In this textbook, Cowgill (Los Angeles Film School) uses various critically praised and award winning films (all readily available on video) to illustrate the principles of story and character development within the structure of a short film. In particular, examples from Life Lessons, written by Richard Price and directed by Martin Scorsese, are used throughout the book. The focus is on screenwriting techniques for narrative-driven short films, and production issues are addressed only tangentially. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)