In Tribute To One of My Heroes: Mr. Syd Field @fieldink #Iamwriting #author #screenwriter

REST IN PEACE: SYD FIELD
If you don't know who Syd Field is then you probably aren't a screenwriter. As many of you know I am a screenwriter, author and blogger. I have to write. The words flow out of me like water from a fountain. I have always loved to write and tell stories since I was a child. My mother introduced me to Syd Field when I was in high school when she bought one of his books for me. I studied that book inside and out. I used it so much it eventually fell apart.

Syd Field was born on December 19, 1935 in Hollywood, California. The California native wrote several screenplays and television shows. He was a very talented writer who decided to teach the next generation of writers the secrets to his success. His methods revolutionized the screenwriting community. In fact, his books are taught in several film schools throughout the world. Why? Because his methods work.

Syd Field taught screenplays should be written utilizing a three act structure. Within these three acts are pivotal plot points that keep your audience interested in your story. These plot points raise the stakes every time your character comes across them. Syd Field created a paradigm where the writer can lay their story down and then work from that structure as they write. I have not only used this method in my screenplays but also with my novels.

Here's a music video I wrote for Highland Reign that I used Syd Field's Paradigm on.




Syd Field's books include:

Screenplay (1979)The Screenwriter's Workbook (1984)Selling a Screenplay: The Screenwriter's Guide to Hollywood (1989)Four Screenplays: Studies in the American Screenplay (1994)The Screenwriter's Problem Solver: How To Recognize, Identify, and Define Screenwriting Problems (1998)Going to the Movies: A Personal Journey Through Four Decades of Modern Film (2001)The Definitive Guide to Screenwriting (2003)
If you haven't read any of his books I would suggest you start with The Screenwriter's Workbook. All of his books have been updated. 
You can learn more about Syd Field on his website at http://sydfield.com/