Screenwriting for the 21st Century

Book excerpt: If you've got the talent, here are the screenwriting techniques. Learn all the basics--and way beyond--of writing for film and television. Pat Silver-Lasky, who has worked in the business for more than 20 years and taught screenwriting at universities, reveals all the secrets of creating a film script that could become an international blockbuster. From organizing the plot to selling the final product, this unique guide discusses: * The elements of a screenplay, constructing a scene, and character vs. characterization * How comedies translate in the international market * Adapting a novel for film * Ways to work with a formula without being formulaic * Procedures for getting a script accepted, both in Hollywood and in the UK * Marketing and the international marketplace of the 21st century, including how to protect your material. It could be the key to a screenwriting Oscar.