Review of WRITING THE SCIENCE FICTION FILM by Robert Grant

Available April 2013

Rating:5 out of 5

Some of the greatest films are science fiction films. Some of my personal favorites are Inception, The Hunger Games, and I Am Legend. There’s also some great sci fi television series like LOST and the new show Revolution. Science fiction writers get to explore some serious what if questions, and, as Robert Grant describes in his upcoming book WRITING THE SCIENCE FICTION FILM, Sci Fi also explores human nature, often presenting a mirror for us to look into and see some aspect of ourselves that may be significant or in need of change.

WRITING THE SCIENCE FICTION FILM is about the process of crafting great science fiction stories like the ones we’ve grown to love. Interestingly, Grant points out that science fiction itself isn’t so much a genre because sci fi films themselves can come in many different genres. For example, Inception and Alien are both science fiction films, but they both have different genre elements. It’s the dependence upon some area of science that makes a film a science fiction film. This book is helpful in exploring the different genre approaches a science fiction film could take.

From there, the book goes through basic storytelling elements such as characterization and dialogue. The really helpful parts are about creating sci fi settings and two chapters on getting the science right to make your story having a feeling of realism to it.

The book is a great journey through the best in science fiction movies and television and is a great resource for any writer interested in crafting their own science fiction stories.

Review copy provided by Michael Wiese Productions