Screenwriter's Corner » Syd Field

Types of Dialogue

screenwriterscorner — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:06:27 +0000

Syd Field discusses how to write effective dialogue by exploring the many types of dialogue from exposition to subtext.

Syd’s Oscar Picks

screenwriterscorner — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:40:10 +0000

Below are Syd Field’s Oscar Picks!

We love to hear your comments and thoughts on the best films of the year!

Do you agree? Disagree?

Predictions for the 82nd Academy Awards, Sunday March 7th, 8/5p on ABC:

Best Picture

Avatar “in terms of conception and execution this is, for me, the best picture achievement”

The Blind Side

District 9

An Education

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious

A Serious Man

Up in the Air

Best Director

Kathryn Bigelow
‘The Hurt Locker’

James Cameron
‘Avatar’ “Kathryn Bigelow may be the best choice, but I’m so enamored of Cameron’s work that I really choose this – it’s a toughie…”

Lee Daniels
‘Precious’

Jason Reitman
‘Up in the Air’ “And, this film, is an extraordinary achievement, and one of my favorites as well. I’m also using this as a teaching film.”

Quentin Tarantino
‘Inglourious Basterds’

Best Animated Feature Film

Coraline

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Princess and the Frog

The Secret of Kells

Up ” There’s so much humanity here —”

Best Foreign Language Film

‘Ajami’
Israel

‘El Secreto de Sus Ojos’
Argentina

‘The Milk of Sorrow’
Peru

‘Un Prophète’
France

‘The White Ribbon’
Germany “written and directed by one of my former students – Michael Hanake”

Best Actor

Jeff Bridges
‘Crazy Heart’ “I think he’s the sentimental choice as he’s done such great work over the years.”

George Clooney
‘Up in the Air’

Colin Firth
A Single Man’

Morgan Freeman
‘Invictus’

Jeremy Renner
‘The Hurt Locker’

Best Actress

Sandra Bullock
‘The Blind Side’ “Again, she’s finally being recognized “

Helen Mirren
‘The Last Station’

Carey Mulligan
‘An Education’

Gabourey Sidibe
‘Precious’

Meryl Streep
‘Julie & Julia’

Best Supporting Actor

Matt Damon
‘Invictus’

Woody Harrelson
‘The Messenger’

Christopher Plummer
‘The Last Station’ “he’s such an extraordinary actor and this really showcases his talents.”

Stanley Tucci
‘The Lovely Bones’

Christoph Waltz
‘Inglourious Basterds’

Best Supporting Actress

Penelope Cruz
‘Nine’

Vera Farmiga
‘Up in the Air’ “She does a really great job -”

Maggie Gyllenhaal
‘Crazy Heart’

Anna Kendrick
‘Up in the Air’

Mo’nique
‘Precious’

Best Original Screenplay

Mark Boal
‘The Hurt Locker’ “Tough, original and powerful, though I like Up as well.”

Quentin Tarantino
‘Inglourious Basterds’

Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman
‘The Messenger’

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
‘A Serious Man’

Peter Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
‘Up’

Best Adapted Screenplay

Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
‘District 9′

Nick Hornby
‘An Education’

Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
‘In the Loop’

Geoffrey Fletcher
‘Precious’

Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
‘Up in the Air’ “In my book, the best”

The Nature of Conflict

screenwriterscorner — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:28:39 +0000

In this latest podcast on screenwriting, Syd Field discusses the different types of internal and external conflict.

Visit Syd on iTunes to download podcasts on your iPod.

Re-Entry

screenwriterscorner — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:10:18 +0000

It’s been more than four years since I’d given a public lecture/course/or seminar in Los Angeles. Even though I’m a native – my grandfather arrived in LA in 1907 braving the wilds of the frontier, renegade Indians, and a memorable train ride across country – I grew up here, went to school here, and developed all my material here, in LA. Hollywood.

So, when I conducted my first four evening Course at the Writer’s Store at the end of September, Mastering the Craft of Screenwriting, I wasn’t sure what my reception would be. After all, I had been gone for more than four years, and I was slightly nervous. There are so many screenwriting courses out there would people still come to the course? Would they remember who I was? I’ve had more than a few people tell me that they knew my work, but when I talked with them I realized they didn’t know my books at all. All they were basing their opinion on what they had heard about Syd Field. And, not all of it was positive. So, I was double thinking everything. Especially, what I was going to be talking about.

I had developed these evening courses a few years ago during a trip to Brazil where I had been invited to conduct an evening on the art and craft of screenwriting.

At first, I didn’t know exactly what to do – answer questions about Hollywood and the peculiar trials of being a free-lance screenwriter? Talk about what it takes to write an effective screenplay? Or focus on the craft – necessary tools to create better character, or what to do so you can build a more effective story line, or writing sharper, more efficient dialogue. The more I thought about it, the more I began to see that if I focused on a subject/content line, like Setting Up Character & Story , then I could integrate the craft of screenwriting with visual clips of the material.

Did I do it? Check it out….

Preparing the Scene

screenwriterscorner — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:56:46 +0000

In Preparing the Scene, Syd Field explores the dynamics of what makes great scenes, from finding the purpose to creating conflict by establishing a dramatic need.

The Craft of Screenwriting

screenwriterscorner — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:07:55 +0000

Syd Field talks about “the Craft,” how to improve your screenplays and how to look for certain areas of the material so you can find a better and more effective way to achieve a dramatic value.