The Wall Will Tell You: The Forensics of Screenwriting

by Hampton Fancher

A completely original guide to the screenwriter's art — as only the writer of Blade Runner could conceive it.

The master speaks, in this unique guide for screenwriters — and writers and artists of all kinds.

In short paragraphs--oracular and enigmatic, hard-hitting and concrete--the man Forbes called a "creative genius" writes a guidebook like none other for the aspiring screenwriter. Learn how to write living, breathing characters, exciting action and plot, and develop your own artistic vision. And learn how to never compromise that vision, most importantly, with yourself.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Film

80 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2019

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Eno & Schmidt's _Oblique Strategies_, but for screenwriting and not (entirely) oblique.

If you've read all the usual screenwriting books, you likely won't learn anything new. You will, however, be chafed that the authors of all those other books could scarcely manage to convey in a chapter what Fancher gets across in a single clean sentence. If you haven't read those books, you may not need to after this one.

It's not a lot of pages for the money, but seeing as Fancher is preaching the gospel of creative and linguistic distillation, that shouldn't come as any surprise. It is what it needs to be.

[Philipp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The man who wrote the screenplay for both Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049 has published a book of screenwriting advice, formulated in tiny tidbits, or maybe koans, whatever you prefer.

Most of it is about how to construct a tight story, Hollywood-style, i.e., there has to be an antagonist, a climax, a personal story, so on, how most Hollywood-movies are structured. Your characters have to want things, you should believe in them, and so on.

As an example, here's one of these tips/tweets?/koans?/paragraphs:

Too much talk and not enough trouble is a bad thing to do. Exposition should be disguised, hidden in the trouble. Don't be explaining things. Get rid of elaboration, keep the ball in the air, wake up the story. Draw a tree of the story. Climb the tree.

Definitely aimed at screenwriters, less so if you're interested in any other form of writing (even though there's still good advice here and there)

[Aya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t very helpful. It’s mostly a collection of quotes and metaphors, with little tangible or actionable writing advice.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that the book was short. I like it when I can read a book in less than a day. I have watched movies since I was young. i don't think I am as interested in movies as I used to be. Though I do think it might be fun to write a screen play and have show up on the big screen. Just to see if I could make it
happen.
This book will make me look at other people and think I wonder what they are thinking. I wonder they are feeling. Are they stressed out, Are they enjoying life. I think I am to self centered and a lot of the time only think of me, myself and I. If I watch other people I might be able to write a better screen play. And I also learned from this book to use my imagination. And to break free from the usual. Something like that.
I think the book has a lot of good advice. The book also made me feel good about reading. If I recall right there was a part that said reading a 1,000 books will do you some good. If only I could remember it all. I also wish I could write better reviews of books but, that may never happen.

[Rob Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hampton Fancher is my new spirit guide. He is a screenwriter, director and former actor. He wrote the screenplays for "Blade Runner" and "Blade Runner 2049". While this book primarily focuses on screenwriting, it helps anyone creating stories. This thin book is full of infinite wisdom for those in love with the construction of words.

[Sheldon Chau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Concise yet impactful. Some of Fancher’s quotes hit deep. Especially the wall.

Look up at the wall. Let the scene play. No pictures. No sound. Does the scene soar? Or does it lie down and die? The wall will tell you.

Good stuff.

[Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quotes for their own sake

This isn't so much of a how to book in screenwriting, as it is a collection of the author's seemingly random thoughts about writing. Well with the read. It is your own private cheering section.

[Ryan Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad! I did appreciate a screenwriting book that wasn't about the nuts and bolts of story structure but more abstract musings about the purpose of story. I personally find that kind of abstraction helpful, others may not.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read this book in about an hour, but that's really not the way to read it (unless it's incurring a sizable late fee). This would be great to meditate on. If I thought carefully on each morsel, I wonder what the proportion of wheat to chaff would be?

[Jaysen Huculak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise. Great quotes. Read to the end but I am not finished. I would enjoy reading it again.

[Brian Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, breezy read of quotes. Not a conventional screenwriting manual. Writers may glean some wisdom to help inspire their work.

[Ravi Narayanan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snippets of screenwriting

[Cindee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would have been better as a daily quote calendar or something like that.

[Richard Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

A barely-there gathering of random thoughts. Not worth the money at all.

[Andrew Child · Rating 3 out of 5]

lots to ponder here! lots of great language with a few solid bits of advice interwoven among the flowery self-indulgence. but it's a quick read and I enjoyed it.

[Lawant · Rating 2 out of 5]

What if Colonel Kurtz wrote a book on screenwriting?

[Max]

Pseudo-philosophical, rambling, incoherent, occasionally brilliant, just like Blade Runner.

[Jeneva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Don't understand the negative reviews. It serves as a little reminder as to why we write screenplays. Different from screenwriting manuals which also serve their perpose.