From Script to Screen: The Collaborative Art of Filmmaking

by Linda Seger

In interviews with over 70 of the top professionals in the film industry, Seger and Whetmore examine each artist's role in making a great script into a great film. Along the way, you will meet the industry's leading writers, directors, producers, actors, editors, composers, and others behind the scenes. From their unique vantage points, personalities as diverse as Oliver Stone, Russell Crowe and Robin Williams reveal the alchemy they use to bring great stories to life.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

236 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1994

About the author

Dr. Linda Seger has a Th.D. in Drama and Theology, and created her script consulting business based on her dissertation project about the elements needed to make a script work. She explored the integration of Drama and Spirituality during her five years in seminary. She holds three M.A. degrees: Drama from Northwestern University, Religion and the Arts from Pacific School of Religion, and Feminist Theology from Immaculate Heart College Center.
She has a broad religious background. She grew up Lutheran and did several years of spiritual seeking in her 20s. She became a Born-Again Christian and then joined the Quakers (Society of Friends) and is a member of The Colorado Springs Friends Meeting. Throughout the years, she has meditated at a Zen Buddhist center, attended New Age conferences, has done the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignacious, and has read and taken classes in the religions of the world.
Dr. Seger's thoughts about how spirituality influences her work:

“Many readers are surprised and even confused when they see I’m the most prolific writer in the area of screenwriting, an international screenwriting consultant and a screenwriting teacher. Yet, I also do theology/spiritual books. Some of this comes from having an M.A. In Drama, 2 M.A.s in theology and a ThD in Theology and Drama. They seem to be separate, but they are actually integrated.

Drama shines a light on the human condition. It explores the conflicts, struggles, doubts, uncertainties, and possibilities for transformation and redemption. Even secular drama deals with hope and goodness and the struggle for authenticity and love.

When I consult on scripts, I am trying to help the writer reach deeper into the truth about who we are as humans and what are our possibilities. When I write books on spirituality, I am doing the same thing – digging deeply into our experiences and struggles, and then shining the light of Scripture and theology on making some sense out of what we see and feel. I am trying to get at The Truth and to dig deep into our experiences. So, I never look for easy answers, and I don’t try to pigeonhole either our stories or our spirituality.”

Reviews

[Varina Denman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! This book has given me a basic understanding of the filmmaking process and inspired me at the same time. I'll be referring back to this one again and again.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[John Abrahamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just ok.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a more up-to-date version of this book, but the lessons inside were still applicable and interesting to read. It seems to give a fairly honest picture of what movie development looks like, and how each department has to work together (reminding me often of the video games industry in terms of the complexity of any business which requires technical and creative collaboration.)