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Writing the Romantic Comedy: The Art of Crafting Funny Love Stories for the Screen
Writing the Romantic Comedy: The Art of Crafting Funny Love Stories for the Screen
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Author: Billy Mernit Publisher: Harper Resource Format: Softcover # of Pages: 480 Pub. Date: 2020 Edition: Revised ISBN-10: 0062950266 ISBN-13: 9780062950260
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About
the Book:
Writing the Romantic Comedy is an easy-to-understand guide,
which teaches that making a romantic comedy work is about much more
than mastering the boy-gets-loses-gets-girl formula. It shows how all
the best works follow a seven-point plot structure and share elements
that keep viewers watching.
From the slapstick shenanigans of Audrie Hepburn and Cary
Grant in Bringing Up Baby to the sexy repartee of
Shakespeare in Love, romantic comedies have delighted
filmgoers – and challenged screenwriters – since Hollywood's
Golden Age. Whether you're a
first-time screenwriter, an intermediate marooned in the rewriting
process, or a professional wanting to explore the latest genre
trends, this thoroughly charming and insightful guide to the basics
of crafting a winning and innovative script will take you step by
step from the infamous "meet cute" (the
unique way you get them together) all
the way to "joyous defeat" (the
sexy complication turning point).
You'll learn the screenwriting secrets behind some of the funniest
scenes ever written; how to create characters and dialogue that get
sparks flying; why some bedroom scenes sizzle and others fall flat;
and much more.
When Billy Mernit proposed teaching a course on romantic
comedy at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program, he was surprised to
find that no textbook existed that specifically spoke to writing in
this genre. So after teaching the course for a few semesters, he
wrote one. Writing the Romantic Comedy was published in 2000
and it's been in print ever since. Revised
and expanded to celebrate a new generation of romantic comedies,
Billy Mernit's
insightful look into the mechanics of writing Hollywood's most
enduring genre features case studies that reveal the screenwriting
secrets behind classics new and old.
Written in a refreshingly
accessible style and updated and expanded to recognize the
contributions of a fresh generation of romantic comedies, this newly
revised 20th Anniversary edition of Writing the Romantic
Comedy features case studies
drawn from beloved romantic classics such as When Harry Met Sally,
Annie Hall, Tootsie, and The Lady Eve to modern-day favourites
including Hitch, (500) Days of Summer, Bridesmaids, and Silver
Linings Playbook. Field-tested writing exercises are also included,
guaranteed to short-circuit potential mistakes and ensure
inspiration.
What people say:
"Writing the Romantic
Comedy is so much fun to read it could pop a champagne
cork." — Alexa Junge, writer-producer: Friends
"Moving well beyond generic
pronouncements and 'rules', Billy Mernit's specific, well-tested
exercises guide writers to create real, personal, credible characters
and plots that speak to the romantic in all of us." —
Linda Venis, Director, UCLA
Extension Writers' Program
"Insightful, thorough, and easy to use, this step-by-step guide expertly balances the craft and the art of writing the romantic comedy. Billy Mernit really knows his stuff, and after reading this book, you will too." — Stephen Mazur, Co-Writer: Liar,
Liar and The Little Rascals
About the Author:
Billy Mernit is known as "the guru of rom-com"
for his best-selling screenwriting textbook, Writing the Romantic
Comedy. He teaches at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program, and is
a frequent guest speaker at writing conferences. During his many
years in the entertainment industry, he has worked as a script
consultant and served as a story analyst for Universal Studios, Sony,
and Paramount; written for NBC's Santa Barbara.
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