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Show, don't tell: A Step-by-Step Handbook for Aspiring Screenwriters, Producers, Directors
Paperback
Film & Video ArtFilmmakingScreenwriting
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jul 14 2024
Pages: 214
Weight: 0.64
Height: 0.45 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Show, Don't Tell is more than a simple technical handbook. It is a call to action, an encouragement for those who have something to say but do not yet know how to turn it into cinema. Il Roma
By integrating story structure, legal awareness, budgeting, finance and distribution, Fenderico offers emerging writer-directors a genuinely holistic roadmap to getting films made and seen. The Hidden Review
You've had a film in your closet for months - maybe years - but it's still trapped on the page instead of in front of an audience. It's not a talent problem. It's a method, tools and the right key to a industry-knowledge problem.Show, Don't Tell (2nd edition, updated to 2026) is a step-by-step handbook for aspiring screenwriters, producers and directors that takes you from first idea to finished film, combining screenwriting, production, budgeting, finance, pitching, casting, distribution and legal basics in one volume.
If you've ever asked yourself:
How do I write a professional screenplay that producers actually read?
How do I build a realistic budget without missing hidden costs?
How do I find money and distribution in today's US, Canadian or UK markets?
...this book gives you practical, field-tested answers, not abstract theory.
What you'll learnYou will learn how to:
Turn ideas into industry-ready screenplays using show, don't tell, with visual scenes, strong conflict and believable, three-dimensional characters.
Format your script to current standards with professional software so readers can focus on the story, not the layout.
Build a realistic film budget and schedule, from above-the-line and below-the-line costs to contingency and crew rates, using examples compatible with US, Canadian and UK practice.
Structure finance plans that mix investors, production companies, grants, tax incentives and crowdfunding into a workable package.
Create effective pitch decks and verbal pitches, tailored to producers, investors and platforms, with a clear logline, synopsis, visual tone, market positioning and basic recoupment logic.
Cast your film professionally, work with casting directors and platforms, and approach recognisable actors in a realistic, honest way.
Navigate today's distribution landscape - festivals, theatrical, TVOD, SVOD, AVOD, FAST, educational and non-theatrical - and understand how revenue splits and deals really work.
Protect your story with core legal tools: copyright, options, purchase agreements, writer contracts and basic rights management.
Most books stop at FADE OUT. Show, Don't Tell goes further into budgeting, financing, pitching, casting, distribution and legal issues - the parts that decide whether your film is made, sold and seen.
You're not just learning how to write a script; you're learning to think like a filmmaker who understands the full life cycle of a project, from Greenlit to delivery.
About the authorAL FENDERICO is an award-winning actor, screenwriter, director and producer with over 14 years of experience across sets, pitches, markets and festivals between Europe and North America. He trained in Naples, Montréal and at London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and runs Make A Wish Film & Theatre Productions while teaching and consulting, moreover, by being a film and theatre critic with Hollywood's The Hidden Review and other magazines.
You're not just buying another screenwriting manual. You're choosing a concrete, up-to-date method to move your story from your desk to the screen. If you're serious about writing, producing and distributing your film in today's US, Canadian or UK marketplace, add Show, Don't Tell (2nd edition) to your cart now. Yo
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