[Three Plus Three] is about writing for films as told by the person who does it. Felsen talks directly to the student in a pleasant, conversational manner which is never condescending. "This is an invitation," he says, "to look over my shoulder while I work for a living." His observations are succinct and intriguing.

The design is simple. A short story is presented and problems in turning it into a script are discussed. The author then presents his script followed by questions which direct students to discover the reasons for differences between story and script. The discussions and the questions clarify the problems of translating from print to film. There are three short stories and three scripts presented in this pattern.

The last exercise presents the student with a story written by Felsen. The student is then given the task of turning a small segment into a shooting...