Pixar Storytelling: Rules For Effective Storytelling By Dean Movshovitz

Mr. Movshovitz, with this remarkable handbook, manages to open our eyes to one thing: Pixar is not just the kingdom of modern animation. First and foremost, it is the home of America’s finest storytellers.

I’m a fan of books that deconstruct good story telling.

Story by Robert McKee and Save the Cat by Blake Snyder are some books I have in my collection.

This book has really done something special by deconstructing Pixar’s work.

The first 9 pages of this book tell you so much in such a short delivery that it is hard to believe. In just these first few pages you immediately understand why Pixar’s work is so moving. The epiphanies come one after another as you continue to read.

At about 100 pages it is a quick read but it is deep with insights and practical advice.

Completely worth the pocket change required to have it.

I swear this book is freaking amazing. I’m surprised it didn’t get more attention. If I get lucky enough to become a successful writer this is one of the books I’d recommend to people

It’s really a pity that a book with such great content has been so poorly formated. I bought the kindle version and, to my surprise, it was not compatible with my Kindle Paperwhite, even if the book contains no images in it. I had to read it on the phone, using kindle for Android. And, because it is basically a pdf (I suppose), there was no text flow. I also found a few typos, which ruined the experience a little. Again, the book is well written and the content is interesting, but it was published poorly. Not compatible with Kindle?! I would have asked for a refund, if it wasn’t for the content that is so interesting.

When I first bought this book in June 2016, I expected some great, unique insights from someone who’d worked with Pixar, and perhaps some wonderful color illustrations from Pixar films, highlighting how they craft their stories.

When the book arrived, I saw that neither were true.

Sure, that version of the book read like a good, undergraduate thesis. It highlighted several classic storytelling (and screenwriting) tropes and plot construction methods, with lengthy, scene-by-scene examples from almost every Pixar hit film, ever.

But like another reviewer, I thought this was good information, but amateurishly presented.

The “rules” were solid, familiar points I’ve read over & over again in excellent books by Jeffrey Alan Schechter, Blake Snyder, Shawn Coyne, Larry Brooks, and others.

And, as a Pixar and Disney fan, I was kind of appalled that the book’s title and thumbnail cover image (with the Pixar-ish desk lamp) suggested that the author has some connection with Pixar. It’s why I bought this book.

He didn’t.

My previous review – of the first version of this book – was a dismal two stars. And even that seemed a little too generous.

Since then, the author completely revised his book. He also sent me a review copy, with no strings attached. He simply asked me to read it and see if it changed my mind.

It did, once I actually read it. (The Pixar-ish cover still put me off. I’m a busy person; I don’t have time to revisit books that disappointed me the first time.)

Yesterday, I decided to cross it off my to-read list before starting 2018, fresh. (Honestly, that’s the only reason I started reading it.)

I’m glad I did. This edition IS a worthwhile read.

This new edition focuses on the elements that can spark a brilliant and endearing story, whether you’re an author or a screenwriter, or involved in any kind of storytelling.

It’s nicely and systematically presented. Within just a few pages, I could see what the author had tried to present in the first version of this book, but – in that edition – he’d missed the mark, badly.

Now he clearly explains the deep-seated dilemmas that can make any story unique. He delves deep into the internal and external conflicts in several classic Pixar films, and presents the reader with examples that do NOT require you to see every film he references.

Also, his evocative writing makes it easy to connect-the-dots between his advice and your current creative projects, even if they’re only vague concepts at this point.

I’m glad I read this book, and I can recommend it to others. My only hesitation – and why I’m giving it four stars – is the price. (It’s US$19 as I’m writing this.) It’s NOT that the information isn’t worth the money. In fact, I think it’s good value for anyone who actually reads the book and applies what author Movshovitz shares.

But, the perceived value of a 6″x9″ book (113 pages long) may trigger misgivings among some readers, from the moment they open the Amazon shipment and see this book. I think $12.95 would be about right, and $9.95 would make it seem like a great, rave-review purchase.

In other words, I wouldn’t want a reader to open the cover and start reading, harboring a “this had better be worth it” attitude. That’s not the in-flow state of mind that will make the most of the creative sparks in this book.

Aside from that, I applaud the author for radically revising this book – both contents and presentation – to make it a valuable addition to any storyteller’s reference library.

If you’re telling original stories, or want to improve the emotional content and tension in any story (fiction or nonfiction), I recommend this book.

The book is structured clearly in a way that allows the reader to read through the book from page 1 to page 113, or, you can select a chapter of interest. The author explains concepts such as empathy, conflicts and drama and suggest ways to embed these elements into a story you might write. The Villian and the Hero are discussed in terms of how you develop their personalities and then how do you make these characters come to life. This is a great book for young adults interested in creative writing or film making.

Part instructional, part appreciation, Dean Movshovitz’s Pixar Storytelling is not just a great tool for any aspiring screenwriter, but a great read for anyone who’s fan of Pixar. In clear, concise terms, the author lays out what makes a good screenplay work, and how to apply those principles to one’s own writing. An entertaining, satisfying read that will provide any novice screenwriter with great head start in terms of formulating and crafting his or her own screenplay, and make any reader eager to revisit all of these great films – even if you’ve seen them many times before, the author’s insights will allow you to discover new things in these beloved classics, and view them with a renewed appreciation!