The essential value of character-driven screenplays is demonstrated in this engaging, step-by-step approach to showing aspiring filmmakers, writers, and movie buffs how a script is created through the development of compelling characters. The author has condensed his popular workshops into a thought-provoking guide to vital screenwriting, with examples of his technique cited via such memorable, character-driven hits as Silence of the Lambs, The Crying Game, and Fargo. Ryan provides a step-by-step guide to crafting a script--from finding a story and developing the pitch, to preparing an outline, free-writing, and creating a great scene. He also includes a very critical aspect that stops many aspiring writers in their tracks: He offers realistic ways to get a finished screenplay noticed by the right people. The book concludes with an original screenplay by the author, annotated with scene-by-scene, character-by-character commentaries.