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Inside the Cover Book Review Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews
Writing Drama A Comprehensive Guide for Playwrights and Scriptwriters By Yves Lavandier Le Clown & l'Enfant 2005 595 pp. Writing-related
In this exhaustive and rigorous look at the art and practice of writing drama-- plays and films-- Yves Lavandier offers readers a hefty volume that's jam-packed with details and examples that writers can return to again and again.
Lavandier, with experience working under Frantisek Daniel, Stefan Sharff and Milos Forman and on various television series, as well as having written and directed plays, short films, and a feature film, stresses his belief in the value of knowing the methods and principles that frame dramatic writing. Rather than stifle creativity, Lavandier values the freedom that working methodically offers a writer, the ability to vacillate between intuition and analysis that presents a unique creative dualism.
The first part of Writing Drama is devoted to the mechanics of drama-- conflict, obstacles, characterization. The second part is an exploration of writing drama-- the structure, plot points, dramatic irony, comedy, etc. Lavandier uses detailed examples from hundreds of films and television series to illustrate point after point, ensuring there's no misunderstanding on the reader's part of any of his lessons. Once he's explored the framework of drama-- how and why it works, guidelines for creating art that's mindful of its cultural history and effective in its conveyance (as well as meeting industry standards and expectations), the book moves into the actual creation, covering exposition, activity, dialogue, and effects. Writing Drama concludes with a detailed analysis of The School for Wives and North by Northwest according to the parameters set forth by Lavandier earlier in the book, and further supporting Lavandier's opinions.
Writing Drama requires a firm commitment from the reader, who will be rewarded with broad exposure to the art and technique of this old art form, from its ancient roots to the modern big summer blockbuster, including short chapters on writing for children, adaptations, short films, documentaries, and reading scripts and plays. Indices of titles referred to in the book proves the wide range of examples that Lavandier draws upon to reinforce his instruction; from big Hollywood blockbusters to smaller independent and foreign films and television programs, there are enough familiar examples here that most readers will find it easy to follow along, and in enough detail that seeing all of these films and series isn't a prerequisite for being able to understand how the example reinforces the concepts.
Lavandier's authoritative tone is instructive and tightly focused on the subject at hand. The book is most useful to playwrights and screenwriters, however writers of fiction may find the discussion of the elements of good storytelling structure helpful in their own work. Writers will walk away from Writing Drama with an excellent foundation in understanding the underlying reasons how and why certain scripts and plays "work" for an audience and why some don't, with the ability to transfer this knowledge to their own work, creating drama that will satisfy both the writer and the audience.
Amy Brozio-Andrews is a freelance writer and book reviewer; visit http://www.amyba.com.
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