20 Things You Must Know to Write a Great Screenplay: A Thorough Primer for Screenwriters

Rick Reichman
Central Ave Press (2008)
ISBN 9780971534476
Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (1/09)


I have never written a screenplay, only novels, but I’ve often thought one of my novels could be turned into a screenplay, so I looked forward to reading this book and learning about the screenplay writing process. The process is more difficult than I imagined, but by following the instructions in “20 Things You Must Know to Write a Great Screenplay,” I have no doubt I could succeed at writing a good, if not great one, by following Rick Reichman’s advice. In fact, even if I never write a screenplay, much of his advice would be useful to any writer, whether a novelist or writer of non-fiction. Reichman offers practical information, such as making the writer think about what the emotion is he wants the audience to feel, and tips for writing effective dialogue that would benefit a screenwriter or novelist.

But this book is specifically about screenplay writing, and there are as many differences as similarities between screenplays and novels. What I was most surprised by, and most appreciated, was the attention to detail that is required. Reichman emphasizes that no matter how great the screenplay might be, it won’t be considered if the format is not right. I would go a step further and say that if the screenplay writer can’t follow the directions for how to format the screenplay properly, chances are the screenplay itself isn’t very good.

I felt a little overwhelmed by all the detail about how to space everything on the page, down to the specific margins, and all the directions or vocabulary to describe how the screenplay should look on paper. Manuscript preparation for most forms of writing is much simpler. However, screenplays are a visual medium and this added direction and detail is absolutely necessary. Reichman makes the task easier by providing a thorough glossary at the end of the book.

Despite the formatting details, most writers want to write screenplays so they may tell moving, exciting stories. Most of Reichman’s valuable information is along these lines. He gives numerous examples from well known films like “Men in Black,” “Back to the Future,” and “Ordinary People,” to name just a few, of how reversals work, who are the protagonists and antagonists in a film—not necessarily the characters we might expect, where to place dramatic moments, how long the acts of the screenplay should be, and the important details such as foreshadowing and creating rhythm throughout the screenplay. One detail that surprised me was that he stated only about forty percent of the script should be dialogue. I never would have realized the dialogue was so little, but upon reflection, most of what has moved me on film has been scenes without words, often just facial expressions, body language, or some action depicted on screen against a wonderful musical score being played. Such information about dialogue is what makes this book invaluable.

Reichman is also a longtime teacher of screenplay writing. He has been a successful screenplay writer, but as he points out himself, it doesn’t matter whether the teacher has succeeded at screenplay writing so much as whether his students have succeeded because it proves he is a successful teacher. Reichman’s own students have sold scripts to Fox, Warner Brothers, HBO, Showtime and to such television series as “Roseanne,” “Home Improvement,” “The Nanny,” “Xena: Warrior Princess,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and “Family Law.” That speaks volumes about the kind of teacher Reichman is. I have no doubt he’s a fabulous teacher, and the reader will be able to reap the benefits of his wisdom for just the small price of this book.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I think a student who was serious about screenplay writing would buy this book, watch and study all the films listed in it, reread the book, watch the films again, and have a dog-eared copy within a matter of months. “20 Things You Must Know to Write a Great Screenplay: A Thorough Primer for Screenwriters” by Rick Reichman is a must for any student serious about screenplay writing.

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