'Eugene Vale, who knows whereof he speaks, has summed up the screen writer's problems in a book that is brilliant, and loaded with common sense.' The New York Times Book Review
'Extremely interesting, for the layman as well as for the professional.' Billy Wilder
'The definitive book on this subject, and of immense value to anyone, amateur or professional.' Carl Foreman
Introduction: The Exciting New Media* Part I: The Form* The Film and TV Language* The Sources of Information* Enlargement and Composition* The Scene* Selection of Information* Division of Knowledge* Three Types of Storytelling* Part II: The Story* Characterization* Transition of Action* Disturbance and Adjustment* Main Intentions and Subintentions* The Effect Upon the Audience* Television, Cable and Pay TV, Video, Satellite Broadcasts* Part III: The Dramatic Construction* From Idea to Final Form* How to Choose Story Material* Understandability, Probability, Identification* Story Content* The Writing of the Script* The Young Filmmakers* The Daring Conviction* Glossary* Appendix on Script Formatting