Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
by Blake Snyder
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Book Summary Information
Author: Blake SnyderEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-05-25
ISBN: 1932907009
Number of pages: 195
Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9781932907001
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
Book Review: Saved a Script
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all, I disagree with anyone who uses the IMDB approach, which pre-determines the quality of a book by how many classic movies the author has personally written. It's funny how people who have produced nothing can so eagerly pronounce judgment on other people who are out there doing the work - whether it gets onscreen or not, or whether it wins any awards or not. I don't need 'Blank Check' to be a masterpiece for me to decide whether I have anything to learn from a book by the same guy. My advice to everyone who does, is to stop being so superior and open yourself up to learning something. With the exception of David Mamet's "On Directing Film," which was just as much about writing as directing, all the other books about screenwriting and storytelling that I know of, are written by people without big time movie credits, if they have any at all. And while I wouldn't buy a book about investing money from someone who didn't invest any money himself, that rule doesn't apply here. Chris Vogler, Michael Hauge, Billy Mernit, Rich Krevolin, Viki King, Syd Field, Robert McKee, John Truby, etc etc -- see any of these folks up there accepting Oscars? I'm leaving William Goldman out of this because while his books are excellent, they're not specifically about process and method - but if you want to throw him in, then okay - with the exception of David Mamet and Wm Goldman, almost every other author of screenwriting books is not someone we're seeing in 'Variety' on a routine basis.
And yet, I have learned from all of them - at different times, and for different reasons, each one of these books has been just what the doctor ordered. No, they're not really saying anything different, because the truth is there's not a whole lot different to say. Stories work, when they work, for a reason. Yet each author has a different approach to the same thing that is unique and refreshing and informative and - for me anyway - pretty darn useful.
Blake's approach in 'Save the Cat!' is clean and simple and very hard to argue with: a whole lot of extremely popular movies tend to do the same things in the same places, and that's how they got so popular. If you want to say that they only got popular because of the big name stars that were in them, I'll remind you that these same stars have their pick of everything - and they pick the scripts they do based on the strength of the storytelling, and how their character fits into it. And the strength of any good storytelling, whether you like it or not - and most people don't, because it's about as sexy as roadkill - is structure. What happens to a script after it's bought, all the way up through production (and even after - I've gotten phone calls from editing rooms to rewrite a scene), those are other stories. Some have happy endings and some are horrific - but you will never get to tell those stories yourself until you figure out how to structure a movie script correctly, and then put your own voice to it. And that's the order it has to be in - structure first, then voice. I've read way too many scripts that had lots of passion and enthusiasm and all, but everything else was all over the place. If you don't know where to put the stuff, no one's going to find it.
In the case of 'Save the Cat!' - I went back to a script that I had been having major and tremendously frustrating problems with. The idea was there, scenes were there, great set pieces, lovely character moments - but still I just couldn't figure out how to crack it. And then after reading the book and applying what was in there, I knew exactly what to do - and instead of floundering around for another 4 or 5 months, I will have this finished in about three weeks' time, which is great news to the people who are paying for it. And if the right things happen and it gets made, and more right things happen and it's good, and even more right things happen and it's a hit (not all good movies are hits, just as not all hit movies are good, but I want mine to be both) -- then it will be because 'Save the Cat!' helped me get it back on track.
So if you want to judge things and make up reasons to put them down, go ahead. But the real question should be, do you want to see your own movies made and be proud of them, badly enough to suspend your judgment and get a little humility (because believe me, you are going to need more humility than you can imagine, and if you don't bring it with you, it will be given to you and it never comes in a nice package) -- do you want it all badly enough to try anything, or just the things you're comfortable trying? My philosophy is this: if it works, I don't care where it came from.
If 'Save the Cat!' doesn't work for you, then get on here and say so, just like you should if it does. Just like with any book. I happen to think this one is great - Blake did his homework, he takes the job seriously and he makes his case enthusiastically and with amazing accuracy. I'm sure you can still write a good movie without it - I just know that this book was a lifesaver for me - and that from here on in, it will always be very close at hand.
Summary of Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat!
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