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April
30
2010

Could It Be a Movie?: How to Get Your Ideas from Out of Your Head and Up on the Screen




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categories Category: Screenwriting Books | Posted by: brian on April 30, 2010

5 Comments to “Could It Be a Movie?: How to Get Your Ideas from Out of Your Head and Up on the Screen”

  1. By Eric Lilleor, April 30, 2010 @ 2:10 am

    Hamlett has written an informative guide that is both entertaining and educational. Filled with on-target and no-nonsense advice, the insight “Could It Be A Movie” will give you is worth its weight in gold. Highly recommended!

    Eric Lilleor

    Former Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of SCREENTALK Magazine
    Rating: 5 / 5

  2. By William T. Boothman, April 30, 2010 @ 5:04 am

    If you are, like me, a film junkie, then you’re already a dreamer. And if you’re also a writer, then the likelihood is that you dream of writing The Great American Screenplay – or at least something that won’t send your hoped-for agent into spasms of derision before he or she can wrestle the metal clamp off the manuscript. It’s enough in life to find someone who’s “been-there, done-that” in the positive sense. It’s a windfall to find someone like Hamlett who’s been-there, done-that and is willing to share. If Could it Be a Movie? isn’t the screenwriter’s bible, it’s the toolkit. Buy it. Then, when it all finally happens, make sure they spell your name right in the final credits.

    Terry Boothman

    Author of THE WRITER’S SOFTWARE COMPANION, Former Editor/Publisher of WRITER ONLINE MAGAZINE

    Rating: 5 / 5

  3. By Marie Fasulo, April 30, 2010 @ 6:30 am

    Christina Hamlett’s Could It Be A Movie? is by far the best book available on the subject of screenwriting. The clever, well designed cover sets the tone for this easy to follow yet all inclusive journey from idea to screen. The author guides you through the process with specific rules and suggestions that will give your script the best chance to make it to the top of a very large pile of submissions. The book is well organized and easily referenced yet offers many personal and humorous highlights. It is not often that you will find laugh out loud moments in a “how to” book. Ms. Hamlett is energizing and her passion for excellence is contagious. After reading her book I couldn’t wait to get back to writing after a long slump and have finished my screenplay. If you have an idea and want to get it “out of your head and up on the screen” as the subtitle states, get your hands on Could It Be A Movie? Your story just might be the next box office hit!
    Rating: 5 / 5

  4. By J. Payne, April 30, 2010 @ 6:32 am

    A lot of books cover the craft of screenwriting, but “Could it Be A Movie” (perhaps uniquely) addresses the question of how to an assess an idea BEFORE committing to it. As a writer, I found Hamlett’s analysis to be extremely useful in sorting out and prioritizing my ideas. Although not every idea is a movie, this book will either (a) give you the confidence and guidance to follow through on your screenplay or (b) suggest the best alternative format for your idea (play, novel, short film, advertisement, etc).

    Through Hamlett’s analysis of the underlying elements and real world practicalities of each format, I have a deeper understanding of how to recognize and shape ideas from the outset. This is an important step that I think a lot of people overlook and one that will save oceans of time as well as ultimately produce the best work. In that sense, this is really a book for ALL writers with Hamlett serving as a kind of “idea midwife.” Her background as a writer, director, actor and consultant is impressive and infuses the book with tactile wisdom at every stage.

    In addition to being a “book of ideas”, Could it Be…? is a great overview of the screenwriting craft/process — hitting on everything from story structure and dialogue to how to find an agent. It also covers a lot original ground like “How to Work with a Script Consultant”, “Where to Find Inspiration”, “How to Write a Short Film” and “Writing Historical Fiction/Non-Fiction.”

    The writing style is straight forward, funny, and buzzes with positive energy (Pitching is like speed dating!). Ms. Hamlett provides tons of examples and peppers the book with interviews, self-tests, tips, photos, charts, lists – even a daily affirmation to stick on your mirror.

    I especially appreciated her analysis of the basic types of conflict, character arcs and story structures (including terminology and archetypes I haven’t seen anywhere else). There’s also a lot of practical industry stuff like web links, agent directories, writing contests, formatting guidelines, etc.

    Overall, I found this to be a very “empowering” book. It’s practical but not cynical and encourages writers to focus while keeping an open mind. A great read and a book that I will definitely reference in the future.

    Rating: 5 / 5

  5. By Patrick Languzzi, April 30, 2010 @ 7:16 am

    Christina Hamlett is brilliant! This book is a must read for every aspiring screenwriter. In an easy to read guide, Ms. Hamlett lays the foundation down for screenwriting essentials. From beginning ideas, existing inspirations, thru writing it down and working it out, to winning people over. Ms. Hamlett covers all the essential aspects of screenwriting. Her suggestions, multiple websites and numerous references were just a bonus to all of the other information discussed throughout this book. The only problem…I wish I had read this book before taking my first screenwriting class. I “highly” suggest it and recommend it and believe it may also help you!

    Patrick Languzzi

    Aspiring Amateur Screenwriter
    Rating: 5 / 5

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