Syd Field Quotes

#1. What a person does is what he IS, not what he says.

Syd Field

#2. Writing should be an adventure, shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, blessed with amazing grace. In theory, of course

Syd Field

#3. All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without story, there is no screenplay.

Syd Field

#4. Confusion is the first step toward clarity

Syd Field

#5. What's great about writing a screenplay is that the subtext of the scene, what is not said, can sometimes be more important that what is said. Again, dialogue serves two basic functions in the scene: Either it moves the story forward or it reveals information about the character.

Syd Field

#6. Writing a screenplay is like climbing a mountain. When you're climbing, all you can see is the rock in front of you and the rock directly above you. You can't see where you've come from or where you're going.

Syd Field