101 Things I Learned in Film School

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

Written by Neil Landau and Matthew Frederick. Published by Crown in 2021. Hardcover, measures 7.3 x 5.2 x 1.06 inches, 216 pages. ISBN 9781524762001