About
About John August
John August is a screenwriter living and working in Los Angeles. He runs johnaugust.com at his own expense. Why? Well…
- He’s generally pretty philanthropic.
- It gives him an excuse for not writing.
- It exercises his inner geek.
- It allows him to use fonts other than 12 pt Courier.
- He’s usually pretty sure he’s right.
- And most importantly, it lets him answer a given screenwriting question once, rather than 5,000 times.
Some of John’s credits include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, Go, and Charlie’s Angels. He has degrees from Drake University and the Peter Stark Program in the School of Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California.
As of November 2006, he’s 36 years old.
About this site
johnaugust.com has been around since Summer 2003, though some of the content is several years older. It started as a repository for the 100+ screenwriting advice columns John had written for IMDb, which were hard to find in that massive site.
The original johnaugust.com used static pages for each answer. Making changes was laborious, and there was no opportunity for reader feedback. The addition of Movable Type allowed for much easier updates, along with comments with each entry. However, all of the old content was still pretty much frozen in time.
This latest incarnation of johnaugust.com has incorporated all the old information, but with a much more robust architecture behind it. It’s powered by WordPress, an open-source blogging application that stores each entry in a MySQL database, and generates pages dynamically. (Each time you request a new page, the system builds it from scratch; you can see how long it took in the footer at the bottom of each page.)
The new johnaugust.com is fully buzzword compliant, at least as of September 2004. All formatting is handled by CSS; all pages should be verifiable XHTML (except for spurious comment problems); almost all content is available by RSS.
I hope you find stuff that is useful and enjoyable on your visit.
31 Responses to “About”
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May 24th, 2005 at 6:10 am
John,
Thanks so much for answering my question about main titles formatting. Such a highly informative site all around!
Ever considered starting a podcast?
Anyway, thanks again and good luck with Charlie!
Alan McCoy
May 24th, 2005 at 2:45 pm
Thanks for putting up a fun and informative site for all us wanna-be’s. So nice to see a human face to success. Cheers!
May 30th, 2005 at 6:06 am
Hi John,
Just thought you’d like to know that beta-testing is underway for Sophocles 2005. It’s an all-in-one type of program, combining word-processing, story outlining, and production management features. If you’d like to participate, the link is:
http://www.sophocles.net/beta
Tim Sheehan President, Sophocles Software, LLC
June 12th, 2005 at 9:49 am
John,
you will undoubtedly have already spotted Roald Dahl’s Museum opening its doors: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/4079704.stm
June 17th, 2005 at 9:15 am
Didn’t know if you’d heard about how the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin (a really great movie theater–actually there are 3 of them here) is promoting “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”: every patron at every show on opening week receives a free Wonka bar; during the run of the movie, one theater location will have a chocolate fountain for patrons’ dipping pleasure; at some screenings they will prepare a 4-course all-chocolate meal served to you in your seat while you watch the film; and at other select screenings they will prepare a special 4-course meal that Violet Bouregard experiences while chewing Wonka gum.
These are the same creative folks who show “Jaws” on an enormous inflatable screen out on one of the lakes and let patrons float in inner tubes to watch it once the sun goes down. Of course, they do hire professional divers to go in the water and pull people into the lake during the scary parts. Afterwards they serve shark stew.
June 22nd, 2005 at 9:29 am
Hey John,
I just finished writing my first screenplay. What the hell do I do now?
June 24th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
Hello John:
I was walking down the street yesterday and a saw movie poster for Charlie. Congratulations. I started visiting your site again about a month ago, but was nonetheless surprised to see it.
We just had our conference out in LA and your Mayor-Elect Villaraigosa met with us for about an hour. Not sure if you follow city politics–I have to–but he seems very good and, most importantly, rather sincere. LA is fascinating in its utter disregard for urban planning and policy.
Anyway, continued success and take care.
D.D.H.
June 25th, 2005 at 3:02 pm
Hi John,
Thanks so much for the wonderful, informative site. It’s really a great resource for aspiring writers like me, and seeing your site actually inspired me to create my own, which in turn inspired a screenwriting friend of mine to create his own. You’ve started a movement!
Thanks again, and good luck with Charlie! All of us Roald Dahl fans are rooting for you and the pic. WHL
July 5th, 2005 at 10:51 am
Hi John,
I am a screenwriter living in New York City. I was wondering if you could offer some feedback on my poetry.
http://frederickpina.tripod.com
And secondly, I was wondering if you could read an original screenplay. I’m sure you’re asked by many, but I am only one.
July 22nd, 2005 at 2:12 am
john-
big fan of your site… thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts… I’m an animator/ writer… BUT!!!
I’d like to congratulate you on your daughter. My (extremely masculine, former football star) younger brother recently came out of the closet. I was happy for him, but was saddened by his regret that he would never be able to have a family like he always wanted. I tried to ensure him that that musn’t be, but he was convinced that gay families were unrealistic. Anyway, I know he’s wrong, and I wish you (and him) the best. He’ll come around.
Best, -chris
July 23rd, 2005 at 7:41 pm
Heya John,
Congrats on your daughter!
Take good care,
Hal
August 23rd, 2005 at 5:38 pm
Dear John,
congratulations to your daughter! Now there’s a power in your life that will turn even the badest days into good ones. I know what I’m talking about.
I’m a screenwriter from Germany. And besides my daughter Melody (4), a good idea, a well written scene or an interested producer your blog sometimes make my evening. And Big Fish enchanted me. * Still.
Best wishes - Natalie
August 26th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
Hey John, I stumbled across your site through another ‘blog–glad I did! Your posts are educational and entertaining. I forwarded your site to a co-worker who is a screenwriter hoping to break into Hollywood one day.
Beth PS–Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was great!
September 19th, 2005 at 3:46 pm
hi,mr.august.i have a good offer for you.i have astory about greek mythology.the problem is that god i have tried and tried to write its screenplay but i really can’t get sucess.the deal is that i give you my story and you make me an actor.now,i have appeared in national tv twice when i was 10 years(once in a ad concerning the india’s republic day and next time in a play or you can say in movie only”jhansi ki rani”).the story is fiction romantic comedy which has greek gods like aphrodite,ares,athena,etc.(total=13 gods)
thank you
November 13th, 2005 at 11:56 am
Hi John,
Um, I’ve been looking throughout your website, and I can’t find your answers to questions!
I have checked, using the search function, without success.
At the risk of appearing totally foolish, (In my head, right now, the sound of ‘DOH’ is reverbrating!) could you point out your answer page, please.
Thank you.
Greg L. Calabasas, CA
December 10th, 2005 at 11:38 am
Hi john, I recently trans-migrated from India. I am working a screenplay for project titled “Peacock Forest”, trying hard to push the first draft through Sundance writers work shop. The problem is that I have not trained my self to write in English, and all of a sudden I am writing scripts in English, struggling with the poetics of the poetics of screen play. The out put makes me fell embraced somewhat. But I am always ready to call the shots behind the camera, since there has been an over indulgence in the past of having worked without a script, on a whim. Sorry to say that. I would very much appreciate if you could have a look at the story/synopsis of the Peacoch Forest-and love to here you. please visit- http://advaitachitra.blogspot.com I have no know contacts here in Hollywood, Just been living in wilderness for reasons other than creative. With warm regards, Indrakaran. P.S- I liked the Charlie’s Chocolate Factory a good deal.
December 11th, 2005 at 4:58 am
Dear John,
I am a big fan, since GO. We finally got a DVD of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and showed it at my 8/9 year old daughter’s birthday sleepover. Great movie, great time. When the time comes for your baby to have a sleepover don’t fret it. It was fully successful and not bad at all. Remember this in eight years or so and email me for pointers.
A few days later when the -real- birthday arrived, we took our three daughters (5,7,9) to dinner and then went to have our nine-year-old’s ears pierced. Before getting her ears pierced, the birthday girl took some of her birthday money and bought her sisters gumballs (one of those nice gestures that you love to see your kids do. Just wait. It makes the other miseries of parenthood worth it).
The ear piercing went well. Little apparent pain. No tears. Because we live in Michigan and it is miserable cold, I went and got the car so I could pick-up my women at the door.
When they got in the car, our youngest, Mika, was crying and my wife looked harrassed. Mika had gum in her hair. When we asked why, she told us that she was trying to be like Violet and put the gum behind her ear. I wish I could say that I was completely calm and sensitive, but mostly I kept barking at her not to play with it and not to lean back into her car seat, and that I would take care of it when we got home. She whined and cried the whole way (one of the terrible things of being a parent that make you wish that those -gumball gift- moments came more often).
About an hour later, after ice, peanut butter, one ruined fine-toothed comb, much crying and my reluctant use of scissors, the gum was gone. She also has a bald spot behind her right ear. We hope it won’t be as obvious as her self-cut bangs that just now are growing out enough to make her no longer look like Twiggy/Stevie Nicks/Mia Farrow as Rosemary.
In the shower when I was washing the remaining peanut butter and little strings of gum out of her hair, I asked her if she learned anything. She said yes: Don’t put gum behind your ear. A good parent would have been happy with this, but I am not a good parent. I want more. I want bigger lessons. I suggested that the other lesson is: Just because you see someone do something in a movie this does not mean that you can do it in real life.
Anyhow, I know you didn’t create the gum-behind-the-ear schtick that Violet does in the movie, but boy was I cursing you during the car ride home. On reflection, I am grateful. I would rather have Mika learn to suspect the world of fiction after emulating Violet and having a bad experience with gum behind her ear than learn that lesson at 21 after a bad experience emulating the behavior of any of the characters in GO.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing you about it. If you email me your address I will send you a Christmas card with a photo of my girls. Because I read your blog, I feel like I know you, which is a little weird. If I were to see you in the Farmer Jacks (grocery store in Michigan) I would probably walk right up and start talking as if we were friends. I imagine this is the thing that (other more visible?) celebrities find unsettling.
Have a great day.
Fred
March 14th, 2006 at 6:35 pm
Your site is a very generous, useful resource for amateur aspiring screenwriters like me. Thank you.
April 30th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
Go Drake!
I was so excited to hear that you were a Drake alum after seeing Charlie and the Chocolate, which was a great movie by the way!
November 13th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Hi, I have two TV game show scripts for sale. Would y ou like to see them? Thank you.
John
December 30th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Just wanted to drop you a line telling you that I love your site. I am a struggling actor/waiter who aspires to add struggling screenwriter to my list of accomplishments. Your site was one that really helped me get my butt in gear as far as writing is concerned. I have always loved to write, but never had the discipline until recently. I have spent hours getting lost on your site, reading your archives, etc. You are a bookmark on my Blackberry and you have helped to kill many hours of standing in lines this holiday season.
Just wanted to say thanks.
January 21st, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Dear Mr. August
Please Help. I am writing on behalf of my son Mike Conner, who submitted two emails regarding the GetAMentor program. Please delete these comments from your site, as the company will not continue to participate in the program unless the comments are removed. This is very important and I appreciate your help. Many thanks.
February 27th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Mr. August I just wanted to say from one Bulldawg to another that its good to see something good besides Jeremy Piven come out of Drake University. I used to edit the Campus literary mag, Periphery (1991), so I’m a writer like you (except you get paid for yours). Teach me, Obi Wan (there may be a pint of Stout at “Peggy’s” in it for ya… Cheers and continued good fortune!
May 18th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I wish I had a brain. Well, your brain to be exact then I could really work out the processes of completing a script when I should be completing a script and leaving aside the procrastination. Too many times, I have taken a leap into another script, only to be dragged away by my imaginations and onto something else. However, I have completed many a script and am always looking for that voice in my head, sans the demented one. I enjoy your work and can only add: well done. You make us scribes look good.
May 24th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Hey John,
I just wanted to let you know I think your blog rocks and I check it daily for updates.
I know it’s not much, but I figured since you give so much to the community, the least I could do was share a short I finished last year and am now giving away. If you have the time / inclination, “Missing Pages” can be downloaded from http://speaking-pictures.com/missingPages.html
Keep up the great work and I hope Captain Marvel makes it to the big screen and The Nines to Tokyo, Japan. :^)
Best of luck on all your endeavors!
November 5th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
It’s awful cool of you to post your secrets and opinions about screenwriting and the Biz. “Go” is one the best movies ever. Very neat to learn how it grew from your thoughts to the Big Screen. Thanks for posting a blog. Very imformative to non screenwriters like myself!
November 8th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Greetings! Congrats on the Alumni of the Year Award and your professional accomplishments! Visiting this site is a little surreal for me. Next time your in the area give me a heads up! It would be nice to see you again and catch up. From this posting, you should have my email (or a google search under my married name will find me too).
Anyway… Best Wishes! “Kempke”
November 11th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Hi John,
Thanks for the tip on the kids books. My son Zach loves Quiet Loud and Big Small.
EH
December 7th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Hi Mr. August. I’m a spanish writer. I need an agent for to move my award script. Could you recommend me an agency in USA? Thanks.
December 12th, 2007 at 10:49 am
John -
Would like to contact you about a documentary on screenwriters we have on Caachi - Call me back!
-Charles
December 18th, 2007 at 12:31 am
John,
I just came across this site during an information fit. I read through many of the articles and intend to further digest the remainder when I regain my wit.
I have a question that may also be considered a lament — you decide.
I am a 100% self-taught writer, 21 years of age, and I currently freelance for a living. All in all, I’m a literary prostitute — a whore of words; I’ll do anything for a buck.
I write for magazines doing music/lifestyle and travel, I write SEO articles, copywriting, web content and all of that other boring shit.
I had intended to pursue this whole racket in order to eventually get to where I want to be: film.
Although many of your entries have shined a new hope upon my heavy, cigarette-smoke laden heart, I still can’t help but feel a giant brick wall in front of me. I’ve overcome obstacles at my early age. Hell, I’m a work-at-home writer with no college education and a wonderful rebellious high-school drop-out past. I should be proud of myself, right? Nah.
The problem is that I’m cursed, you see. I have the ability to write screenplays out the proverbial wazoo. I can write a feature by myself in no more than a week’s time, and they’re damned good. Everyday my mind is filled with a constant barrage of shorts, features and also documentaries. However, I’ve stopped writing these things if only because I don’t know what in the fuck to do with them.
Move to L.A? Show me the money — I’m a writer after all. Although I’m as savvy a networking kiss-up dog-walker as the rest of those hooligans shoving their appendages into the big doors of success, I just can’t seem to find the magic fountain.
So I’m wondering if you would have any advice for a lowly fellow like me. I’m filled with brilliant ideas, I churn out screenplays like butter (good ones, mind you; I know what in the hell is good and what is not), but I have no outlet for these talents and have become stuck in the glitzy, glossy world of AOL Travel and Conde Nast.
I appreciate you lending an ear…er…eye (maybe even both eyes) and look forward to a possible response,
-William http://www.William-Mac.com http://www.ThisWeekinTime.com