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| Introduction | |
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| Shorts | |
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| Key Concepts | |
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| The Fundamentals | |
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| Keep your screenplay focused | |
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| Limit the time frame of the action | |
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| Limit the number of characters | |
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| Visualize | |
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| Say more with less | |
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| Make it new | |
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| What to Avoid | |
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| The extensive use of special or visual effects | |
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| Multiple subplots | |
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| Resolution through death (either murder or suicide) | |
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| Weapons | |
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| Serial killing | |
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| Parodies and mockumentaries | |
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| Dreams and fantasies | |
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| Characters who are obviously walking contradictions | |
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| Film and Theater | |
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| The Writer's Goals | |
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| The Script | |
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| Film and Television | |
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| Take Two-Chapter Review | |
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| Character | |
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| Key Concepts | |
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| Character and Characterization | |
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| Why Are Character Choices Active and External? | |
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| Putting Your Characters in Charge of the Action | |
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| Objective and Need | |
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| Adding Depth to Your Characters | |
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| Outlook is the way a character views the world | |
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| Attitude is the way the world views a character | |
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| Arc is the growth or the change that a character undergoes during the course of the film's action | |
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| Types of Characters | |
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| Secondary Characters | |
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| Take Two-Chapter Review | |
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| Narrative | |
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| Key Concepts | |
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| Character vs. Character | |
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| Character vs. Self | |
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| Character vs. Society | |
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| Character vs. Nature | |
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| Character vs. Fate | |
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| The Three-Part Nature of the Screenplay | |
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| Setting | |
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| Backdrop | |
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| Tone | |
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| Protagonist | |
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| A hint of the conflict to come | |
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| The direction of the plot | |
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| The inciting incident | |
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| Rising Action | |
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| Some Additional Devices | |
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| Condition lock | |
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| Plant and payoff | |
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| Red herring | |
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| Climax | |
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| Resolution | |
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| Scenes | |
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| Scene-protagonist vs. Scene-antagonist | |
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| Creating the Scene | |
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| What is the dramatic point of the scene? | |
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| What is the major beat in the scene? | |
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| Which characters do I need to make the scene work? | |
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| Who is the scene-protagonist? | |
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| What does the scene-protagonist want in the scene? | |
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| What is the form of the conflict in the scene? | |
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| What is the subtext for the scene? | |
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| Where will the scene play? | |
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| At what time of day will the scene play? | |
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| Take Two-Chapter Review | |
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| Dialogue | |
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| Key Concepts | |
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| The Goals of Film Dialogue | |
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| Move the plot forward | |
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| Reveal character | |
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| Provide story information | |
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| Establish tone | |
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| Convey theme | |
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| Add to the backdrop of the story | |
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| The Characteristics of Film Dialogue | |
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| Writing Effective Dialogue | |
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| Write dialogue that's dynamic and progressive | |
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| Be concise | |
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| Keep lines simple | |
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| Keep speeches short | |
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| Take care in the way that you represent a dialect or an accent on the page | |
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| Don't turn every beat through the dialogue | |
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| Don't write "on the nose." | |
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| Avoid filler phrases | |
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| Avoid stammering or stuttering except when the dramatic situation absolutely demands it | |
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| Don't be inflexible (unless you enjoy extreme frustration) | |
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| Making Every Word Count | |
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| Keeping Dialogue Concise: A Case in Point | |
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| Take Two-Chapter Review | |
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| Development | |
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| Key Concepts | |
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| Where Do Film Ideas Come From? | |
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| Character | |
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| Plot | |
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| Setting | |
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| Theme | |
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| Development | |
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| The Stages of Development | |
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| Premise | |
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| Concept | |
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| Title | |
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| Character interview | |
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| Synopsis | |
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| Step outline | |
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| Scene outline | |
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| Sequence outline | |
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| Treatment | |
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| First draft | |
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| Revisions | |
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| Common problems in the setup | |
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| Common problems in the rising action | |
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| Common problems in the resolution | |
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| Principles of rewriting | |
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| Take Two-Chapter Review | |
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| Production | |
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| Key Concepts | |
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| Pitfalls and Money Pits | |
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| Too Many Roles | |
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| Critters | |
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| Kids | |
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| Stunts | |
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| Nudity | |
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| "Scenery Chewing" | |
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| Locations (too many) | |
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| Locations (too public) | |
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| Vehicles | |
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| Weapons | |
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| Weather | |
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| Clearances | |
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| Working with Others | |
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| Locking the Pages of a Script | |
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| A Brief Word about Rehearsal | |
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| Take Two-Chapter Review | |
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| Format | |
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| Key Concepts | |
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| Scene Headings | |
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| Scene Directions | |
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| Character Cues | |
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| Dialogue | |
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| Parenthetical Directions | |
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| Transitions | |
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| The Standard Industry Format (Traditional) | |
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| The Standard Industry Format (Updated) | |
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| The Title Page | |
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| Special Situations | |
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| Some Simple but Essential Rules of Punctuation | |
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| Take Two-Chapter Review | |
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| Genres | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Sample Screenplay: Early Draft | |
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| Sample Screenplay: Shooting Script | |
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| A Filmmaker's Dozen: Thirteen Short Films Every Filmmaker Should See | |
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| Index | |