Books like The understructure of writing for film & television by Ben Brady

A practical guide by screenwriter Robert McKee that dissects dialogue construction for fiction and screenwriting, covering definition, common mistakes, corrective techniques, and design strategies.

Moss Hart once said that you never really learn how to write a play; you only learn how to write this play. Crafted with that adage in mind, The Dramatic Writer's Companion is designed to help writers explore their own ideas in order to develop the script in front of them. No ordinary guide to plotting, this handbook starts with the principle that character is key. "The character is not something added to the scene or to the story," writes author Will Dunne. "Rather, the character is the scene. The character is the story." Having spent decades working with dramatists to refine and expand their existing plays and screenplays, Dunne effortlessly blends condensed dramatic theory with specific action steps—over sixty workshop-tested exercises that can be adapted to virtually any individual writing process and dramatic script. Dunne's in-depth method is both instinctual and intellectual, allowing writers to discover new actions for their characters and new directions for their stories. Dunne's own experience is a crucial element of this guide. His plays have been selected by the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center for three U.S. National Playwrights Conferences and have earned numerous honors, including a Charles MacArthur Fellowship, four Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards, and two Drama-Logue Playwriting Awards. Thousands of individuals have already benefited from his workshops, and The Dramatic Writer's Companion promises to bring his remarkable creative method to an even wider audience.

A concise guide to screenplay writing for narrative film and television, outlining the core principles of TV and motion picture authorship.

Robert L. Hilliard's Writing for Television and Radio is a must for anyone planning to write professionally for television, cable, and radio - and a helpful reference for those already in the field. You'll learn the principles, forms, and latest techniques for writing commercials; news and sports; features and documentaries; talk shows; music, variety, and comedy programs; educational, corporate, and children's programs; and dramas. Hilliard also offers an overview of the mass media and describes the differences among various television, film, and radio formats. He discusses the increasing role of the computer in scriptwriting, ethical considerations and legal responsibilities, and copyright procedures. Many examples of actual scripts and storyboards illustrate sound writing techniques. By practicing the essentials presented here, you'll build a solid foundation for writing virtually any audio or video script.