Writing for Visual Media, 2/e (Paperback)

This book looks at the fundamental problems a writer faces as a beginner learning to create content for media that is to be seen rather than read. It takes you from basic concepts to a first level of practice through explicit methods that train you to consistently identify a communications problem, think it through, and find a resolution before beginning to write. Through successive exercises, Writing for Visual Media helps you acquire the basic skills and confidence you need to write effective films, corporate and training videos, documentaries, ads, PSAs, TV series, and other types of visual narrative. A new chapter looks at adaptation as a specific script writing problem. Writing for Visual Media also lays a foundation for understanding interactive media and writing for non-linear content with new chapters that cover writing for the web, interactive corporate communication, instructional media, and video games. This book will make you aware of current electronic writing tools and scriptwriting software through a companion DVD, which offers links to demos and enriches the content of the printed book with video, audio, and sample scripts. Scripts are linked to video clips that are the produced result of the words on a script page. The DVD demonstrates the visual language of scriptwriting (shots, basic camera movement, transitions, etc.) discussed in the book by means of an interactive, illustrated glossary (video and stills) of terms and concepts.

 

Table of Contents

Part I: Defining the Problem 1. Describing One Medium Through Another 2. Describing Sight and Sound 3. The Stages of Script Development 4. A Seven-Step Method for Developing a Creative Concept

Part II: Solving Communication Problems with Visual Media 5. Ads, PSA's, and Billboards 6. Corporate Communications 7. Training, Instructional, and Educational Video 8. Documentaries and Non-fictional Narratives

Part III: Entertaining with Visual Media 9. Dramatic Structure and Form 10. Writing Techniques for Long-Form Scripts 11. Adaptation (NEW CHAPTER) 12. Television Series, Sitcoms, and Soaps

Part IV: Writing for Non-Linear and Interactive Media 13. Writing and Interactive Design 14. Writing for Interactive Communications (NEW CHAPTER) 15. Writing for Interactive Entertainment (NEW CHAPTER)

Part V: Anticipating Professional Issues 16. You Can Get Paid to Do This

Appendix: Script Formats Glossary of Terms Bibliography Index