Table of Contents

Foreword; Preface; Introduction; History and Theory: Premises and Values; What Socrates and Seinfeld Have in Common; The Moral Premise in Modern Writing Guides; Storytelling's Natural Law and Processes; Structure of the Moral Premise; Identification and the Moral Premise; Application: Strategic Processes; Step 1. Determise the Controlling Virtue; Step 2. Determine the Controlling Vice; Step 3. Determine the Moral Premise; Step 4. Determine the Movie's Genre; Step 5. Determine the Protagonist's Physical Goal; Step 6. Determine the Protagonist's Physical Obstacles; Arc Plots and Major Dramatic Beats; Step 7. Determine the Major Dramatic Beats; Step 8. Sequence the Dramatic Beats; Conclusion; Epilogue; Appendix - Research Abstract; Cited Films; Cited Texts

Reviews

"Stan Williams does an outstanding job of cutting through what you think your screenplay is about and getting to the heart of what your screenplay is REALLY about. A must read for any screenwriter." - www.hollywoodlitsales.com "I cannot say how glad I am that this book was written. Anyone who calls themselves a filmmaker (or a movie reviewer) should be required to read this book...While this book may not be for everybody, you will not be disappointed if you do get it. There is a lot of material and it is deep, but it is also easy to follow. It is not overly technical and asks nothing more than the reader having an open mind and a strong interest in good movies." - www.microfilmmaker.com Williams helps film writers and critics alike understand the heart of a story. Given its strong blend of theory, illustration, and practical suggestion, Williams book is important reading for screenwriters, filmmakers, and even film critics. Robert Johnston, Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary; Co-Director, Reel Spirituality Institute Stan Williams has created a new bible for screenwriters. It should be required reading, retroactively, for every working Hollywood screenwriter, and the primer on which every aspiring new scribe cuts his teeth. Cause and effect... motive behind every action... the apple in Eves hand... the basic elements in the giant continuing narrative that is the universe. Brian Bird, Screenwriter/Producer, Bopha!, Call Me Claus, Touched By An Angel (TV)