Paul Chitlik - Rewrite: Strengthen Structure, Character, and Drama in your Screenplay

Expert, journeyman, or the beginner, Rewrite is full of tips, techniques, and processes that will smooth and improve the way you revise your scripts. Not only do Pauls methods help you polish to perfection your existing script, his explanations, processes, and insights will help you write your next script without the false starts, detours, and wasted time that frustrate so many scribes. Highly recommended!

Jody Wheeler, writer and director, The Dark Place; producer, Judas Kiss

Paul reminds screenwriters across the spectrum of the key processes of storytelling that connect them with their audience, and he does it in a comforting and down-to-earth way.

Ben Lewin, writer and director, The Sessions

I have known Paul Chitlik for more than thirty years. Paul has forgotten more about the art of writing than most people ever know. This book is a wealth of information for the writer who is going it alone, who gets no help from network or studio execs, editors or producers, and directors. Paul understands that the true art of writing is rewriting, and has fashioned an invaluable resource for anyone who truly wishes to understand what it takes to be a writer in todays market.

Joel Zwick, director, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Fat Albert, and many TV episodes

Creativity is a gift we all have; its the writing and thus the rewriting we all have to do, getting it in a script and on the screen that will make you turn to this book for guidance.

Quinn K. Redeker, co-writer, The Deer Hunter

The old adage about writing holds true: get it down, then get it right. When youre staring at a script that you thought was going to be great and for some reason just isnt working, this book clear, clever, succinct will help you get it right.

Graham Yost, writer, Speed, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and others

A master class in revision, written by a master craftsman. The book is essential for all writers whether beginner or seasoned professional. The new material in the second edition will only add to the books excellent reputation. Chitliks excellent work embodies what so many books in our field lack heart, soul, and a reverence for the art and craft of writing and for writers.

Jeffrey Davis, chair, Screenwriting Department, School of Film & TV, Loyola Marymount University

The book is more than good, it nails the process. Chitlik augments his theories on rewriting in this elevated second edition of his venerable book, Rewrite, and goes beyond by applying his theories to the ever-evolving demands of new media. Fast becoming an industry standard, Rewrite, second edition, is a welcome and needed addition to any screenwriters library.

Ernie Contreras, author, Fairy Tale: A True Story, The Pagemaster, and HBOs Walkout

Owning Paul Chitliks Rewrite is like having a really smart, experienced writing partner at your disposal 24/7. What writer wouldnt want that?

Ross Brown, assistant professor, Film and Media Arts, Chapman University; author, Byte Sized Television: Create Your Own TV Series for the Internet

I am a very lucky guy. I had the great fortune to be a student in not one but two of Paul Chitliks very popular UCLA screenwriting classes where he brilliantly guided me toward creating a couple of the best scripts Ive ever written. Pauls methods are responsible for helping me to grow as an artist in immeasurable ways. Paul is a pros pro, and teaches exactly what it takes to perfect the ever trickier task of writing screenplays that excite studios, networks, and producers in every corner of Hollywood. Rewrite is like taking a Paul Chitlik master class, only hes made himself available to you at a moments notice. Im so impressed with Rewrite that Ive made it required reading for numerous screenwriting classes that I teach in Point Park Universitys Cinema and Digital Arts Department. I highly recommend this wonderfully expanded and updated edition of Rewrite to anyone who hopes to see their work rise to the top of every producers must-have list of scripts. Get Rewrite, study it, apply it to your next set of rewrites, and you just may achieve immortality on screens large and small.

Steve Cuden, co-creator, Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical; animation teleplay writer; author, Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations

All writing is re-writing and Paul Chitlik proves in the second edition, that even re-writing a book on re-writing can be a winning formula. The first edition is excellent... the second even more so.

Matthew Terry, filmmaker, screenwriter, teacher, reviewer, www.microfilmmaker.com

Rewrite by Paul Chitlik is a step-by-step guide for screenwriters to take the first draft of their screenplay and greatly improve it. Chitlik states that screenplays often go through several rewrites before a final draft is achieved. He gives some very practical tips on how to make this process effective.

Chitlik covers two types of story structure and what types of stories they fit best: the three-act structure and the mythic structure often associated with Joseph Campbell. He then outlines how to develop your storys characters. I loved the chapter on the emotional relationship in the story. Theres a chapter on effectively eliminating pages from your script to tighten the story without losing any of the most vital parts. Each chapter includes assignments for you to work on as youre reading so that ideally youre completing a rewrite of a script in the course of reading the book. There are ample examples from well-known movies throughout go illustrate Chitliks points.

Rewrite is an invaluable resource for writers to tighten their scripts and make them better.

Tom Farr, blogger
tom-farr.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-of-rewrite-second-edition-by.html

Chitlik takes conventional wisdom and organizes it in a neat, step-by-step manner for the reader with exercises designed to make ones first draft more presentable.

Jason T. Carter, blogger, The Writers Journey

Essential tools for every writer. Chitlik understands the processes of creating all aspects of storytelling, and teaches what every writer needs: to be their own editor in order to produce their best work.

Dave Watson, editor, Movies Matter, www.davesaysmoviesmatter.com

PAUL CHITLIK

STRENGTHEN STRUCTURE, CHARACTERS,
AND DRAMA IN YOUR SCREENPLAY

2nd Edition

Published by Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
tel. 818.379.8799
fax 818.986.3408
www.mwp.com

Cover Design: Johnny Ink
Book Layout: Gina Mansfield Design
Editor: Pamela Grieman

Printed by McNaughton & Gunn, Inc., Saline, Michigan
Manufactured in the United States of America

2013 Paul Chitlik
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Chitlik, Paul, 1947

Rewrite : a step-by-step guide to strengthen structure, characters, and drama in your screenplay / Paul Chitlik. -- Second edition.

pages cm

ISBN 978-1-61593-157-6 (pbk.)

1. Motion picture authorship. 2. Editing. I. Title.