Where I’ve been hiding
My blogging-to-actual-work ratio has tipped decidedly to the things-I-get-paid-for side over the last few weeks, as a number of projects have commanded a lot more of my time. So I thought it only fair to explain what’s pulled me out of my beloved bent-brad bunker.
Here’s an update on my previous post, about my current projects.
★ ACTIVE ★
Ops
This one-hour drama pilot about private military contractors has suddenly roared back to life, with Fox giving the go-ahead to start casting. We’re out to directors, and — knock wood — should be able to shoot early in the year. For various reasons, the episode we’d planned to start with might now become number three in the season, so that means a whole new script to write (with co-creator Jordan Mechner). But TV scripts are short. And it will be nice to get back into that world.
Casting a TV show takes forever. We’ll have a big pow-wow with the network and the studio, going over their lists of who they have deals with, and who they’ve always liked. Then we’ll meet with those actors. The less-established actors will be fine coming in for an audition, but the bigger names will only “meet.” Which often means coffee. Which often takes a hell of a lot longer.
Eventually, we’ll have big casting sessions, where we’ll audition 15 or more actors in an afternoon, one after the other. On the other two TV shows, I’ve always been in the room for those sessions, but given the newborn and the other projects on this list, I’ll probably be watching videotape for more of these casting sessions.
Untitled Broadway Musical
I’ve had work sessions with the composer this week. We’re now up to seven songs, plus a fair amount of connective tissue (“the book,” which is my job). It’s strange working with someone who can hear something once and immediately play it back on the piano, with elaborations, in a different key. I don’t sell myself short — I’m good at what I do — but I’d love to have that kind of gift.
My basic strategy for working with a composer is to offer effusive praise at anything that sounds right, and to feign musical ignorance when it’s clear what’s not working. “There’s something about that part of the song where it goes — what’s the word when it’s not happy, but — yes, minor. Maybe if it were the opposite of that, it could work, maybe?”
I will ultimately pay a horrible price for this passive-agressive behavior. But for now, the songs sure are pretty.
Father Knows Less
Just yesterday, I saw that Charles Shyer signed on to direct this Dustin Hoffman comedy at New Line. I’d rewritten Aline Brosh McKenna’s script, and now another writer is working with Shyer. Which is fine. The original director, Shawn Levy, fell off a few months ago over budget issues. Since then, I’ve talked to several director acquaintances who’d recently read the script. So it’s good to know that New Line was serious about making the movie.
Tim Burton’s movie
I hope to sit down with Tim in the next few weeks to talk over a few things that are in the planning stages. As busy as I get, I hope to always be able to write Tim’s next movie.
★ LIMBO ★
Prince of Persia
I’m executive producing this adaptation of Jordan Mechner’s videogame for Disney. What does an executive producer do? Here’s my analogy: Imagine you’re in the cockpit of a 747. You know how to fly it; you know where to go. But you’re not allowed to touch the controls.
If that sounds frustrating, it is. There are decisions to be made, and I’m not the one making them. But I’m hoping the right decisions get made regardless, because Prince of Persia deserves to be a giant summer tentpole movie.
The Eye
This Hideo Nakata-directed horror remake is supposed to star Renee Zellweger, but I haven’t heard anything new since I turned in my rewrite months ago. It’s still floating out there. I doubt I’ll need to pick up my pen again, though.
Tarzan
After visiting the two motion-capture film currently in production at Sony, I got thinking more about doing Tarzan that way. It would certainly be a big help in addressing two major issues with filming it: creating a mythical Africa, and humanely handling the apes.
★ FINISHED ★
How to Eat Fried Worms
This project was the very first script I was paid to write, way back in 1996 or so. And now it’s an actual movie. But I can safely say it’s not my movie.
When a film completes production, the WGA sends the final shooting script to all the screenwriters who worked on it, which in this case was only two: me and Bob Dolman, who directed it. I read the script, and had the option to arbitrate for screenwriting credit. I passed. Dolman really did his own thing, and beyond one basic part of the setup (Billy and his family have just moved to a new town), there’s nothing I’d really claim as my own.
Regardless, it’s kind of comforting to have one dangling thread tied up.
Articles
November 3rd, 2005 at 12:41 pm
Ops sounds cool.
November 3rd, 2005 at 1:44 pm
OPS sounds way cool. I missed out on DC, so I’m eager to see John August television, not mention seeing TV get some blog time from the master. Fingers crossed…
November 3rd, 2005 at 4:08 pm
Mocap for Tarzan sounds like a great idea.
I just read this the other week: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/051021.html
“But no flesh-and-blood human has the musculature to fling himself from tree to tree as monkeys do. That presented a problem when Hollywood decided to portray Tarzan on the screen. Burroughs reportedly felt the answer was Disney-quality animation.”
P.S. OPS sounds cool :)
November 3rd, 2005 at 4:23 pm
Hey John, Would you consider this number of projects standard for a working writer? My friends and I are debating whether or not your recent success has contributed to the amount of projects currently active. -Malcolm
November 3rd, 2005 at 5:11 pm
Can we trade hiding spots?
November 3rd, 2005 at 11:56 pm
John, don’t forget… the Screenwriting Expo is next weekend, do you know when you are going to be speaking? I’d love to come shake your hand and thank you, personally, fo r all the effort put into this site.
I think Ops sounds cool too, but I’m kinda bummed that “Over there” got the ax. Maybe you should cast some of their actors.. they’re unemployed now. They were all great actors! Just a suggestion. :)
November 4th, 2005 at 1:26 am
Hello Mr August,
I was reading my Dutch TV-guide yesterday, and there was a reference to your blog in it, quoting your advice to the gentlemen who wondered whether he should move to Hollywood for his career, the one about ‘is this perfect for Jessica Alba?’. That was both weird and nice. They had good words to say about your Tim Burton movies, too :-)
November 4th, 2005 at 2:00 pm
Is Ops going to be a Fall 2006 show?
November 4th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
Funny, as a former owner of a PMC, I don’t see the biz as all that glamorous. Worse still, most of the PMCs are fronts now for one of the Nation-States that needs a cut-out for boots on the ground (e.g. U.S. Defense, UK MoD, Israeli, etc.). Even in the old days, it was a pain in the ass to deal with the former South African types that were fronting for a variety of interests.
November 4th, 2005 at 4:16 pm
If everything goes dandily, Ops will be a Fall 2006 show. But I should caution that things go away very quickly and mysteriously in TV land. The very term — “go away” — is indicative of how TV works. A show in development isn’t cancelled, or killed, or nuked. Rather, you talk about it in very hushed tones…
“What happened to that Monkey Detective show you had at UPN?”
“Oh, it went away.”
Like it was a rash, or a troublesome pelican.
Anyway, here’s hoping I won’t have to blog that Ops went away. For now, it’s very present.
November 4th, 2005 at 4:30 pm
Well, I guess you answered that question about Fried Worms without the help I offerred last time around! ;-) Looking forward to meeting you in person next week at the Expo.
November 4th, 2005 at 7:52 pm
Hmm…guess you’ll be needing PA’s and writer assistants then. lol
November 5th, 2005 at 1:30 pm
And actors… just curious, how much input does the writer have? And are you the “creator/writer” or “writer” on this one?
November 7th, 2005 at 6:48 am
John,
It’s great to hear you’re branching out into other avenues of writing. Can’t wait to read more about your experiences with each!
November 7th, 2005 at 6:56 am
Very interested in and hopeful about Ops. For as good as Over There looked, all the real drama took place stateside. So from my couch, it became a half-good show. Contractors can, must(?) be in much more morally ambiguous roles. Even if rules of engagement are clear, each contractor’s motivations are more personal and so their decisions much more interesting.
November 16th, 2005 at 4:28 am
Hey John,
With a potential gig coming up for Tim Burton’s next film, it looks like a formidable team is beginning to form in the guise of Tim Burton (Director), Danny Elfman (Composer) and John August (Writer). As a long time fan of both Tim and Danny, and a relatively new fan of yours through the projects you worked on with them, I think you guys will be unstoppable. I already get all the soundtracks Danny has put out, try to see everything of Tim’s at the cinema (and on DVD), and now look forward to every new post on this site.
Just wanted to say thanks, and I’m eagerly anticipating Corpse Bride in the local (Australian) cinemas next week.