The Screenwriter's Workbook (Revised Edition) by Syd Field
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.36 You Save: $6.64 (42%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $6.23 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Screenwriter's Workbook (Revised Edition)
Book Review: Screenwriters Workbook
Summary: 3 Stars
I haven't read the entire book yet........ seems to duplicate what other titles I have on handBook Review: Repetitive
Summary: 2 Stars
This book is repetitive, that is to say that it repeats itself, it says things that it has said before, things that it has said in the past, that is to say, things that it has said earlier, whether it be an earlier sentence, paragraph, or chapter.
Does the above sentence drive you crazy? Well, get used to it! This book has some good ideas and helpful hints and I won't say it's not worth reading. However, Syd must have been paid by the word, because he says the same thing 3 or 4 ways in the same sentence. Occasionally he does this in a way that clarifies what he said the first time, but usually it seems like he's trying to show off how many synonyms he knows.
I've never read any of his screenplays, so I'm not sure what kind of screen writer he is, but as a book writer he makes it feel like an effort to get through the many words and to the actual substance. Very frustrating!
Book Review: Field's Failure
Summary: 1 Stars
Once upon a time......
.... Syd Field would have been laughed at. But not today. In a time when 'time' takes too long and man is only interested in the skeleton of things, the appearance of things, Field's approach is quite popular. Field is not helping man fix his story handicap (Hollywood) but only making it easier for more ignorant and uncreative 'work' (not art) to filter through and flood our pathetic 'art' industry. What Field is selling here is a step-by-step process for those who don't have the foggiest clue on how to write a story - you know, those people who don't even know where to begin. However, what is ironic is that it is obvious that Mr. Syd is one of those people. If you read this book carefully you'll begin to notice that Field isn't actually saying anything at all. I can actually sum up his advice for you: just free-associate everything into existence. If you want to know what is the essence of anything, please don't ask that, because Sydster is only going to tell you to free-associate your problems away. "Trust in the system". I guess true art doesn't take talent but simply the proper scientific steps. Creativity doesn't have anything to do with something inherent in the individual, it is simply the external process of efficiency that one taps into.
Furthermore, I found the book to be quite boring in that I had to make it through so much 'fluff' between key points in his theory (which isn't completely his since everyone is writing on these same foundation points) . Fluff you say? Yes, fluff. If he isn't writing out the story lines for every Hollywood film, reminiscing on ideas of his own that never made it, contradicting himself, or just talking about his own life experience - as if it is at all interesting - then he might be making a point. And what is his point class? Free-association! Yes, very good. If you want to read someone who has somewhat of a more profound understanding on the topics Field is trying to talk about, then I recommend Egri's 'The Art of Dramatic Writing'. Very helpful. Furthermore, Egri is capable of laying out what you as a writer needs to do in order; whereas Field didn't seem to follow any logical order in his 'step-by-step' workbook.