Loading...
186th out of 238 books
—
249 voters
My rating:
add to my books
Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
by
Blake Snyder
This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat!
Paperback, 195 pages
Published
May 25th 2005
by Michael Wiese Productions
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,628)
I'm torn about how many stars to give this book. If you are completely new to screenwriting, then this would be a five-star book. Otherwise, I'll give it four because it's easy to understand and allows you to start breaking down the movies you watch quite easily.
However, if you've written screenplays and understand basic three act structure, the advice is a little naive -- as in, "The Theme has to be stated on page 5." "Page 30 is where the 'B' story comes in." We...more
However, if you've written screenplays and understand basic three act structure, the advice is a little naive -- as in, "The Theme has to be stated on page 5." "Page 30 is where the 'B' story comes in." We...more
While this book is a clever and succinct reduction of Hollywood story structure, it is not well-served by its snarky, priggish author, who with every page radiates the very same sort of smug, too-cool attitude that the rest of the world associates with Los Angeles. That he is smart, I have no doubts, especially after reading his reduction of modern movies. Indeed, he is so smart that I will soon pick up his next book, Save the Cat Goes to the Movies. But just as his intelligence and skill are a...more
I think this book just completely changed my life. I read it cover-to-cover while flying from the Midwest to Florida and I couldn't put it down. Some of the screenwriting books I've seen seem to be a whole lot of talk and not much substance; this one is LOADED with substance.
One thing that may be a turn off for some is that, like every other screenwriting book I've seen so far, the book is unabashedly focused on crass commercialism. For example, there's an unnecessary few paragraphs...more
One thing that may be a turn off for some is that, like every other screenwriting book I've seen so far, the book is unabashedly focused on crass commercialism. For example, there's an unnecessary few paragraphs...more
I picked up Save the Cat! as a sort of consolation prize after failing to locate a not-misprinted copy of Syd Field's Screenplay. I generally liked the book, a lot of the advice sounded reasonable, and Snyder does a good job of calling out advice that is useful for the sake of making a script marketable rather than artistically perfect. His tone makes reading entertaining, except for an awkward moment when he more or less picks a fight with the reader over whether "Memento" was a goo...more
view 1 comment
After well over two dozen author chats via Skype in my classroom, one book continues to surface on the lips of the authors: Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder.
The first I heard of it, YA author Lizabeth Zindel responded to a question about how a writer can make a character likable. Zindel references this book and explained that a character may be written to "save a cat" or perform an act of kindness, tendern...more
The first I heard of it, YA author Lizabeth Zindel responded to a question about how a writer can make a character likable. Zindel references this book and explained that a character may be written to "save a cat" or perform an act of kindness, tendern...more
I’ve been hearing about Save the Cat! for years. It has an excellent reputation as a resource not only for screenwriters, as the subtitle suggests, but also for novelists. After reading it, I agree that the reputation is well-deserved.
Save the Cat! mostly focuses on the big-picture elements of storytelling:
- Coming up with a “high concept” idea or hook that is unique, ironic, easy to convey, and primal.
- Choosing a hero and antagonist who will best fit the concept, and m...more
Save the Cat! mostly focuses on the big-picture elements of storytelling:
- Coming up with a “high concept” idea or hook that is unique, ironic, easy to convey, and primal.
- Choosing a hero and antagonist who will best fit the concept, and m...more
With the idea in my head that Mr. Snyder's rules are not chapter and verse I enjoyed this book. For those lacking any sense of structure the book is a great springboard. He understands Hollywood and what it takes to get a screenplay sold, however I think his structure is slave to what the commercial studio expects. Although it is fun to hear him skew Hollywood terms like "High-Concept", by the time he gets to the financial merits of "Miss Congeniality" versus the artistic mer...more
Blake Snyder has an interesting approach to feature film formula. He breaks all successful movies into a series of steps, such as "Opening Image" (page 1), "Theme Stated" (by page 5), " "Setup" (page 10), "Catalyst" (page 12), "Debate" (pages 12-25) and so forth.
Normally I would reject anything this formulaic, but (a) Blake has sold a bunch of screenplays for big money; and (b) my showrunner friend Shelley uses his system to arc ou...more
Normally I would reject anything this formulaic, but (a) Blake has sold a bunch of screenplays for big money; and (b) my showrunner friend Shelley uses his system to arc ou...more
Hack advice given by a hack writer. While it's nice to see the business side of writing examined, it would have been better (i.e. something approaching "acceptable") to have it examined by a competent writer. If your only two credits for screenwriting are "Blank Check" and the so-bad-Sylvester-Stallone-apologized-for-his-role-in-its-creation "Stop Or My Mother Will Shoot", you have no place writing a book on the subject. Even the non-creative side is uninspired r...more
A lot of people swear by this book, but I think it's just terrible. If you want to write movies, there is a great deal to be gained by learning about the three-act structure. That being said, though, Blake Snyder will teach you a micro-managed form of it that forces you to meet a very specific and frankly obnoxious rubric.
Snyder says specifically in his book that if he turns to one of the pages where he says X should happen and X doesn't happen, he immediately dismisses the script....more
Snyder says specifically in his book that if he turns to one of the pages where he says X should happen and X doesn't happen, he immediately dismisses the script....more
Here is a review since I have several writer friends hooked up with me here who might want to know (wait no longer Roxy!) Pro: It does give some good ideas for structure, and makes me want to read more about screenwriting. I can see how it can help a person like me who is all over the place set up some firm guidelines and actually, possibly finish a book. In fact, it makes it look kind of easy. Cons: 1)I am not writing a movie. This is very specific to an exact 110 page screenplay. The structur...more
i'm of the mind that sometimes reading books on writing (or acting, or painting, or starting your own business, or meditation, et al) is kind of a way of procrastinating, but this book is actually very helpful. it's simple, straightforward, and written by a guy who actually sells a lot of screenplays. there's very little namedropping and anecdotes, just very pragmatic advice on writing a marketable commercial screenplay. so you can, you know, get that chedda.
I am a novelist, and this is the best book on crafting a story I've ever read. It really should read "The Last Book on STORYwriting You'll Ever Need."
Not only is the writing fresh and fun and incredibly easy to understand (even though it used screenwriting/movie-making lingo I wasn't familiar with, I still totally got it) and was a breeze to read.
While reading I was constantly struck with how I could easily translate what was being taught into crafting a novel....more
Not only is the writing fresh and fun and incredibly easy to understand (even though it used screenwriting/movie-making lingo I wasn't familiar with, I still totally got it) and was a breeze to read.
While reading I was constantly struck with how I could easily translate what was being taught into crafting a novel....more
I went into this book with some degree of scepticism. I am convinced that the proliferation of fill-in-the-blanks screenwriting books that teach you "the 15 key beats of act 2", or whatever, are responsible for the horrible sense of deja vu that one gets when watching so many Hollywood films. Anyone who's read a couple of these books can pretty much check off the list as they're watching the film ("This must be the bit where the hero enters the special world"). However, a ...more
Okay, you figured it out. At this stage in my writing life, which involves doing novel-length stories, I have found no other "how to" text on writing as helpful as Balker Snyder's SAVE THE CAT. On the surface, Snyder talks about how to write a screenplay. More importantly, though, he plainly presents the elements we all should consider when creating story in/for any media/genre. It's simple pie, actually. And sometimes plain ol pie is the best. Here's one example.
Tha...more
Tha...more
Some people who can't really should teach.
Blake Snyder mentions on several occasions that he sold a screenplay to Steven Spielberg for a million dollars at one point. Impressive right?
Then he ruins it by describing his story. It was called "Nuclear Family" and involved a family who camped by a nucleur test site, gaining super powers.
I'm rather glad that failed, and then "The Incredibles" happened instead.
Blake Snyder's ideas ar...more
Blake Snyder mentions on several occasions that he sold a screenplay to Steven Spielberg for a million dollars at one point. Impressive right?
Then he ruins it by describing his story. It was called "Nuclear Family" and involved a family who camped by a nucleur test site, gaining super powers.
I'm rather glad that failed, and then "The Incredibles" happened instead.
Blake Snyder's ideas ar...more
Save the Cat! is a great book for understanding the underlying structure that must be built in order to write a good, solid screenplay. Snyder fills this How To book with great information and good examples, and it is easy enough to follow, should one want to try their hand at screenwriting.
Where this book breaks down, though, it its tone and style. Snyder tries too hard to be cool, or hip, or engaging, or something, and the introductions to each chapter are trite, annoying, and a bi...more
Where this book breaks down, though, it its tone and style. Snyder tries too hard to be cool, or hip, or engaging, or something, and the introductions to each chapter are trite, annoying, and a bi...more
Over the years I've read several books on screenwriting. "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder is one of the best. The text is upbeat and breezy, easily digested and fun to read. One comes away with a fairly clear understanding of how a screenplay is structured and the points in the plot that must be present to make for a compelling movie-going experience. The title of the book comes from the author's suggestion that the writer must provide his hero an opportunity to do something "nice"...more
I'm not sure if it's just my aging memory, but I felt like I learned (or at least was refreshed) on more about screenwriting from this book than from when I majored in it at college. Especially liked how the author goes into "this is why it works and why everyone else does it" rather than the usual "because everyone else does it" answers.
The basic message is "Here's the formula, feel free to break it once you've mastered it."
I do wish he went a...more
The basic message is "Here's the formula, feel free to break it once you've mastered it."
I do wish he went a...more
H.
rated it
Recommends it for:
art film types (they might not like it, but it will help)
Recommended to H. by:
well-rated on Amazon
This is not a perfect book, but I rounded up because it is one I know I will visit again, and frequently. I think this is the perfect book for the creative mind that is more likely to envision vague and wandering mood pieces, intensely colored and heavy fragments of conversation and that perfect look on her face! that ends up closer to a music video cliche than those paint-by-number boy-meets-girl-in-a-dorm scripts that the other half of a film production class will create. This book might leav...more
THIS BOOK IS A MYSTERY!!
"Newspaper?" "Blockbuster Video?" This book came out in 2005? Why are too-easily forgotten movies like 4 Christmases even mentioned? Why does he hate Memento?
When was the last time you went to a movie because of its LOG-LINE???
This is definitely a book-of-its-time, but it feels like the bulk of the manuscript was written in 1995, then hastily updated for a publishing deal in 2005. And yet it's strangely a major, inf...more
"Newspaper?" "Blockbuster Video?" This book came out in 2005? Why are too-easily forgotten movies like 4 Christmases even mentioned? Why does he hate Memento?
When was the last time you went to a movie because of its LOG-LINE???
This is definitely a book-of-its-time, but it feels like the bulk of the manuscript was written in 1995, then hastily updated for a publishing deal in 2005. And yet it's strangely a major, inf...more
This book is saving my ass as I toil through weeks of screenwriting hell. It is the best screenwriting book I've read so far. Like a good writing teacher it teaches the tools of the trade but also reminds you that so much of what is behind your creativity is between your ears.
Useful book for aspiring screenwriters - gives you a working method, some good tips, and emphasises the importance of structure.
An enjoyable read, but I'd never heard of Blake Snyder, nor seen any films that he's written. I suppose you could be suspicious of being taught about screenwriting by someone who's clearly sold scripts, but the truth is Snyder's experience and knowledge shows and I didn't disagree with much of what he says.
(I write as a Film Studies teacher, not ...more
An enjoyable read, but I'd never heard of Blake Snyder, nor seen any films that he's written. I suppose you could be suspicious of being taught about screenwriting by someone who's clearly sold scripts, but the truth is Snyder's experience and knowledge shows and I didn't disagree with much of what he says.
(I write as a Film Studies teacher, not ...more
I read this recently because I always feel like I need more guidance with plots. It may not be true (or it might be, whatever) but I always FEEL like I can use more clarity when it comes to plotting. This book was great! I thought it boiled things down very succinctly and gave examples on how to make characters likable right away, how to keep the plot moving, how to do the 'beats' of the story, etc. While it's written for screenwriters, I thought it transferred over to novels very well.
...more
...more
Too in-your-face-Americana for my taste, a loud book, screaming like your average Hollywood producer wannabe into your face, pushing and asking to take seriously the author, who's best credit is "Stop, Or My Mom WIll Shoot".
Blake Snyder knows everything and there's only one way to write a great screenplay - his and he's great at simplifying stuff.
When everything's measured in dollars (he sniffs at puny box office unworthy Memento and hails Legally Blonde, you kn...more
Blake Snyder knows everything and there's only one way to write a great screenplay - his and he's great at simplifying stuff.
When everything's measured in dollars (he sniffs at puny box office unworthy Memento and hails Legally Blonde, you kn...more
This is a wonderful book for those who wish to write scripts for both film and television. That said, it's also an excellent book for writers of any venue. Snyder discusses what makes strong stories work and how to go about setting them up with one of the most logical templates I've seen in years. Don't let the word 'template' fool you. This isn't a 'connect the dots' format; this book provides you with the foundation for understanding what makes strong stories appeal, why they appeal, and what ...more
Although I am not a screenwriter, this screenwriting text has excellent pointers for fiction writers--especially if we equate his first section about loglines to "the pitch." Being able to encapsulate your novel in one or two very well-chosen sentences is DIFFICULT, and most fiction writers don't see the need. Snyder makes the case for how the logline/pitch not only helps the selling of the work, but the writing of it as well.
One of the most important tenets he discusses is...more
One of the most important tenets he discusses is...more
Curious how to write a pitch?
Whether it's for your film, your book or your new product idea, the first two chapters of Save The Cat! are invaluable. Snyder lays out five essential and simple elements to a great idea that will carry your pitch from your first meeting with executives all the way through to tv guide. If your pitch is really good, it should be something that one person passes to the next very easily and comfortably because all of them will be your biggest advocates.
...more
Whether it's for your film, your book or your new product idea, the first two chapters of Save The Cat! are invaluable. Snyder lays out five essential and simple elements to a great idea that will carry your pitch from your first meeting with executives all the way through to tv guide. If your pitch is really good, it should be something that one person passes to the next very easily and comfortably because all of them will be your biggest advocates.
...more
I'm not a mechanical person. But as an analyst, I enjoy taking things apart to see how the individual parts make up the whole. Blake Snyder analyzes the art of screenwriting and breaks it down using popular movies as guides to producing successful stories. Am I a screenwriter? No. But as a Speculative Fiction author, I find the principles of storytelling are the same regardless of the delivery format. The goal is to entertain our audience. And Mr. Snyder's book provides an easy to follow bluepri...more
It seems that every time I study writing screenplays, some revelation about how stories are told kicks my skills into high gear. This book was full of such revelations for me.
Save the Cat describes how the emotional swiss watch that is the motion picture works. Every writer of fiction can learn something from this, whether they aspire to write for the movies or not.
It describes what works now, and what has always worked in telling stories for thousands of years. Not only...more
Save the Cat describes how the emotional swiss watch that is the motion picture works. Every writer of fiction can learn something from this, whether they aspire to write for the movies or not.
It describes what works now, and what has always worked in telling stories for thousands of years. Not only...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers Also Enjoyed
In his 20-year career as a screenwriter and producer, Blake Snyder has sold dozens of scripts, including co-writing Blank Check, which became a hit for Disney, and Nuclear Family for Steven Spielberg. His book, Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need, was published in May, 2005, and is now in its eleventh printing. It has prompted "standing room only" appearances by...more
More about Blake Snyder...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
