101 Things I Learned® in Film School

Book excerpt: An illustrated, accessible introduction to filmmaking from an award-winning Hollywood producer, screenwriter, film school professor, and script consultant to major movie studios Anyone with a cellphone can shoot video, but creating a memorable feature-length film requires knowledge and mastery of a wide range of skills, including screenwriting, storytelling, directing, visual composition, and production logistics. This book points the aspiring filmmaker down this complex learning path with such critical lessons as: • how to structure a story and pitch it to a studio • ways to reveal a story’s unseen aspects, such as backstory and character psychology • the difference between plot, story, and theme • why some films drag in Act 2, and what to do about it • how to visually compose a frame to best tell a story • how to manage finances, schedules, and the practical demands of production Written by an award-winning producer, screenwriter, film school professor, and script consultant to major movie studios, 101 Things I Learned® in Film School is an indispensable resource for students, screenwriters, filmmakers, animators, and anyone else interested in the moviemaking profession.