The Idea Behind 'Writing Drama'
The idea behind this book could be described like this: Imagine, that you know someone who
- really knows what he is talking about regarding the subject of script writing,
- who's taking you by the hand and dissects all aspects of the trade,
- supplies you with invaluable insights,
- and points out things you would have probably missed while writing.
Sounds too good? Maybe so, but this is how I feel about this book. There is one thing to be aware of, though. This book is not another 'How to Effortlessly Write a Blockbuster in Two Days' step by step instruction. Its about the art of writing scripts. No more and no less.
The Structure of the Book
Yves Lavandier structured the book into two sections. The first section, 'The Synthetic Model,' talks about dramaturgy and its inherent mechanisms. This might sound very theoretical and dry, but it is actually a very entertaining read and sprinkled with real-life examples citing plays and scripts. This approach makes it easier to understand the underlying concepts, provided your collection of DVDs is on par or that you have access to a well stocked rental place not too far away. By the way, the examples span from 'Waiting for Godot' to 'Blue Velvet' or 'Out of Rosenheim', meaning they span different genres and writing styles to explain how to tell interesting stories.
The second section is called 'Methology.' In it you learn how to make practical use of the different aspects you read about in the first section. There is even a discussion about writing a Treatment, since a good Treatment is a prerequisite guiding your project on its way to completion.
The appendix contains more interesting topics. Among others, how to write for children and how to script documentaries. It also contains 'Workshop Exercises' to either sharpen your newly acquired skills, or to work on those techniques that you learned when starting out in the trade. The appendix alone is worth the price of the book, seriously.
(My) Conclusion
To put it into one sentence: Everyone interested in how to tell intoxicating stories should read this book, period. It's not that easy to get me to rave about a book covering this subject, but this book is always in easy reach, either for inspiration or for research.
Writing Drama is available in English or French at the online-store of Le Clown & l'Enfant and should be available in every well stocked book store (on- or offline). Highly recommended.
