Understanding Screenwriting: A Step-by-Step Approach to Writing Screenplays
Edition: 2
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 296
Edition: 2
Copyright: 2025
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Understanding Screenwriting is a step-by-step approach to writing both short and feature film screenplays. The book is a process-oriented guide for teaching students (as well as aspiring screenwriters) how to create well-structured and well-crafted screenplays. The material was developed through years of studying the subject and working in the field, and incorporates the best practices the author has garnered from many sources along with the author’s own insights into the craft of screenwriting.
Foreword by Louis Giannetti
Acknowledgments
A Note Before You Begin
Introduction: The Writing Process
Part 1: Developing The Idea
Chapter 1: Finding the Concept
Chapter 2: Creating the Character and Plot
Chapter 3: Writing the Logline
Chapter 4: Developing 3 Acts
Part 2: Structuring the Short Screenplay
Chapter 5: The Short Film
Chapter 6: The Half-Hour Television Screenplay
Chapter 7: The One-Hour Television Screenplay
Part 3: Structuring the Feature Screenplay
Chapter 8: Expanding 3 Acts into 8 Sequences
Chapter 9: From 8 Sequences to 16 Major Story Beats
Part 4: Writing the Screenplay
Chapter 10: Turning Beats into Scenes
Chapter 11: Crafting Scenes
Chapter 12: Writing Is Re-writing
Part 5: The Real World
Chapter 13: The Business of Screenwriting
John Vourlis has over 20 years of experience working in Hollywood in various roles, including VP of the Academy Award winning lighting company, Luminys Systems. He has written scripts for children’s educational videos, online video games, and feature films, and is a published author of short stories, a comic book series, and a non-fiction travel book. He’s also produced and directed documentary films. He is a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and currently is a lecturer in the School of Film & Media Arts at Cleveland State University.
Understanding Screenwriting is a step-by-step approach to writing both short and feature film screenplays. The book is a process-oriented guide for teaching students (as well as aspiring screenwriters) how to create well-structured and well-crafted screenplays. The material was developed through years of studying the subject and working in the field, and incorporates the best practices the author has garnered from many sources along with the author’s own insights into the craft of screenwriting.
Foreword by Louis Giannetti
Acknowledgments
A Note Before You Begin
Introduction: The Writing Process
Part 1: Developing The Idea
Chapter 1: Finding the Concept
Chapter 2: Creating the Character and Plot
Chapter 3: Writing the Logline
Chapter 4: Developing 3 Acts
Part 2: Structuring the Short Screenplay
Chapter 5: The Short Film
Chapter 6: The Half-Hour Television Screenplay
Chapter 7: The One-Hour Television Screenplay
Part 3: Structuring the Feature Screenplay
Chapter 8: Expanding 3 Acts into 8 Sequences
Chapter 9: From 8 Sequences to 16 Major Story Beats
Part 4: Writing the Screenplay
Chapter 10: Turning Beats into Scenes
Chapter 11: Crafting Scenes
Chapter 12: Writing Is Re-writing
Part 5: The Real World
Chapter 13: The Business of Screenwriting
John Vourlis has over 20 years of experience working in Hollywood in various roles, including VP of the Academy Award winning lighting company, Luminys Systems. He has written scripts for children’s educational videos, online video games, and feature films, and is a published author of short stories, a comic book series, and a non-fiction travel book. He’s also produced and directed documentary films. He is a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and currently is a lecturer in the School of Film & Media Arts at Cleveland State University.