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  • The Nutshell Technique

  • Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting
  • By: Jill Chamberlain
  • Narrated by: Sonja Field
  • Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (20 ratings)

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The Nutshell Technique

By: Jill Chamberlain
Narrated by: Sonja Field
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Summary

"The Nutshell Technique cracks the code behind why we love the movies that we love. It guides you to organically write the story you want to tell." (Callum Greene, producer, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker)

Veteran script consultant Jill Chamberlain discovered in her work that an astounding 99 percent of first-time screenwriters don't know how to tell a story. What the 99 percent do instead is present a situation. In order to explain the difference, Chamberlain created the nutshell technique, a method whereby writers identify eight dynamic, interconnected elements that are required to successfully tell a story.

Now, for the first time, Chamberlain presents her unique method in audiobook form with The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting. Using easy-to-follow descriptions ("nutshells"), she thoroughly explains how the nutshell technique can make or break a film script. Chamberlain takes listeners step-by-step through 30 classic and contemporary movies, showing how such dissimilar screenplays as Casablanca, Chinatown, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Silver Linings Playbook, and Argo all have the same system working behind the scenes, and she teaches listeners exactly how to apply these principles to their own screenwriting. Learn the nutshell technique, and you'll discover how to turn a mere situation into a truly compelling screenplay story.

Since its publication in 2016, The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting was an instant classic. It is the go-to manual many professionals swear by, and it's on the syllabus at film schools across the world, including the world-renowned screenwriting program at Columbia University. It has also been published in Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and Italian. This audio edition is wonderfully narrated by Sonja Field.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2016 Jill Chamberlain (P)2020 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

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Brilliant book on screenwriting

This is the best book I've listened to to on screenwriting. I got through it in a day as it was so compelling. Where others in its category often religiously stick to beats The Nutshell technique pulls out your story allowing you to still be creative.

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Interesting breakdown of film structure

The voice fitted well, quite comfortable female voice.

The book presents a somewhat new take on the classic 3 act structure and the Aristoteles-related stores divided into comedies and tragedies. The book emphasizes "the point of no return" at the end of Act 1, in which the protagonist gets what s/he wanted but with a catch that tests their flaw. In a "comedy" they overcome their flaw after reaching a crisis (their lowest point) whereas in a "tragedy" they fail to overcome their flaw after reaching a triumph (the ultimate manifestation if getting what the iriginally wanted). The nutshell template applies these and a few additional terms on each of 40 famous films and is thought to be prescriptive.

i was just writing my second screenplay, a pretty straightforward sports comedy,I had a rouge idea/concept/situation and the book guided me quite a bit actually. Most chapters focuses on a single concept (e.g. crisis, set-up want, flaw) and it was fun to relate each concept to my own screenplay idea. I recommend reading this book while you're working on a specific idea. Egri's the art of dramatic writing (particular the premise chapter) is a great introduction too.

the nutshell technique is quite formulaic and imho may work better on some genres like basic comedies , the risk I see is overreliance on it can make the work less creative and more predictable. but if you already have some interesting situation and ideas it may help you improve the structure around it. I think the author (like most screenwriting gurus) oversells it s bit though. it would be interesting to have som examples that do not fit and for a few examples the terms seem a bit shoehorned in and does not really explain why the screenplay (e.g. casablanca) did work. anyway very good food for thought. recommended.

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