The Screenwriting Formula
It’s a common misconception that formula films are bad. Bad films aren’t formulaic—and that’s the problem. In this guide, beginning scriptwriters will learn how to structure their screenplay by using seven critical elements (The Formula) so that every other element falls into place perfectly, creating a salable, high-concept movie.
The Screenwriting Formula
by Rob Tobin
Writer's Digest Books, 2007
ISBN 978-158297-462-0
$14.99 paperback, 208 pages
Make the Hollywood Formula Work for You!
As a screenwriter, you have a difficult task even after the script is complete. You have to break into Hollywood. Rob Tobin, who has read thousands of screenplays in his job as a script reader and development executive, has developed the formula to get a script from page to production, and he shares it in this book.
The Screenwriting Formula is not just about how to write a killer screenplay—it also explains the structure that movie executives are looking for, as well as how to transform an idea into a fully loaded script, packed with action and ready to go. You'll learn how to:
- Use the seven basic story elements to instantly grab an audience's attention and, more importantly, keep it
- Develop character and plot in new ways through creating a backstory and telling both the objective and subjective story
- Structure your script so that it gets noticed by movie makers
- Craft a winning logline that will ensure a good pitch
Plus, to help illustrate the formula, Tobin develops a story from beginning to end, showing you step-by-step how to make the most of this trade secret.
