A Film About the Man Who Transformed
Storytelling for the Movies
For eons, storytellers have woven tales of myth and history. From sitting around campfires came African griots, classic Greek theater, roving troubadours, bards, and more… until the dawn of the 20th century, when a new kind of narrative sharing emerged — Visual Storytelling — the Movies!
Around the globe, audiences adored movies. For decades, screenwriting was mostly an instinctive, imitation-driven business… until the end of the 1970s, when everything changed:
Syd Field’s bestseller Screenplay was released in 1979.
This first-of-its-kind, How-to Guide introduced a three-act structure defined by Plot Points (a term coined by Field): the Paradigm, which revolutionized the art of screenwriting, offering practical tools to master storytelling specifically for film and television.
Field’s methods are grounded in his analysis of thousands of screenplays and produced films, but also in deep psychological and spiritual insight.
“Form, not formula,” is one of Field’s most potently democratizing contributions to filmmaking. Syd Field’s work is as relevant now as it was in 1979, and will continue to be in 2079, 2179, and beyond.
If you share Syd Field’s – and our – vision for human growth through storytelling in all formats, please support our efforts.
Your tax-deductible donation will help: the filming of critical interviews, research, and acquisitions of archival materials.
Screenplay became the bible for everyone dreaming of writing a film script, and many Hollywood development professionals.
“… a virtual must for screenwriters.”
– Lynda Obst, Producer – Sleepless in Seattle, Interstellar
“I did a million drafts [of Mean Girls], and I did the thing everybody does:
I read Syd Field and I used my index cards.”
– Tina Fey, Writer/Producer – Girls5Eva, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 Rock, SNL
Syd Field gave lectures and seminars far beyond Hollywood. Shepherding the global filmmaking community, he enabled diverse voices to craft authentic films, reflecting their unique cultural heritages.
“For a writer, the most important thing is to put things on paper.
[Field] helped you put things on paper.”
– Alfonso Cuarón, Writer/Director – Roma, Y Tu Mamá También, Gravity
What’s the Story? will celebrate Syd Field’s ongoing legacy:
“A well-told story has the power to change us. To show us who we are. And often, who we truly hope to be.”
If you share Syd Field’s – and our – vision for human growth through storytelling in all formats, please support our efforts.
Your tax-deductible donation will help: the filming of critical interviews, research, and acquisitions of archival materials.