Show, Don’t Tell (English Edition, Ebook)

"Show, Don't Tell is more than a simple technical handbook. It is a call to action, an encouragement for those who have something to say but do not yet know how to turn it into cinema." Il Roma

"By integrating story structure, legal awareness, budgeting, finance and distribution, Fenderico offers emerging writer-directors a genuinely holistic roadmap to getting films made and seen." The Hidden Review

You've had a film in your drawer for months - maybe years - but it's still trapped on the page instead of in front of an audience. It's not a talent problem. It's a problem of method, tools and insider industry knowledge.

Show, Don't Tell (2nd edition, updated to 2026) is a step-by-step handbook for aspiring screenwriters, producers and directors that takes you from the first idea to a finished film, combining screenwriting, production, budgeting, finance, pitching, casting, distribution, and legal basics in one volume.

If you've ever asked yourself:

• How do I write a professional screenplay that producers actually read?
• How do I build a realistic budget without missing hidden costs?
• How do I find money and distribution in today's US, Canadian or UK markets?
• This book gives you practical, field-tested answers, not abstract theory.

What you'll learn
You will learn how to:

• Turn ideas into industry-ready screenplays using "show, don't tell", with visual scenes, strong conflict and believable, three-dimensional characters.
• Format your script to current standards with professional software so that readers can focus on the story, not the layout.
• Build a realistic film budget and schedule, from above-the-line and below-the-line costs to contingency and crew rates, using examples compatible with US, Canadian, and UK practice.
• Structure financing plans that mix investors, production companies, grants, tax incentives and crowdfunding into a workable package.
• Create effective pitch decks and verbal pitches, tailored to producers, investors and platforms, with a clear logline, synopsis, visual tone, market positioning and basic recoupment logic.
• Cast your film professionally, work with casting directors and platforms, and approach recognizable actors in a realistic, honest way.
• Navigate today's distribution landscape - festivals, theatrical, TVOD, SVOD, AVOD, FAST, educational and non-theatrical - and understand how revenue splits and deals really work.
• Protect your story with core legal tools: copyrights, options, purchase agreements, writer contracts and basic rights management.

Why this handbook stands out
Most books stop at "FADE OUT", while SHOW, DON'T TELL goes further into budgeting, financing, pitching, casting, distribution and legal issues - the parts that decide whether your film is made, sold and seen.

You're not just learning how to write a script; you're learning to think like a filmmaker who understands the full life cycle of a project, from Greenlit to the right audience.

Author
AL FENDERICO is an award-winning actor, screenwriter, director and creative producer with over 14 years of experience across theatre, sets, pitches, markets and festivals between Europe and North America. He trained in Naples, Montréal and at London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. He runs Make A Wish Film & Theatre Productions while teaching and consulting, and he also works as a film and theatre critic with Hollywood's The Hidden Review, a media partner of Major studios such as Prime Video, Netflix, Warner Bros, Paramount, HBO, Sony Pictures, the Oscars, BFI and other leading outlets.

You're not just buying a screenwriting book. You're choosing a concrete, up-to-date method to move your story from your desk to the audience it deserves.

DON'T WAIT to be seen. ORDER "SHOW, DON'T TELL" (2nd edition) now.