Simon Passmore (Books)

Simon Passmore Books

Simon Passmore cultivated his literary sensibilities through editorial work and journalism following his studies at Cambridge. His early career saw him contributing art reviews and features to prominent British publications, bridging the gap between critical analysis and engaging prose. He later transitioned to television, working as a researcher and director before honing his skills as a script editor and producer within the BBC's drama department. In this role, he collaborated with numerous writers and adapted a diverse range of literary works for the screen.

Words Before Pictures: How Screenplays Make Movies

274 pages
10 hours of reading

Screenplays are vital to the making of film and TV drama, yet they're routinely obscured and misrepresented in much of what's written about film and screenwriting. Simon Passmore uses his experience in professional practice, teaching, and academia to bring together differing and often conflicting ideas about what screenplays are and how they function. Words Before Pictures throws light on the divergent views of screenplays found in screenwriting manuals, academic studies, and practitioner accounts, and proposes new ways of conceptualising screenplays that recognise their crucial role in bringing films into being.