dorn (Editor, Memento, Insomnia) Susan Coyne (Actress, Co-Creator, Slings & Arrows) Mo Collins (Actress, MadTV, Fear The Walking Dead) Edie Falco (Actress, The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie) Debra Eisenstadt (Actress, Oleanna and Director, Blush and Before the Sun Explodes) Donna Smith (Production Manager and the first women to run production at a major studio) This book provides great insight and information on the real story behind working in the film business. Grab it today!

Screenwriting for micro-budget films can present its own challenges and this book takes the reader through all the considerations that need to be made to write an effective screenplay for a low-budget film. Drawing on his own experience, case studies from films such as Primer, Coherence and Reservoir Dogs, as well as the perspectives of working screenwriters such as Joe Swanberg and Alex Ross-Perry, Greenberg explores common pitfalls screenwriters face and suggests practical solutions. This book lays the groundworks of the realities of low-budget filmmaking and also talks through the practical aspects, such as story structure and genre considerations. Greenberg makes the process of writing a screenplay for a low-budget film accessible and creative, allowing student and independent filmmakers to tailor their writing for their films. This book is ideal for aspiring screenwriters, independent filmmakers and students of screenwriting.

Provides advice for aspiring screenwriters on how to write scripts for television and motion pictures, including what topics are popular, how to rework scenes, and how to sell screenplays in Hollywood.

"A hilarious and helpful insider's guide to launching a successful writing career in Hollywood. . . . The only compass readers will ever need to navigate the treacherous waters of filmmaking"--("Kirkus Reviews," starred review).

Tailor your screenplay to sell. Find out what Hollywood script readers, producers, and studio executives want in a screenplay (and why) from someone who’s been there. Discover what it takes to begin a lasting career as a screenwriter. Peppered with interviews from established professionals, Writing for the Green Light: How to Make Your Script the One Hollywood Notices gives you a sharp competitive edge by showcasing dozens of everyday events that go on at the studios but are rarely if ever discussed in most screenwriting books. With his behind-the-scenes perspective, Scott Kirkpatrick shows you why the system works the way it does and how you can use its unwritten rules to your advantage. He answers such questions as: Who actually reads your script? How do you pique the interest of studios and decision makers? What do agents, producers, and production companies need in a script? How much is a script worth? What are the best genres for new writers and why? What are real steps you can take to ‘break in’ to television writing? How do you best present or pitch a project without looking desparate? How do you negotiate a contract without an agent? How do you exude confidence and seal your first deal? These and other insights are sure to give you and your screenplay a leg-up for success in this competitive landscape!