Samuel French London

serving theatre since 1830

   



theatre books list from Samuel French London 

WRITING, TELEVISION AND RADIO: Writing for Theatre,TV and Film; English Grammar; TV and Radio Production/History

September 2006

We regret that we are unable to include prices at present. Please contact us for more information on prices and availability of the books given in this list. Please remember to include your name and full postal address (including postcode and country) when submitting any enquiry.

How to order

All books are paperback unless stated otherwise

ACTING FOR ANIMATORS — A Complete Guide to Performance Animation. Multimedia CD-ROM Included. Ed Hooks. Foreword by Brad Bird. Illustrations by Mike Caputo
Until now, animators who have wanted to learn about acting have had no option but to study the subject side by side with stage and movie actors, a group that uses acting techniques in a wholly different way. Ed Hooks offers a better alternative with Acting for Animators the first book about acting theory and technique written specifically for the animator. ISBN 0 325 00580 X

ADVANCED SCREENWRITING —Raising Your Script to the Academy Award Level. Dr. Linda Seger
This is written by one of today’s most active and respected screenwriting gurus, is a collection of meditations on fine-tuning the script. Among the many subjects it discusses: Working with non-traditional forms — Maintaining a consistent and ongoing storyline — Developing a personal cinematic style — Finding a script’s audience — Keeping an audience’s attention — Developing subtexts — Transforming characters — Utilizing psychology and philosophy — Creating Realism — Polishing scenes — Creating Memorable Dialogue … and much more. ISBN 1 879505 73 8

ALTERNATIVE SCRIPTWRITING — Successfully Breaking the Rules. Third Edition. Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush
Going beyond the conventional three-act structure and exploring more inventive approaches, the latest edition of Alternative Scriptwriting continues to challenge readers to take creative risks with genre, tone character, and structure. Through a survey of both American and international films, it explores mainstream, personal, and experimental narrative forms. ISBN 0 240 80477 5

AMERICAN PLAYS AND MUSICALS ON SCREEN — 650 Stage Productions and their Film and television Adaptations. Thomas S. Hischak. ISBN 0 7864 2003 0 (HB)

" ANAGRAMS OF DESIRE" Angela Carter’s Writing for Radio, Film and Television Charlotte Crofts
Angela Carter is best known for her novels, short fiction and journalism, but also produced a substantial body of writing for media other than the printed page, including five radio plays, two film adaptations, an original television documentary and a number of unrealised scripts for stage and screen. Despite increasing academic interest in Carter’s work, these dramatic writings have largely been ignored. In this book, Charlotte Crofts redresses this lack of critical attention by examining Carter’s dramatic writings together for the first time (including two unpublished works), giving them a more central position in the Carter canon. ISBN 0 7190 5724 8

ARISTOTLE’S POETICS FOR SCREENWRITERS — Storytelling Secrets from the Greatest Mind in Western Civilization. Michael Tierno
Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle’s Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now story analyst Micheal Tierno shows how this classic work can be invaluable resource for beginning and advanced screen-writers or anyone interested in studying plot structure. ISBN 0 7868 8740 0

ASPECTS OF THE SCREENPLAY — Techniques of Screenwriting. Mark Axelrod
This book deals extensively with film dialogue: how best to write it and still address issues of structure, plot, and character. It is one of the first books to focus on the craft of dialogue writing, offering invaluable advice that will encourage you to sit down and want to write. ISBN 0 325 00204 5

BACKSTORY 2 — Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1940s and 1950s. Edited and with an introduction by Patrick McGilligan
Fourteen studio scribes active in later decades reminisce about their fifty-plus years of creating and scripting classic movies. Richard Brooks, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Garson Kanin, Arthur Laurents, Ben Maddow, Stewart Stern, Daniel Taradash, and Philip Yordan are among the fascinating and important figures included. ISBN 0 520 20908 7

BACKSTORY 3 — Interviews with Screenwriters of the 60s. Edited and with an introduction by Patrick McGilligan
This takes up the history of American screenwriting in the 1960s, through the experiences of fourteen key scenarists. These lively interviews, conducted by Pat McGilligan and others, feature Jay Presson Allen, George Axelrod, Walter Bernstein, Horton Foote, Walon Green, Charles B. Griffith, John Michael Hayes, Ring Lardner Jr., Wendell Mayes, Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr., Arnold Schulman, Stirling Silliphant, and Terry Southern. ISBN 0 520 20427 1

BERTOLT BRECHT ON FILM AND RADIO. Edited and translated by Marc Silberman
From Weimer Germany to Hollywood to East Berlin, this book gathers together a selection of Brecht’s own writings on the new film and broadcast media that revolutionised arts and communication in the twentieth century.

THE BIZ — The basic business, legal and financial aspects of the film industry. 2nd edition expanded and updated. Schuyler M. Moore
Today’s film industry is a legal and financial obstacle course that independent
filmakers must learn to master. The most comprehensive guide to negotiating that obstacle course is The Biz, and financial aspects. ISBN 1 879505 69 X

BRITISH TELEVISION DRAMA — A History. Lez Cooke
The varied history of British television drama is considered from its beginnings on the BBC in 1930s and 1940s to its position at the beginning of the twenty-first century, as television enters a multi-channel digital era. ISBN 0 85170 885 4

CHAOS AS USUAL — Conversations about Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Edited by Juliane Lorenz
"People used to say:" This guy turns out movies like other people roll cigarettes." He had this incredible curiosity about the world. He was extremely belligerent, and he loved to argue, but whenever possible — and somehow he always made it possible — he answered the world with an artistic production." Peter Märthesheimer

CHARACTERS IN ACTION — Playwriting the Easy Way. Marsh Cassady
A new approach to playwriting based on exercises, examples, and activities. Twelve chapters provide a complete survey of every step in the playwriting process: Germination; the Creative State; Getting Ideas; Beginning a Script; Some Basics; Dramatic Structure; Dramatic Structure II; Audience and Theme; Characterization; Dialog; Planning and Revising; Producing and Publishing.

CLASSIC RADIO COMEDY — Pocket Essential Radio. Mat Coward
The Goon Show, Hancock’s Half Hour, and Round The Horne — their catchphrases still punctuate our conversations and their outlandish characters have proved unforgettable through several generations. Book of scripts, and recordings of the shows, continue to sell in extraordinary numbers. Between them, these three very different programmes from the 1950s and 60s encapsulate the glory days of radio comedy. This book explores the origins of the "Big Three" — and just as importantly, the enormous influence they’ve had on radio and TV ever since. ISBN 1 904048 04 8

COMEDY WRITING SECRETS — How to Think Funny, Write Funny, Act Funny, and Get Paid For It. Melvin Helitzer
Packed with more than a thousand one-liners, bits, and speech excerpts, and complete chapters on writing humour into speech, gag writing for cartoons and comics, and scripting for television situation comedies. This book will give you the facts you need to get serious about making it big in comedy.

THE COMIC TOOLBOX — How to be Funny Even If You’re Not. John Vorhaus
The Comic Toolbox is a straightforward, often humorous, workbook approach to comedy writing as creative problem solving. In it, veteran Hollywood comedy writer Vorhaus offers his tools of the trade to writers, comics, and anyone else who wants to be funny.

THE CRAFTY ART OF PLAYMAKING — Alan Ayckbourn
Ayckbourn shares all his tricks of the trade. From helpful hints on writing (Where do you start? How do you continue? What is comedy and how do you write it? What is tragedy and how does it work?), to tips on directing (working with actors and technicians, when to listen to the other experts, how to cope with rehearsals), the book provides a complete primer for the tyro and a refresher for the more experienced. ISBN 0 571 21509 2

CREATING UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS — A Practical Guide to Character Development in Film, TV Series, Advertisements, Novels and Short Stories. Linda Seger
How to create strong multidimensional characters in fiction is the focus of this new book. The book covers everything from doing the necessary research and developing the backstory and character psychology to avoiding stereotypes and working through character blocks.

CREATING YOUR OWN MONOLOGUE. Glenn Alterman
This is a one-kind-of a book that shows actors how to write and produce successful monologues. The writing process is explained in easy-to-follow steps that cover how to: get started, Develop characters, write dialogue, do rewrites and editing, shape your material, know when the monologue is complete, rehearse and perform your monologue, market and promote solo shows.

CREATIVE SCREENWRITING — A Practical Guide. Tony Bicat and Tony Macnabb
This is a step-by-step guide to writing a screenplay, from the initial idea through to pitching a screenplay in the real world and selling your final draft. It includes chapters on all major aspects of the craft — layout, character, dialogue and structure — and is illustrated with detailed analysis of films ranging from Rashomon to the Full Monty. ISBN 1 86126 525 5

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO SCREEN WRITING — Syd Field.
" The Guru of all Screen writers." CNN
Syd Field, acclaimed writer and director, takes you step by step through the art of screenwriting, identifying and fixing common problems and providing the professional secrets that will make your screenplay a success. Using practical examples from films such as Lord of the Rings, The Pianist, American Beauty, Scream and The Killing Fields he provides guidelines for writing a screenplay from concept to finished product. ISBN 0 091 89027 6

DIRECTING AND PRODUCING FOR TELEVISION — Ivan Cury.
Learn to organize all types of TV shows from PSAs and commercials to award shows.
This book provides readers with the tools they need to help them direct and produce efficiently in a variety of settings. This vital resource is based on the author’s experience in the industry and in university settings. It is ideal for students who are adept at handling equipment but often lack actual production techniques. The text addresses those critical details and outlines the demands of each format. ISBN 0 240 80452 X

DIRECTING FOR FILM AND TELEVISION — Christopher Lukas.
This book provides a valuable guide to the craft of directing, for those who are "out there doing it" and for those who have yet to try. With great charm and intelligence, award-winning director Christopher Lukas reveals the director’s journey — from choosing and envisioning the script to managing "postproduction blues." Readers will become familiar with the key qualities and skills a director must possess.

DISPATCHES FROM ARMAGEDDON Making the movie Megiddo . . . a Devilish Diary!. Michael York
"Michael York has turned out one of the most readable, literate and insightful works ever written on the process of making movies" NY University. ISBN 157525 311 9

DRAMATISTS SOURCEBOOK — 23rd Edition.
This fully revised 23rd edition of the Dramatists Sourcebook contains more than 950 opportunities for playwrights, translators, composers, lyricists and librettists, including script-submission procedures for 380 professional theatres, 137 prizes and scores of publishers, fellowships, residencies, developmental programmes, agents, service organizations, state arts agencies and reference publications. The Sourcebook is thoroughly indexed and contains an invaluable calendar of submission deadlines. Includes the "Simple Working Guide for Playwrights" by Tony Krushner.

THE DRAMATISTS TOOLKIT —- The Craft of the Working Playwright. Jeffrey Sweet
In clear, understandable language, Sweet describes his playwriting techniques as well as offering concrete career advice, including unorthodox suggestions on how to market your work. Drawing on examples as diverse Shakespeare, Sondheim, Chekhov, and Monty Python, this book is a valuable resource for both the beginning stage and screenwriter and the experienced professional.

ENSER’S FILMED BOOKS AND PLAYS. 1928-2001. Ellen Baskin
The only comprehensive printed compendium of motion picture and television adaptations of books and plays. ISBN 0 7546 0878 6 HB

50 YEARS OF HANCOCK’S HALF HOUR. Richard Webber, with a foreword by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.
Fifty Years of Hancock’s Half Hour will, for the first time, tell the full story; with behind-the-scenes stories from Hancock’s fellow cast and crew members and the reasons why the show came to an end in 1961. With a foreword by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson and including previously unheard scripts along with numerous photographs, many of which have never been published before, this is the definitive companion to Britain’s best-loved comedy classic. ISBN 0-09-946488-8

THE FULL ROOM. An A-Z of Contemporary Playwriting. Dominic Dromgoole
A celebration of the plays and playwrights at the forefront of theatre today including April de Angelia, David Hare, Sarah Kane, Conor McPherson and Mark Ravenhill. ISBN 0 413 77134 2

THE GREAT AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS ON THE SCREEN — Jerry Roberts
This is a complete, up-to-date record of movie and television productions of classic and contemporary works by America’s greatest playwrights. More than 200 playwrights are featured — including Arthur Miller, Lillian Hellman, Eugene O’Neill, Neil Simon and Tennessee Williams — and the adapted versions of their works are compared and contrasted. As a video/DVD guide, as an academic text, this is the ideal one-stop guide. ISBN 1 55783 512 8

THE GUIDE TO BOOK PUBLISHERS 2000— The complete guide to book publishers in the UK and Ireland — Third Edition
Writers —Tells you: Who wants your work, who to contact and how to do it. Researchers, Teachers: Describes publishers’ special subject areas. Details Hundreds of Book Publishers — Fiction and non-fiction, specialist and general, large publishers houses and small presses.

HOW TO WRITE A MOVIE IN 21 DAYS, THE INNER MOVIE METHOD — How to get the Movie in Your Heart onto the Page. Viki King
The ultimate survival guide takes the aspiring screenwriter the shortest distance from blank page to completed script.

HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY Mark Evan Schwartz
There are hundreds of books on the market, all trying to teach you how to write a screenplay. Several of them are excellent and useful books. But never - until now -has there been a screenwriting manual written in the form of a screen play.
As well as the screenplay itself, the book includes a foreword explaining how to get the most out of the screenplay, the log line, the synopsis, character bios, and the treatment. ISBN 0-8264-1711-6

THE 101 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SCREENWRITERS — Insider Secrets from Hollywood’s Top Writers. Karl Iglesias.
Author Karl Iglesias, a Hollywood story analyst and development execute, personally interviewed top contemporary scribes to learn their hints, tips and advice for making it as a screenwriter. In this book, you’ll learn how to make the greatest impact with a screenplay, using pacing, dialogue, and character development. You’ll also follow each writer through a typical "day in the life," sharing in eye-opening experiences that will amaze, amuse, and ultimately, inspire you. ISBN 1 58062 550 9

INTERPRETING SHAKESPEARE ON SCREEN. Deborah Cartmell
This book is an introduction to the analysis of film adaptations of Shakespeare from Laurence Olivier to Baz Luhrmann. It considers the films in relation to the play texts as well as the realms of popular culture, examining the ways in which Shakespeare has been manufactured from the 1940s to the present days. ISBN 0 333 65212 6

THE INTIMATE SCREEN — Early British Television Drama. Jason Jacobs
This book explores the formative period of British television drama, concentrating on the years 1936-55. It examines the continuities and changes of early television drama, and the impact this had upon the subsequent "Golden Age". In particular, it questions the caricature of early television drama as "photographed stage plays" and argues that early television pioneers in fact produced a diverse range of innovative drama productions, using a wide range of techniques. It also explores the often competing definitions about the form and aesthetics of early television drama both inside and outside the BBC.

LAUGHING OUT LOUD — Writing the Comedy-Centered Screenplay. Andrew Horton
In this book, the author blends history, theory, and analysis of comedy with invaluable advice. Using a wide range of examples — from Chaplin’s films to Jerry Seinfeld’s hit television series, from Aristophane’s plays to Woody Allen’s comedies — the author describes comedy as a perspective rather than merely as a genre, and then goes on to identify the essential elements of comedy.

LOCATION LONDON London’s Film Locations Uncovered. Mark Adams
A guided tour of one of the world’s hottest spots for moviemaking. Tread the Embankment in Michael Caine’s footsteps in Alfie, relax with a coffee in the café where Hugh Grant and Andie McDowell met up in Four Weddings and a Funeral, or venture further afield to visit the gasworks of East London that Stanley Kubrick turned into Vietnam for Full Metal Jacket. With film stills and locator maps.
ISBN 1 84330 478 3

MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT — A Guide for Writing and Rewriting. Linda Seger
This book takes the writer through the important second stage — after a first draft has been written — by helping to identify and define the subtle problems that occur in most scripts. And it gives specific methods to help writers craft their stories to create tighter, stronger, and more workable scripts.

NAKED PLAYWRITING. The Art, the Craft, and the Life Laid Bare. William Missouri Downs and Robin U. Russin.
Naked Playwriting is a complete playwriting course — from developing a theme through plotting and structuring a play, developing characters, creating dialogue, formatting a script, and plying methods that aid the actual writing processes. It also offers sound guidance on marketing and submitting play scripts for both contests and production, getting an agent, protecting ones copyright, and working with directors, actors, andtheatre companies. ISBN 1-879505-76-2

NEW PLAYWRITING STRATEGIES — A Language-Based Approach to Playwriting. Paul C. Castagno.
This play offers a fresh and dynamic approach to playwriting that will be welcomed by teachers and aspiring playwrights alike. Drawing upon the innovative work of the Language Playwrights — including Len Jenkins, Mac Wellman, Suzan-Lori Parks and Eric Overmyer — and the theories of Mikhail Bakhtin, Paul Castagno questions the many assumptions and "givens" about playwriting and offers provocative and rewarding new models for narrative, dialogue and character. ISBN 0 878 30136 4

PLAYWRITING. The Structure of Action. Revised and Expanded Edition.Sam Smiley with Norman A. Bert
Revised and expanded for a new generation of playwrights and screenwriters, this classic guide provides the principles of effective dramatic writing. Playwrights and screenwriters will discover these essential principles and acquire the tools to put them to use. No writer, director, critic, or teacher concerned with dramatic writing should be without this intelligent and inspiring guide. ISBN 0-300-10724-2

PLAYWRITING MASTER CLASS — The Personality of Process and the Art of Rewriting. Michael Wright
This book does what no other playwriting book has: it looks at a range of creative choices as a new play evolves. Michael Wright challenged seven playwrights to create original work in reaction to the same prompt and to interpret that prompt in any way they saw fit. Through sample drafts, explorations, journals, and follow-up interviews, Wright offers special insight into these playwrights’ processes, methods, and thinking. ISBN 0 325 00169 3

THE PLAYWRIGHT’S GUIDEBOOK — An insightful primer on the art of dramatic writing. Stuart Spencer
This book is a concise and engaging handbook full of the kind of wisdom that comes naturally with experience. Spencer presents a coherent way of thinking about playwriting that addresses the important principles of structure, includes insightful writing exercises that build upon one another, explores the creative process, and troubleshoots recurrent problems that playwrights actually face. ISBN 0 571 199917

PLAYWRIGHTS ON PLAYWRITING. From Ibsen to Ionesco. Edited by Toby Cole. Introduction by John Gassner
"In all respects, Playwrights on Playwriting is a unique theatre document. More than that, it shall have a practical value to playwrights in our time and its foreseeable future." John Gassner, from his introduction. ISBN 0 8154 1141 3

THE PLAYWRIGHT’S PROCESS — Learning the Craft from Today’s Leading Dramatists. Buzz McLaughlin
A resource for beginning and experienced writers, a virtual guided tour of the dramatist’s challenging and often mysterious creative process, chock-full of specific techniques, practical exercises, and candid observations on craft and method straight from the mouths of working, award-winning playwrights.

PLAYWRITING — A Practical Guide. Noël Greig
This book offers practical guide for all those who are involved in the creation of text for live performance. Containing a wealth of exercises, Playwriting takes the reader through each stage of the process of making a play, and includes chapters on: working on themes and issues; building a character; finding the story; writing a second draft. ISBN 0 415 31044 X

PLAYWRITING IN PROCESS — Thinking and Working Theatrically. Michael Wright
A hands-on compendium of games and exercises designed to help do just that: stimulate creativity, provide reminders of basic craft-skills, and build strong playwrights.

THE POWER OF THE PLAYWRIGHT’S VISION — Blue Prints for the Working Writer. Gordon Farrell.
In a clear and easily understood way, the author makes available the most potent and effective structures ever devised by the world’s most important dramatists. Playwrights like Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, Bertolt Brecht (etc.) all developed powerful new writing tools that empowered them to capture their personal vision of the world on stage. This book describes not only what the techniques are, but also how they can be put to use, enabling today’s working playwrights to bring power of their own personal vision to life in the theatre. ISBN 0 325 00242 8

PRESENTING FOR TV AND VIDEO. Joanne Zorian-Lynn
This lively book contains all the information you need to prepare for presenting on screen, whether for a low-budget corporate video, Internet TV or a mainstream television programme. Packed with advice, illustrations and practical exercises, the book aims to provide a clear and comprehensive guide to the qualities, skills and training required. ISBN 0 7136 5778 2

THE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT’S HANDBOOK — by Jeff Alves. Foreword by William—Alan Landes ISBN 0 88734 958 7

RADIO DRAMA — Theory and Practice. Tim Crook
Challenging the belief that sound drama is a ‘blind medium’, Radio Drama shows how experimentation in radio narrative has blurred the dividing line between fiction and reality in modern media. Using extracts from scripts and analysing radio broadcasts from America, Britain, Canada, and Australia, the book explores the practicalities of producing drama of radio. The author illustrates how far radio drama has developed since the first ‘audiophonic production’ and evaluates the future of radio drama in the age of phone-ins and immediate access to programmes on the internet.

RAGE AND REASON — Women Playwrights on Playwriting. Heidi Stephenson and Natasha Langridge
Twenty leading contemporary dramatists discuss their work from the perspective of being both writers and women. In talking to the authors, each dramatist voices personal views about the state of the theatre now, the craft of playwriting, the struggle of dramatists to get new plays produced and the pressures of working within a largely male environment.

SCENARIO – THE CRAFT OF SCREENWRITING. Tudor Gates
This book presents a system of logical analysis of the basic structures of successful screenplays, from initial plot-lines to realised scripts and will be useful for both first-time writers and established authors alike.
ISBN 1 903364 26 4

SCREENCRAFT: SCREENWRITING — Declan McGraff and Felim MacDermott
An inside look at the art of writing for film through intimate interviews with 13 of the world’s best screenwriters — Paul Schrader (The Last Temptation on Christ, Taxi Driver), George Axelrod (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Seven Year Itch), Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List, Searching for Bobby Fisher), Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot), William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), Jean-Claude Carriére (Danton, The Tin Drum), Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba, Children of Hiroshama, The Island), Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (The Remains of the Day), Andrew Stanton (Monsters Inc. A Bug’s Life, Toy Story), Krzysztof Piesiewicz (Three colours Trilogy, The Double Life of Veronique), Robert Towne (Mission: Impossible II, Chinatown, The Godfather), Suso D’amico (The Leopard, Rocco and His Brothers, Bicycle Thieves) Atom Egoyan (Felicia’s Journey, the sweet hereafter, exotica) ISBN 2 88046 363 7

SCREENPLAY — Writing the Picture. By Robin U. Russin and William Missouri Downs
Screenplay is a complete screenwriting course that provides in-depth discussion of theme development, story research, script plotting and structuring, character development, methods that aid the actual writing and rewriting processes, the ins and outs of marketing and pitching scripts, and much more. ISBN 1 879505 70 3

SCREENTEEN WRITERS — How Young Screenwriters Can Find Success. Christina Hamlett
A Self-help or classroom workbook that’s just for teens! Chapters include: What kind of Movie Should You Write? Where can You Find New Ideas? Movie Terms (and Career Advice) You Need to Know. What Should Your Screenplay Look Like on Paper? (Etc.) ISBN 1 56608 078 9

SCREENWRITERS’ MASTERCLASS. Screenwriters Talk About Their Greatest Movies. Edited by Kevin Conroy Scott
The secret of writing a successful screenplay is sought after by ever-growing numbers of scribes and enthusiasts. Screenwriters’ Masterclass offers state-of-the-art-advice that line, through interviews with nineteen of the leading scriptwriters of our day whose insights are invaluable to any aspirant. ISBN 0-571-21782-6

SCREENWRITING — Lew Hunter
In this authoritative book, which is highly praised by today’s most successful screenwriters and film directors, Lew Hunter conveys his considerable knowledge of screenwriting in a logical, down-to-earth fashion and answers the important questions which have to be considered at each stage of the process. ISBN 0 7090 5444 0

SCREENWRITING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY — Pat Silver-Lasky
Successful scriptwriter and lecturer Pat Silver-Lasky takes the reader through the basics of screenwriting and beyond, and, as she freely admits, while she can’t teach talent, she can teach techniques. In addition she provides concepts that will make it easier for you to harness you own vision and creativity to write successfully. ISBN 0 7134 8833 6

THE SCREENWRITER’S WORKBOOK — A Workshop Approach. Syd Field
Exercises and step-by-step instruction for creating a successful screenplay.

SCRIPT ANALYSIS FOR ACTORS, DIRECTORS, AND DESIGNERS. Third Edition (With new material on action analysis). James Thomas.
Based on the premise that plays should be objects of study in and of themselves, Analysis examines for Actors, Directors, and Designers, Third Edition, teaches an established system of classifications that the written part of a play. This third edition also includes an important method of play analysis called Action Analysis, developed by Konstantin Stanislavski, creator of the Stanislavski "System" of Acting. ISBN 0-240-80662-X

SCRIPT INTO PERFORMANCE — A Structuralist Approach. Richard Hornby
A study of the benefits structuralist methods of analysis may have for the actor and director, and those that may equally be gained by academics, from the experience of those involved in rehearsal and performance. Both academic and director, Hornby is ideally placed to comment, and has done so to widespread critical acclaim, in this interesting and innovative book.

SCRIPTWRITING FOR THE SCREEN. Charlie Moritz
This book is accessible guide to writing for film and television. It details the first principles of Screenwriting and advises on the best way to identify and formulate a story and develop ideas in order to build a vivid, animated and entertaining script.

THE SCRIPT- SELLING GAME. A Hollywood Insider’s Look at Getting Your Script Sold and Produced. Kathie Fong Yoneda
Brings together over 25 years of experience from an entertainment professional who shows you how to prepare your script, pitch it, meet the moguls, talk the talk, and make the deal. A must for both novice and veteran screenwriters. ISBN 0 941188 44 2

SELECTED ONE-ACT PLAYS FOR RADIO — Ireneusz Iredynski. Ed by Kevin Windle. ISBN 0 415 27503 2

SHAKESPEARE, FROM STAGE TO SCREEN — Sarah Hatchuel
How is a Shakespearean play transformed when it is directed for the screen? Sarah Hatchuel uses literary criticism, narratology, performance history, psychoanalysis and semiotics to analyse how the plays are fundamentally altered in their screen versions. ISBN 0 521 83624 7 (HB)

SOUND AND LOOK PROFESSIONAL ON TELEVISION AND THE INTERNET. How to Improve Your On-Camera Presence. Michelle McCoy with Ann S. Utterback, Ph.D
"This book is a great launching pad that will help you sound and look professional whether you are a corporate executive or a news broadcaster," Page Hopkins, Anchor, Bloomberg New. Topics include: voice; appearance, research and manner for TV presenting; film and TV acting … and much more. ISBN 1 56625 154 0

SOUND FOR FILM AND TELEVISION — Second Edition. Tomlinsin Holman. Includes Audio CD.
This edition provides a thorough introduction to the fascinating fields of recording, editing, mixing, and exhibiting film and television sound. It strikes a fine balance between aesthetic and technical content, combining theory and practice to approach sound as both an art and a science, as no other text has before. It includes new information on digital techniques as they have arisen in the industry, and expanded coverage of sound editing and design. ISBN 0 240 80453 8

THE SOUND OF ONE HAND CLAPPING — A Guide to Writing for the Theatre. Sheila Yeger
A practical and comprehensive guide to every stage of the process of playwriting, from choosing the subject, researching the background, creating characters and dialogue, to understanding structure, form and style.

STAGE WRITING — A Practical Guide. Val Taylor
This book leads new and developing playwrights through the structures of theatrical storytelling. Aspects of practical writing technique are explained through case studies of seven classic and contemporary plays, and a series of strategic questions encourages the playwright to recognize and to develop their "personal voice". ISBN 1 86126 452 6

STORY — Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting. Robert McKee.
Story provides insight and inspiration for screen and television writers, novelists, playwrights, journalists — anyone with a story to tell. Emphasizing form — not formula — the author teaches the guiding principles of story design, the craft that empowers the writer to turn imagination into a unique and satisfying work.

TEACH YOURSELF SCREENWRITING — Ray Frensham
Screenwriting shares with you Ray Frensham’s extensive knowledge of this demanding but exciting industry. It takes you through the processes involved in transforming your ideas into a format that will really work on screen and shows you how to present your finished work to its best advantage. ISBN 0 340 85971 7

TEACHING SCRIPTWRITING, SCREENPLAYS AND STORYBOARDS FOR FILM AND TV PRODUCTION. Mark Readman
This practical guide provides everything you need to introduce scriptwriting to your students, and establishes the basis for a high standard of coursework for Film and Media Studies. The guide demonstrates how scriptwriting, screenplays and storyboarding can be valuable both in the production context and as a way of engaging with key aspects of the Media or Film Studies curriculum, with accessible reference to key critical and theoretical writing. ISBN 0 85170 974 5

TEACHING TV SITCOM — James Barker
This comprehensive, erudite and accessible guide provides a stimulating introduction to teaching this popular topic, with practical and helpful advice on classroom approaches and accessible reference to key critical and theoretical writing. ISBN 0 85170 975 3

TELEVISION DRAMA — REALISM, MODERNISM, AND BRITISH CULTURE. John Caughie
This book offers an account of British television drama from its origins in live studio drama in the pre-war and immediate post-war years, through the "Golden Age" of the single play in the 1960s and the 1970s, to its convergence with an emerging British art cinema in the 1990s. It relates the development of television drama to movements which were going on within the culture. In particular, it is concerned with a series of arguments and debates about politics and form which centred around issues of immediacy and naturalism, realism and modernism in public culture. The book addresses contemporary television in the form of the television-film and the classic serial, and raises new questions about such issues as adaptation and acting.

TELEVISION DRAMA — Theories and Identities. Sue Thornton and Tony Purvis
At a time when distinctions between television and film have blurred, and multiple television channels offer us the chance to watch dramas as often as we like, there is still little attention paid to television drama as text or to ways of theorising such texts. This book offers both a clear account of theoretical approaches to television drama and readings of a range of television drama texts. ISBN 0 333 96888 3

TELEVISION WRITING FROM THE INSIDE OUT — Your Channel to Success. Larry Brody. ISBN 1 55783 501 2

THEATRE FOR CHILDREN — A Guide To Writing, Adapting, Directing, and Acting. David Wood with Janet Grant. Foreword by Sir Cameron Mackintosh
Presenting theatre for children as a separate art form, David Wood draws upon his experiences as a magician, actor, director, producer, composer and playwright, and analyses the skills involved in entertaining and involving audiences of children everywhere. He reveals his special techniques for catching and holding a child’s attention, provides a practical step-by-step guide illustrated with excerpts from his plays, and gives behind- the-scenes look at the work that goes into them. He also examines the business side, showing exactly how a good synopsis will help to sell an idea. ISBN 0 571 17749 2

TO BE A PLAYWRIGHT. Janet Neipris
HB ISBN 0-8783-0187-9

THE WAY WE WRITE. Interviews With Award Winning Writers. Edited by Barbara Baker.
This book is a unique collection of new interviews with award winning writers — novelists, poets, playwrights and children’s writers. Each writer discusses their process, both mental and physical: why they write, who they write for, where and how often they write, their recurring themes, their problems and achievements. The interviews are personal, honest, informative, intriguing and often humorous. Each writer has also chosen a short extract from one of their works as an example of their style. HB ISBN 0 8264 9122 7

WOMEN WHO WRITE PLAYS — Interviews with American Dramatists. Edited by Alexis Greene. Preface Molly Smith
In this collection of 23 interviews, theatre critic Alexis Greene talks with women who write plays for the American stage. She explores topics such as cultural background, playwriting style, the challenges of sustaining a career, and the relationship between life and art. These in-depth conversations provide unique insights into the work, thought processes, and personalities of an extraordinary group of writers. Included are Lynne Alvarez, Pearl Cleave, Constance Congdon, Eve Ensler, Wendy Kesselman, Paula Vogel, Cheryl West. (etc.) ISBN 1 57525 262 7

WOMEN WRITING PLAYS. Three Decades of The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Edited by Alexis Greene, Foreword by Emilie S. Kilgore, Introduction by Marsha Norman.
Women’s playwriting burgeoned in the United States and the United Kingdom as part of the feminist movement of the 1970s. Ever Since, playwriting women have been embracing new subjects, experimenting with form, and devising new ways of looking at theworld. To Honour their achievements and inspire future endeavours, The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize was established in memory of an American actress, journalist, and feminist who died of breast cancer. In nearly three decades of the awards existence, more than three hundred English-speaking women playwrights have been finalists for the Blackburn Prize in recognition of their work, including such prominent writers as Marsha Norman, Cheryl L. West, Wendy Wasserstien, Caryl Churchill, Paula Vogel and Suzan-Lori Parks. ISBN 0 292 71329 0

WORDS AT PLAY. Creative Writing and Dramaturgy. Felicia Hardison Londre Foreword by Barry Kyle
A pioneering compilation of dramaturgical essays combined with practical writing tips, Words at Play is a valuable tool for aspiring dramaturgs, critics, and directors that will appeal to theatergoers as well. A foreword by Royal Shakespeare Company associate artist Barry Kyle addresses the evolving role of the dramaturg in Britain and America.
ISBN 0-8093-2680-9

THE WORLD OF S J PERELMAN. The Marx Brothers’ Greatest Scriptwriter. Introduction by Woody Allen.
Entering into the warped world of S J Perelman the Marx Brothers’ scriptwriter, influential satirist and parodist is a unique comic experience. His celebrated sketches lampoon the screaming absurdities of modern life and bring succour to that most persecuted minority of all: the embattled sane. The undoubted star of these sketches is Perelman’s own put upon fictional persona: all he craves is a little peace and quiet, yet he is continually pushed closer to the edge by those sent to try him. ISBN 1 85375 594 X

WRITERS’ & ARTISTS’ YEARBOOK 2005
This handbook for writers and artists provides them with an up-to-date directory of media contacts and is packed with information, advice and articles aiming to help those on a difficult journey. ISBN 0 7136 6936 5

THE WRITER’S HANDBOOK — Guide to Writing for Stage and Screen. Editor Barry Turner. With advice from James Roose-Evans, Kate Rowland, Timothy West, Hugh Whitemore and Mal Young.
This highly practical and informative book looks at how to get started, and how to become a successful playwright in any area. ISBN 1 4050 0098 8

THE WRITER’S HANDBOOK 2005. The Complete Guide for All Writers, Journalists, Publishers, Editors, Agents, Screenwriters and Broadcasters. Editor Barry Turner.
Completely revised and updated, The Writer’s Handbook 2005 is an indispensable companion for everyone in the writing profession. Offering a cornucopia of advice, information, contacts, hints and discussion, this practical, straightforward guide provides full details on the key markets. All you need to know about book publishing in the UK and US, agents, newspapers and magazines, screenwriting, TV and radio, film and video, theatre and poetry, writers’ courses and circles, festivals, grants and prizes, alongside comprehensive, up-to-date information on taxation, copyright, contracts and much more.
ISBN 1 4050 4153 6

WRITING A SCREENPLAY. Revised and Updated. John Costello.
This book explodes the myth that a screenplay is the easiest literary form to master. It navigates a relatively painless path through the screenwriting labyrinth, and offers an easy to digest step-by step guide to writing a script from inception to completion. ISBN 1 904048 31 5

WRITING A PLAY — Writing Handbooks. Steve Gooch
This practical book is a guide to all stages of playwriting, from the original inspiration through plotting, structuring, characterisation, dialogue, and rewriting to the successful realisation of the idea. Everything is covered from how to present and market your play, the pros and cons of working with theatre groups to your rights as an author when the play is in production. ISBN 0 7136 6945 4

WRITING COMEDY — Writing Handbooks. John Byrne
Just as important as your comedy talent is your ability to market that talent, and this book provides a wealth of practical advice both on how to get your career off the ground and how to keep it up there. Whether you are writing routines, sketches, sitcoms or comedy for print, this book will encourage, inform and inspire you

WRITING COMEDY — A Guide to Scriptwriting for TV, Radio, Film and Stage. Ronald Wolfe
"A fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of comedy writing. Ronnie Wolfe knows all the trade secrets and shares them with us. A must for all aspiring comics." Sue Limb

WRITING DIALOGUE FOR SCRIPTS. Rib Davies
This book deals with the media of stage, radio, television and film, providing many examples and giving a great deal of practical advice. Chapters deal with how conversation works, naturalistic and stylised dialogue, pace and variation, scripted narration, comic dialogue and presentation

WRITING FROM EXPERIENCE — From Louisa M. Alcott to Virginia Woolf. Brian H Taylor
A unique collection of letters, articles and extracts penned by some of the most respected authors of English literature on the subject of writings. These pieces, many written in response to pleas for advice from would-be authors, are highly instructive as well as entertaining, and often reveal fascinating aspects of the personalities of the men and women whose works from part of our culture. This book is required reading for anyone interested in writing or in gaining an insight in the thoughts of the great authors.

WRITING MUSICAL THEATRE. Alan Cohen and Steven L Rosenhouse.
The definitive guide to writing musicals. Full of detailed information, Writing Musical Theatre offers a fascinating look at the creation of a musical, illustrated with numerous examples. HB ISBN 1403963959

WRITING SITCOMS — John Byrne and Marcus Powell
Almost every writer, whether professional or beginner, has thought of a good
In this book, successful sitcom writers John Byrne and Marcus Powell break the process down into a series of easy to follow steps. With chapters devoted to concept, characters and plot through to proposals, commissioning and production, Writing Sitcoms covers every aspect needed for success. ISBN 0 7136 6526 2

WRITING THE CHARACTER-CENTERED SCREENPLAY. Andrew Horton
This update is a "must read" for screenwriters everywhere and turned many a novice into professional screenwriter. This updated and expanded edition includes: > A new chapter on screenwriters in the twenty-first century and beyond. > Ten new exercises. > Updated and expanded lists for contests, fellowships, resources, and festivals > A wealth of examples from film and television including Shakespeare in Love, The Silence of the Lambs, Fargo, Thelma & Louise, Northern Exposure, The Full Monty, Big Night, Life Is Beautiful. > A fourteen-week character and script development schedule. > Guides for pitching, self-critique, rewriting, registering your script, working on foreign projects, producing your own script, and more. ISBN 0 520 22165 6

WRITING YOUR FIRST PLAY. Roger A. Hall
A series of exercises and discussions on the role of dialogue, characters and dramatic action within a play, aiming to challenge the young playwright and develop notions of how to best and most effectively tell a story through dramatic form.

YOU CAN WRITE A PLAY! By Milton E. Polsky
"The book will, I feel, meet a real need as it could be used for independent study or as a text in a playwriting course… The instructions to Read, Act, and Write (RAW Materials) are inspiring." ISBN 1 55783 485 7


Back to the top of the page


PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND FULL POSTAL ADDRESS (including postcode and country) WHEN SUBMITTING ANY ENQUIRY


privacy policy

© 1997-2007 Samuel French Ltd 52 Fitzroy Street London W1T 5JR United Kingdom

Tel: 020 7255 4302 (amateur performing rights) Tel: 020 7255 4301 (musical plays)
Tel: 020 7255 4300 (bookshop) Tel: 020 7255 4311 (customer services)
Tel: 020 7387 9373 (general enquiries + 24 hour answering) Fax: 020 7387 2161

online enquiry