Master of Professional Writing Program

Who We Are

Faculty

Syd Field

Lecturer

Contact Information
E-mail: sfield@usc.edu
Phone: (213) 740-3252
Office: THH 355 H

Biographical Sketch

Syd Field is acclaimed as the “guru of all screenwriters” by CNN and “the most sought after screenwriting teacher in the world,” by the Hollywood Reporter. The internationally celebrated author of eight books on screenwriting, his classic Screenplay is considered “the Bible” of the film industry, published in 23 languages and used in more than 400 colleges and universities. He has conducted Screenwriting Workshops all over the world, including AFI, the Disney Studios, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios, the Nike Corporation and annually conducts The Visual Art of Storytelling for the scientists of JPL and NASA. He was inducted into the prestigious Final Draft Hall of Fame in 2006.

Education

B.A. English Literature, University of California, Berkley, 1960

Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History

Lecturer, Fundacion Autor, Madrid, Barcelona, Spain, 01/01/2005-01/01/2006
Lecturer, IMCINE, Mexico City, 01/01/1996-01/01/1999
Lecturer, MPA, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, 01/01/1995-01/01/1999
Lecturer, MPA, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 01/01/1995-01/01/1999
Lecturer, National Film School, Austria, 01/01/1993-01/01/1995
Lecturer, National School of the Arts, Berlin, Munich, 01/01/1985-01/01/1992
Lecturer, National Schools of the Arts, Canada, 01/01/1983-01/01/1991
Lecturer, School of Cinematic Arts, University of California, Los Angeles, 01/01/1988-01/01/1989
Lecturer, University of California, Berkley, English, Film, 01/01/1987-01/01/1988
Lecturer, American Film Institute, Screenwriting, 01/01/1985-01/01/1988
Lecturer, Filmic Writing, University of Southern California , 01/01/1985-01/01/1988
Lecturer, National Film School, Oslo, Norway, 01/01/1984-01/01/1987
Lecturer, Whispering Woods Film School, Mumbai, India,
Lecturer, Art Center College of Design, Dept of Film,
Lecturer, University of California, Santa Barbara, Creative Writing,
Lecturer, Ministry of Culture, Brussels, Belgium,
Lecturer, Ministry of Culture, Johannesburg, South Africa,
Lecturer, University of Washington, Seattle, Dept of Film,
Lecturer, New York University, Cinema,
Lecturer, Film, University of Texas, Austin,
Lecturer, Harvard University, Theater,
Lecturer, Theater, Yale University,
Lecturer, American University, Paris,
Lecturer, National Film School,

Publications

Book

(2006). The Screenwriter’s Workbook, Revised. The Screenwriter’s Workbook, Revised/Dell Publishing Co..
Bantam/Doubleday/Dell (Ed.). (2005). Screenplay. Screenplay/Dell Publishing Co..
(2005). Screenplay, Revised. Screenplay, Revised/Dell Publishing Co..
(2003). The Definitive Guide to Screenwriting. The Definitive Guide to Screenwriting/Dell Publishing Co..
(2001). Going to the Movies. Going to the Movies/Dell Publishing Co..
(1998). The Screenwriter’s Problem Solver. The Screenwriter’s Problem Solver/Dell Publishing Co..
(1994). Four Screenplays. Four Screenplays/Dell Publishing Co..
(1989). Selling the Screenplay. Selling the Screenplay/Dell Publishing Co..
(1984). The Screenwriter’s Workbook. The Screenwriter’s Workbook/Dell Publishing Co..

Multimedia Scholarship and Creative Works

"After Life", an original screenplay, Fall 2009
"My Name is Khan", Script Consultant, now in production, Universal Studios, Fall 2009
"Pauch Kirov 5", an original screenplay, now in pre-production, Fall 2009
Screen Play, Webcast/Television Series in production, Fall 2009
Bullet Point Reviews, Crackle Network, Sony Pictures, Fall 2009
Conversations with Cass, Public Broadcasting, Special Guest Subject, Show currently in Production, Fall 2009
Developing Screenwriting Apps for iPhone , in production, Black Mana Studios , Fall 2009

New Courses Developed

Visual Art of Story Telling, Catalyst Workshops, A course designed for scientists and engineers to help them understand the principles of visual story telling., 2004-

Honors and Awards

Guest lecturer, Catalyst Workshop, NASA, JPL, AFI, 8/1/2005-
Guest lecturer, AFI Catalyst Workshop for scientists, NASA, JPL, Fall 2009
Member, USC Ambassadors Society, Fall 2009
Member, USC Torchbearer Society, Fall 2009
Recipient, Final Draft Hall of Fame Award, 11/22/2006
Artist in Residence, Warsaw, Poland, 4/22/2006-4/29/2006
Jury Member, Polish Film Festival, Los Angeles, CA, 5/1/2005
First Inductee, American Screenwriter’s Hall of Fame Award, 7/4/2004
Final Judge, Final Draft Big Break Competition, 4/4/1999-6/18/2004
Artist in Residence, IMCINE, Mexico City, MPAA, Rio de Janiero, Buenos Aires, 5/15/1994-8/8/1999
Member, Advisory Board, American Film Institute, 3/13/1987-8/15/1991
Member, Advisory Board, USC, Filmic Writing Program, 1/18/1984-12/15/1988
President, International Film Jury, Flanders Film Festival, 10/10/1988-10/21/1988
Final Judge, Nissan Focus Screenwriting Competition, 6/4/1982-11/12/1987
Advisor, National Endowment of the Arts, 4/4/1985-6/16/1987
Special Guest Speaker, Norwegian Film Festival, 1/18/1986-1/28/1986
Chairperson, Academic Liaison Committee, Writer’s Guild of America, 1/5/1984-1/20/1986