“Tales from the Script offers a comprehensive look at the realities of working as a screenwriter from the perspective of those who have made careers out of writing for the big screen...In all, this overview captures the excitement, frustration, and reality of being a working screenwriter in an accessible and essential volume that aspiring screenwriters will devour.” –Booklist (starred review)

"Anyone who’s wondered how their favorite scribe landed her first film job, or what happens behind the headlines of a high-profile spec sale, will find plenty of information, as well as general advice and inspiration." –Publishers Weekly

"This is a quick read that shares a lot of pertinent information from such screenwriters as William Goldman (All the President's Men), Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), and Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) on what the life of a screenwriter is really like in Hollywood." –Library Journal

Few modern art forms are as misunderstood as the craft of screenwriting, because the collaborative nature of filmmaking and the dominance of celebrity actors and directors obscures the contributions of screenwriters. So if you’re a writer eager to break into Hollywood or simply a movie buff excited to hear the stories behind your favorite films, this unique nonfiction book/documentary film project will captivate you with insights into the wild and mysterious world of Hollywood screenwriting.

Enjoy inside conversations with the men and women who dreamed up some of the world’s most beloved movie characters. Learn how they surmounted the incredible odds against breaking into Hollywood, and discover the myriad ways in which they transformed their ideas into films that topped the box office, launched the careers of major stars, and earned them Oscars. The stories behind the storytellers are as exciting, surprising, and inspirational as the narratives of their celebrated films.

Revel in the exploits of Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), John Carpenter (Halloween), Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption), Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally...), William Goldman (The Princess Bride), David Hayter (Watchmen), Paul Mazursky (An Unmarried Woman), Bruce Joel Rubin (Ghost), Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver), Ron Shelton (Bull Durham), and dozens of other Hollywood writers. For the full list, click here.

In addition to name-brand talents, Tales from the Script features newcomers whose stories prove that talented people can write their way into the top ranks of the movie industry. There’s Justin Zackham, who decided to write one last script before giving up on his flagging movie career; the script became The Bucket List, a sleeper hit starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. There’s Ari B. Rubin, a second-generation screenwriter who skipped his law-school entry exam to finish a screenplay that got optioned by Robert Redford. There’s Duncan Tucker, who scraped together money from real-estate ventures, friends, and family to make Transamerica, the bold story about gender issues that netted leading lady Felicity Huffman an Oscar nomination.

Tales from the Script puts readers into the trenches of the Hollywood development process through colorful stories about Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Adam Sandler, Joel Silver, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and many more. Entertaining, startling, and uplifting, this collection is a pure pleasure for those who dream of writing the Great American Screenplay—it’s a master class taught by those who made that dream come true.

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FIRST RUN FEATURES

Presents A GRAND RIVER FILMS / JADE TIGER FILMS Production

"TALES FROM THE SCRIPT"

Based on an Idea by PAUL ROBERT HERMAN

Edited by J.D. FUNARI Music by T.J. RAIDER Archival Supervisor TIM MERRILL Executive Producers RICK D’AVINO & PAMELA MURPHY Written and Produced by PETER HANSON and PAUL ROBERT HERMAN Directed by PETER HANSON

Feature-Length Documentary / USA / 2009

105 Minutes / Color / English / Stereo / 2009

Not Rated / Adult Language

Native & Projection Format: DV / 4x3 Letterbox

PRINCIPAL CAST

Shane Black, John Carpenter, Frank Darabont, William Goldman, Paul Schrader

SYNOPSIS

Screenwriters ranging from newcomers to living legends share their triumphs and hardships in this probing, insightful, and often hilarious odyssey through the world of movie storytelling. Candid and unafraid to name names, dozens of participants reveal the fascinating creative adventures that gave birth to notorious flops and beloved classics.