Save the Cat!
The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
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Narrated by:
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George Newbern
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Written by:
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Blake Snyder
About this listen
Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying. Others include these:
- The four elements of every winning logline
- The seven immutable laws of screenplay physics
- The 10 genres that every movie ever made can be categorized by - and why they're important to your script
- Why your hero must serve your idea
- Mastering the 15 beats
- Creating the perfect beast by using the board to map 40 scenes with conflict and emotional change
- How to get back on track with proven rules for script repair
This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.
©2005 Blake Snyder (P)2018 Dreamscape Media, LLCYou may also enjoy...
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Syd Field's books on the essential structure of emotionally satisfying screenplays have ignited lucrative careers in film and television since 1979. In this revised edition of his premiere guide, the underpinnings of successful onscreen narratives are revealed in clear and encouraging language that will remain wise and practical as long as audiences watch stories unfold visually—from hand-held devices to IMAX to virtual reality . . . and whatever comes next.
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Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.
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Very informative
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Dialogue
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In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.
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Brilliant and Dedicated
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The Science of Storytelling
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Story
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way too long and boring. doesn't get to the point
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Creating Character Arcs
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Indispensable
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Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story
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Whether you want to write your own scripts or simply gain a deeper appreciation for the great stories you see unfold on the screen, Professor Angus Fletcher is here to show you the way in Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story. Professor Fletcher, Professor of English and Film at The Ohio State University, brings both a personal and scholarly perspective to this craft. As a screenwriter himself, he has experienced the ins and outs of the process first-hand.
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Not practical
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Written by: Angus Fletcher, and others
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Screenplay
- The Foundations of Screenwriting
- Written by: Syd Field
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
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Written by: Syd Field
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Story
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- Narrated by: Robert McKee
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Overall
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Performance
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Very informative
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Written by: Robert McKee
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Dialogue
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- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.
-
-
Brilliant and Dedicated
- By Tim Feller on 2020-01-17
Written by: Robert McKee
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The Science of Storytelling
- Written by: Will Storr
- Narrated by: James Clamp
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do master storytellers compel us? There have been many attempts to understand what makes a good story, but few have used a scientific approach. In The Science of Storytelling, Will Storr applies dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can tell better stories, revealing, among other things, how storytellers - and also our brains - create worlds by being attuned to moments of unexpected change.
-
-
way too long and boring. doesn't get to the point
- By Carsandgunns on 2023-05-28
Written by: Will Storr
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Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- Written by: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
-
Indispensable
- By Alex Makar (the author!) on 2019-09-19
Written by: K.M. Weiland
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Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story
- Written by: Angus Fletcher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Angus Fletcher
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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Not practical
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Written by: Angus Fletcher, and others
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At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a year-long voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan.
Written by: Joseph Campbell
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Overall
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Written by: Robert McKee
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How to Write Best-Selling Fiction
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Story
Most people think the way to write a best seller is to have a lot of talent and even more luck. As you will learn, there is a recipe for success, and luck may be the least important ingredient in creating a best seller. No one has cracked the code better than James Scott Bell. A best-selling author himself, and the author of the number-one best seller for writers, Plot & Structure, Mr. Bell has been teaching the principles of best-selling fiction for over 20 years, principles that apply to any genre or style.
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Inspiring
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Producer to Producer
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This is a comprehensive bible to low-budget film production for emerging and professional producers. Structured to guide the listener through production meetings, every aspect of the film-production process is outlined in detail. Invaluable checklists - which begin 12 weeks before shooting and continue through principal (and secondary) photography and postproduction - keep the filmmaker on track and on target.
Written by: Maureen A. Ryan
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Storynomics
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Robert McKee's popular writing workshops have earned him an international reputation. The list of alumni with Academy Awards and Emmy Awards runs off the page. The cornerstone of his program is his singular book, Story, which has defined how we talk about the art of story creation. Now in Storynomics, McKee partners with digital marketing expert and Skyword CEO Tom Gerace to map a path for brands seeking to navigate the rapid decline of interrupt advertising.
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Best book on purposeful storytelling I've read.
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Written by: Robert McKee, and others
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Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
There's a mantra real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this: "Nobody wants to read your shit." Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.
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a must have for writers
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Written by: Steven Pressfield
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The Hero's 2 Journeys
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- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Make your story the best it can be on two levels. Hear each superstar teacher present his unique approach to story telling.
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Absolutely riveting and powerful
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Written by: Michael Hauge, and others
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Directing Actors
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this essential guide to acting, internationally renowned directing coach Judith Weston demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want from a director, and what directors do wrong. She also goes over script analysis and preparation and how actors work, and she shares important and helpful insights into the director/actor relationship.
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Very thorough
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On Writing
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- Written by: Stephen King
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.
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Packed with nothing
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-04-08
Written by: Stephen King
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Action
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Action explores the ways that a modern-day writer can successfully tell an action story that not only stands apart, but wins the war on clichés. Teaming up with the former co-host of The Story Toolkit, Bassim El-Wakil, legendary story lecturer Robert McKee guides writers to award-winning originality by deconstructing the action genre, illuminating the challenges, and, more importantly, demonstrating how to master the demands of plot with surprising beats of innovation and ingenuity.
Written by: Robert McKee, and others
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Storyworthy
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A five-time Moth GrandSLAM winner and bestselling novelist shows how to tell a great story - and why doing so matters. Whether we realize it or not, we are always telling stories. On a first date or job interview, at a sales presentation or therapy appointment, with family or friends, we are constantly narrating events and interpreting emotions and actions. In this compelling book, storyteller extraordinaire Matthew Dicks presents wonderfully straightforward and engaging tips and techniques for constructing, telling, and polishing stories that will hold the attention of your audience (no matter how big or small).
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meh.
- By Radi Siva on 2022-02-20
Written by: Matthew Dicks, and others
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Bird by Bird
- Some Instructions on Writing and Life
- Written by: Anne Lamott
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- Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
For a quarter century, more than a million readers and listeners—scribes and scribblers of all ages and abilities—have been inspired by Anne Lamott’s hilarious, big-hearted, homespun advice. Advice that begins with the simple words of wisdom passed down from Anne’s father—also a writer—in the iconic passage that gives the book its title.
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A Gift
- By Amazon Customer on 2024-08-25
Written by: Anne Lamott
What listeners say about Save the Cat!
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- Christy
- 2020-12-11
Light hearted, helpful, and enjoyable advice
Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was actually an assigned reading for one of my university classes.
Blake Snider writes with a very active voice and it's very straight forward to follow what he is saying. He explains things well and it makes sense. I am by no means a writer but I have a bit of a better understanding of what my framework for script writing should be. For example what sort of questions I should be asking myself, what details to focus or not focus on, or what the progression of events should be to name a few.
I actually listened to this in one day, it didn't get boring whatsoever. The narrator is great and has good animated inflection. He doesn't drone on he reads the book with the same enthusiasm that I imagine Snyder wrote it in.
Overall this is an enjoyable quick light read and I would recommend for those who may be struggling with some writers block or even just want some insight to the screen writing process.
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- Adam Wiedra
- 2022-10-25
As good as the book itself
I've read both the book and heard the audio book version. This audio book is pristine and listening to it is as enjoyable as reading the paper version.
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- Dan C.
- 2019-12-19
Very informative.
Contains a lot of useful information. Although having only gotten two awful movies made, I question the author's credibility to some degree.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Adam
- 2022-06-21
Not just for the screen writer.
A great book not just for people wanting to writer, but for anyone curious about how to write great stories, experiences, or just simply tell their own story more effectively.
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- Techpotato
- 2023-01-22
Well written and structured
It is unusual to find a “how to“ book to be interesting and compelling, but this one is.
It wasn’t exactly what I expected from the title. I thought it would be a book specifically about the “save the cat“ story structure, so common in modern full season arc television shows, but this was so much better than that.
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- Loves To Read
- 2023-01-21
Great narration and lots of good information
This was written a few years back and so the examples are a bit dated but the information is well structured and easy to understand. I don’t plan to write a screenplay any time soon but it will help in my novel writing as well. Narration is pitch perfect.
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- Lexloco
- 2021-12-19
Interesting and practical
As anyone considering this selection will know, there is a plethora of screenwriting books available. This is among the most practical. Highly recommended!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Siloetry
- 2019-02-23
Truly insightful
If you are a young screenwriter looking for a book that will help you improve your writing, then this is the book for you. It’s helped me transform my screenplays into something I can be proud of.
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- Ken
- 2023-03-06
Great resource
Great resource for screenwriters. Focus on story more than structure. Looking to get another title for television writing. Thanks Blake.
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- Ono Northey
- 2023-06-09
wonderfully useful
evolved me as an author. great tips on structure, pacing, genres and more. worthwhile!
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