The Craft of Scene Writing: Beat by Beat to a Better Script

by Jim Mercurio

Overview

A professional screenwriter’s master class in writing the most critical and challenging script element—the individual scene. No one comes out of a movie talking about structure. What audiences love and remember about a movie are great scenes. Marlon Brando in the back seat in On the Waterfront giving his “I could’a been a contender” speech. Meg Ryan’s fake orgasm in Katz’s Deli in When Harry Met Sally with the climactic punch line: “I’ll have what she’s having.” In Superbad, Jonah Hill professing “I love you” to his friend Michael Cera by touching his nose with a “boop.” Great scenes will elevate your script from ho-hum to extraordinary—and from the slush pile to sellable. In The Craft of Scene Writing, accomplished screenwriter and master writing teacher Jim Mercurio analyzes and systematizes the beats, conflicts, character moments, action, dialogue, and structure that create powerful scenes. Citing examples from scripts old and new, The Craft of Scene Writing breaks down how great scenes reveal character, advance the story, and emotionally connect with audiences, plus demonstrates how to use these techniques in your own scripts. This incredibly detailed exploration of screenwriting technique will help beginning writers to write great scripts and experienced writers to gain a more complete mastery of their craft.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610353304
Publisher:	Linden Publishing
Publication date:	02/01/2019
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	496,856
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jim Mercurio is a writer, author, screenwriter and filmmaker. He has directed or produced five feature films and has helped countless writers as a teacher, story analyst and script doctor. Mercurio is a former development executive, and has sold or written as work-for-hire several screenplays. He wrote and directed the bonus material for the film Making Hard Scrambled Movies—a two-hour seminar on making indie films—which The Washington Post called “a must for would-be filmmakers.” Creative Screenwriting magazine ranked him as one of the top screenplay consultants in the country. Mercurio divides his time between Los Angeles and New York City.

Table of Contents

Preface
Quick Note from the Author
Introduction
Part One – Fundamentals
Chapter 1 – The Story of a Scene: Beat by Beat
Chapter 2 – Reversals: The Essence of Surprise
Chapter 3 – Dialogue: The Beats of a Missing Horse
Chapter 4 – Non-Dialogue: Using Visuals
Chapter 5 – Exposition: Backdoor Drama
Part Two – Advanced Topics
Chapter 6 – Dilemma: Importance and Digging Deep
Chapter 7 – Exploiting Concept: From Inspiration to Surprise
Chapter 8 – Theme: Building Your Case
Chapter 9 – Advanced Scene Writing: Breaking the Rules with Style
Chapter 10 – Cinematic Writing: The Language of Visuals
Part Three – The Home Stretch
Chapter 11 – Rewriting I: The Big Picture
Chapter 12 – Rewriting II: The Small Picture
Chapter 13 – A Tale of Two Voices: The Voice of the Script
Chapter 14 – Personal Voice: Your Perfect Script
Appendix – 14 Steps to a Better Screenplay
Acknowledgments

Editorial Reviews

"Utilizing engaging language, Jim Mercurio explores the shape of individual scenes within screenplays, probing the parallels between micro- and macro story structures, and providing keen insights into the nature of storytelling that should prove useful to creators of dramatic narratives not only in film and TV but in all platforms and media."

Prof. Richard Walter

"The thing I love most about The Craft of Scene Writing is that Jim treats writers as filmmakers, urging them to consider how the script informs all of the downstream departments, painting a picture in the reader's mind for every story beat. Jim understands that scripts are just an accumulation of these story beats and it is our job as writers to obsess over each and every word and action to ensure that each beat is clear, concise, dramatic and surprising. Easier said than done, but Jim gives us the tools to chop, mold and sharpen these beats to gleaming bits of perfection."

Mike Blum

"Deftly written, organized and presented ... a must-have instructional reference and resource."

Midwest Book Review

"A powerful survey of how to write effective scenes, illustrating the importance of digging deep for above average results."

California Bookwatch

"This book may well change the way screenwriting is taught. While most courses focus on the big picture, Jim Mercurio gives invaluable step-by-step advice about individually crafting each scene in a screenplay. Using well-known examples, Mercurio encourages filmmakers to think of each scene as its own full production, so that the entire film is made stronger by the strength of its parts. It's an eye-opening approach to storytelling, which will greatly benefit aspiring screenwriters, game writers, and novelists alike."

Heidi McDonald

"Developing effective and affecting scenes is the beating heart of screenwriting, and Jim Mercurio has given us an excellent guide to writing scenes that are narratively tight, emotionally engaging, and thematically resonant. He assiduously avoids tired, old school truisms to give us a thoroughly useful, contemporary road map to better writing."

Mick Hurbis-Cherrier

"An invaluable guide for screenwriters and anyone else interested in learning more about the creative art of storytelling ... reveals the key ins and outs of developing a powerful screen narrative. As a longtime professor of screenwriting, I must say that I was inspired by this book."

Frank E. Beaver

"The first time you read Jim Mercurio's outstanding book, you'll be as astonished as I was at his ability to reveal and explain every conceivable element of an emotionally captivating scene. The next hundred times will be when you use it to make certain that every single scene in every rewrite of your screenplay or novel is entertaining, compelling and memorable."

Michael Hauge

"The Craft of Scene Writing breaks down the rules and how to break them, beat by beat, as a story within a story. A must read for the novice and expert filmmaker."

Brian Asingia