An illustrated, accessible introduction to filmmaking from a Hollywood screenwriter, producer, script consultant, and film school professor. Bringing a film to life requires skills in storytelling, the visual arts, logistics, and more. This book presents many critical principles of filmmaking, including: how to structure and pitch a screenplay; how to make visible the invisible, such as backstory, motivation, and inner psychology; why it's best to keep your characters plunging into the unknown; the difference between plot, story, and theme; how to compose a frame visually; how to manage finances, schedules, set logistics, sound, and lighting; why many films drag in Act 2, and what to do about it. An indispensable resource for students, screenwriters, filmmakers, animators, and anyone interested in the movie world.

Includes index.