Focal Press’s fantastic “FilmCraft” series of books continue with screenwriting as author Tim Grierson interviews 15 of the industry’s top screenwriters to discover the foundation on which every great film is built – the script.

As a person more attuned to the visual aspect of filmmaking, the workings of a great script/screenplay is both intriguing and a little mystifying. Well written dialogue have the ability to engage and captivate the audience, informing the viewer of the protagonist’s motivations, and at the same time driving character development.

(above right) Screenwriter Hossein Armini shares his admiration for the restaurant scene from Michael Mann’s crime masterpiece “Heat”, one of my favourite films of all time. Through the course of the 6 minute conversation the words exchanged between DeNiro and Pacino will allow the viewer to understand the motivations and experiences that come to define both the characters. ( watch scene below )

Interviews with every screenwriter are replete with references to the films they have worked on, and the anecdotes and accompanying images really make you want to watch ( or re-watch ) all those films discussed.

A study in the workings of successful screenwriting not only gives you a deeper understanding of filmmaking, but the knowledge also makes film appreciation more immersive and satisfying. Recommended.

“Film Craft : Screenwriting″ details :

– Author : Tim Grierson
– Dimensions – 9.9 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
– Soft cover, 192 pages
– Full color

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