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Almost a century ago, publishing icon Virginia Kirkus launched a bold idea for Depression-era bookselling: a service that would give booksellers and librarians an honest assessment of upcoming books. All these years later, Kirkus Reviews is still delivering unbiased professional reviews to millions of readers across the world.
In May, Kirkus Reviews published their take on our book, Get It On The Page. We proudly share that review with you now.
–Craig Kellem & Judy Hammett
Two seasoned Hollywood script consultants offer a crash course on how to turn one’s ideas into a polished screenplay.
Debut co-authors Kellem, a former development executive at Universal Television and 20th Century Fox Television, and Hammett, a former employee at Universal Studios and the Agency for the Performing Arts, currently run HollywoodScript.com, a boutique script-consulting service. In this entertaining, to-the-point debut—written with screenwriter and producer Bailey and contributing writer/producer Mark C. Miller, with occasional illustrations by Tokar—these industry pros walk readers through the nuts and bolts of writing scripts that will catch the eye of Hollywood decision-makers. The first section focuses on prep work—time spent reading other people’s scripts, “playing in the sandbox” of developing ideas, and fine-tuning a concept and story. Those tempted to skip straight to pounding out dialogue do so at their own peril, the authors argue, noting that pros spend most of their time prepping: “the only writers who get the chance to write without preparation are those who are not getting paid,” Hammett writes. The second part covers “Drafting and Crafting,” offering helpful advice, although the authors do it in fairly broad strokes. Don’t expect a deep analysis of why the final scene in Chinatown is so powerful; instead, Kellem provides such nuggets as “Less is almost always better” and “Surrender to the fact that writing is rewriting,” and Hammett offers brief explanations of why screenwriters should embrace stage directions. The final section discusses marketing and selling a script; in it, Kellem explains why sending less-than-perfect work is a big mistake: “After all, who wants to buy a brand new Mercedes with a dent?” They’re also helpfully candid about the bumpy, often frustrating path to production. Overall, this insider’s look at the industry is invaluable. . . the book is also full of encouraging asides, and the authors seem dedicated to using their extensive knowledge to help others succeed in a truly competitive business.A frank, funny introduction to the realities of making it as a screenwriter.
— Kirkus Reviews
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What our readers are saying
“GET IT ON THE PAGE is straightforward, easy to follow and incredibly valuable.” —Tania
“What I like about GET IT ON THE PAGE are the insights and feedback coming from plain-speaking authors who know what they’re talking about.” —Donald Smith
“They take no shortcuts and no prisoners. This book holds the writers’ hand and walks them safely through the process.” —Peter Calabrese, TV executive, media consultant
“It’s a refreshing approach to beginning the arduous and often lonely process of writing.” —Charles Robbins
“This book is not only an entertaining read but an informative one. Their decades of expertise are on full view and packed with practical tips.” —Coach from New Jersey
Check out the full reviews on Amazon.
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