Constructing Dialogue

Constructing Dialogue reveals unprecedented insights into the pivotal impact of dialogue on cinematic craftsmanship. Axelrod's nuanced analysis of great Hollywood scripts investigates dialogue as an active tactical element that operates with, rather than against, visual artistry. At once gleeful, rigorous and practical, Axelrod shows that the best feature screenplays are structured down to even the "micro" level of a single well-crafted line. Crucial reading for aspiring screenwriters, film students, seasoned filmmakers and film buffs alike, Axelrod uncovers the bare bones of the screenplay, the writer's ecstatic dance with words, structure and story. Valorie D. Thomas, Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies, Pomona College, US