Screenplay Story Analysis Paperback – May 1, 2007

This book is an eye-opening look at the work of a story analyst for film and television. I appreciate the helpful advice, crash course education, and the frank discussion on what readers need to do to stay in the business and to advance their careers. The only thing I objected to is the notion that one must occasionally provide what's called "political coverage" to remain in the business of reading. Personally, I feel that you can be successful without sacrificing integrity and if your boss ever asks to give glowing praise of a stinker and you don't feel right about it -- it doesn't mean that you shouldn't be a reader, in fact, it probably means that your kind is what they need most. Be willing to stick to your guns, and if your boss fires you because you're unwilling to bend, so be it. You'll find that people respect you more when you're unwilling to compromise your standards and work will come to you.

Screenplay Story Analysis The Art of Business by Asher Garfinkel gives ideas for script development such as stakes-where the things that the hero of a story risks in relation to aiming to be triumphant in a story (page 25), the reflective character, the antagonist (pages 26) etc. There is also an example matrix found on page 96 that shows ways a person can describe their script’s characters.

This book is incredible! Unbelievably well written and interesting. Never boring. A must-read for any screenwriter or reader. I really cannot recommend it highly enough! I am taking a class from the author at National University (MFA in Professional Screenwriting), and the class is on writing coverage and analyses of screenplays. This book makes it as simple as it can get. There are a ton of examples in the back of the book. The author has been a professional, high-level, screenplay coverage and analysis writer for decades and really knows what he is talking about.

This book was recommended to me this year by a working script analyst in Hollywood. It is quite concise. It is my first in-depth study of script analysis. I reread analyses of some of my scripts and saw elements mentioned in the book. The edition I purchased was printed in 2007. A newer edition would have rated a fifth star.

I purchased Asher Garfinkel's book, "Screenplay Story Analysis" as a brush up to get my mind back into screenwriting. I wasn't disappointed, in fact, I was pleasantly surprised that some of his information hadn't been covered in my graduate classes. Garfinkel's book is a great addition to my library.

Super informative and accurate. As a script reader he captures quite a bit. I highly recommend! Really well done and covers everything.

good analysis

So helpful! I highly recommend it!

You want into this world as a story analyst? buy this. Don't even debate