A Good script is a mixture of Strong Action and Strong Character…an interesting character to reveal the action…a good action to reveal the character says Syd Field, script guru!

Syd Field, described by CNN as “the guru of all screenwriters” known for his sharp eye for detailing, is in India on invitation by UTV to conduct screenwriting workshop & seminar to be held in Mumbai in January 2007.

"Well what does a doctor do? You have symptoms - a sore arm, sore chest, a pain somewhere you go to a doctor…Well a script doctor is much the same thing. You have a screen play but something you feel is not working. Something needs to be added, subtracted, strengthened, weakened, lessened. And that’s what script doctor does he goes into the screen play finds what is weak, what is strong and tries to bring them together to create a stronger total effect in the movie and the storyline… ", says Mr. Field on been asked on the role of a scriptwriter.

"Lots of screenwriters have a conflict with beginning with the character or story, how does one begin the script in the best way the character or the story? Well that is dependent on what you in particular, are most comfortable with.  So in other words you are a strong writer who writes good dialogues with good character. You may start with the idea of a character and build the character up and then you have to find a situation where that character would began to create a story…", says Mr. Field

On being asked if he’s working on any Indian film projects he replies…Am working with Rakeysh Mehra on a UTV film together, an Indian film, a big adventurous story…PK5, its working title.

A good script should have a strong action and strong character…. an interesting character to reveal the action and a good action to reveal the character… So they are both integrated within each other… and that is how you begin to build the arc of the story… an arc because it starts at one point, builds to a climax and it ends at one point. So that is what you always trying to do is create this kind of character story arc…reveals Field on what makes a GOOD SCRIPT.

The 2-day seminar to be held in Mumbai on Jan 5/6 will focus on what is a screenplay and how does it differ from every other medium like novel, play. Additionally the tools of an effective screenplay to create structure, create character… what elements are consistent with good character. This will be followed by going into the specific creation of a screenplay… when you write a scene how do you approach the screen what are the characters dramatic needs, what does the character want to get out of the scene, how does it move the story forward.

Bio on Syd Field

Having established himself on the international circuit, Mr. Field has created three literary best selling compilations, which are regarded as bibles of the film industry and are used in more than 395 colleges and Universities with translations in 19 diverse languages. He has been a script consultant to the Major US Studios like Disney, 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures apart from having chaired the Academic Liaison Committee at THE Writer’s Guild Of America, Syd currently a faculty at the USC Master’s of Professional Writing Programme has also taught at various academic institutes like Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkley and many noted Institutions. Some of Field's former students include Alfonso Cuaron (‘Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire’) John Singleton (2 Fast 2 Furious, Four Brothers, Shaft), Randi Mayem Singer (Mrs. Doubtfire), Laura Esquival (Like Water For Chocalate), and Kevin Williamson (Scream, Scream 2& 3).