I’ll be doing a live call-in interview with ScreenTalk tonight at 6PM PDT.
Update: Tomorrow, I’ll post a link to the audio. (It’s an embedded player.) For tonight, visit the ScreenTalk site. Player embedded after the “More” jump.
Update #2: We never actually got to the call-in questions (maybe there weren’t any), so if you had one that didn’t get asked, ask below and I’ll try to answer.
This site is run by screenwriter John August. Mostly, he answers reader-submitted questions about the craft, but occasionally he goes on tangents that run far afield of writing and filmmaking. You'll also find info on past, present and future projects.
On Twitter: @johnaugust
If you have a question about screenwriting or my movies that hasn't been answered, by all means ask. There are a few guidelines to follow.
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May 20th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Here it will be 3am so I will try to catch it at another time. :) Please post a link if it will be avaible somewhere,
thanks
jon
May 20th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Everyone call in with prank questions! It can be a whole “world collapsing in on itself” meta-project. Who’s in?
May 20th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Mozletov!
May 20th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Question:
Every time I hunker down to splatter on the page a semblance of a semblance of an idea that’s been floating around in my mind, I realize about twenty minutes in that my subconscious mind is taking elements from other films I’ve recently (or not so recently) seen. This atrocity occurs only when I follow my “writer’s intuition”, not when I stomach the exertion of disparaging and random plot points in the hopes that I can assemble from them something vaguely original. Does this mean that one should forever hold an aversion to writing from the “heart”?
May 20th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Hi John
I wish your interview it was longer. You probably get this a lot but thanks again for your time and effort devoted to the website and for helping people (like myself) understand better the screenwriting craft.
I have a question — probably more like a request or suggestion — maybe too specific, but could you do a Scriptcast or post something talking about scene transitions? I don’t mean CUT TOs, FADE TOs, etc. I mean transitions in a narrative sense. Maybe general tips on how to connect scenes in a more compelling/cohesive way to improve the story’s narrative flow. If that makes sense! Thanks.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I would second Aaghaazs question, and add another of my own:
As a married mother of 3, whose husband has a very established, immovable career in the middle of nowhere, I have no chance of ever moving to Cali. Ever. Ever, ever.
Am I wasting all my spare time writing? Do I have any prayer of ever having a career in screen writing from (dare I even say it…) Utah?
May 20th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Guess I somehow missed the whole “Duluth” discussion. Scratch that.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Thanks for coming on the show tonight and doing the interview with Chris and I. Take care and keep writing!
May 20th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Question:
How do you divide the number of scenes for each character? Here I am not talking about the main character but among the supporting acts. How does one know if enough scenes have been alloted to say the father/friend/boss/wife/child of the main character?
May 20th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Dear John,
How to do you go about balancing commercialism (Getting a film made) and artistic merit (Most made with mom’s camera)? Simply, how do you balance (if it can be done) Transformers and The Motorcycle diaries?
May 21st, 2009 at 1:31 am
Great interview, Mr. August. Wish it was longer!
During the Q&A, you were asked what you thought was the most important skill for a writer: theme, character, or narrative.
You answered “narrative,” and was wondering if you could further elaborate on your reasoning here.
Thanks.
May 21st, 2009 at 7:05 am
Sorry I missed the interview. I would have commented on your courage to take on a project like the Dark Shadows new movie. I believe the original 1960’s show consisted of 1,225 episodes covering many storylines followed up by two theatrical movies and two revival series (the latter being a filmed pilot written by Mark Verheiden). If I was asked to write a new Dark Shadows movie script, I wouldn’t be able to sleep for months. I would not know where to begin. I am sure you are incredibly excited about this project and wish you the best of luck and look forward to hearing what your thought process was in coming up with a story.
May 21st, 2009 at 8:17 am
Hi John,
What are some of the scripts you would recommend, either that you liked and/or solid examples of the craft, that budding screenwriters can learn from?
May 21st, 2009 at 9:15 am
agreed… :) Molotov!
May 21st, 2009 at 10:24 am
@strangerthanfiction -
Love to hear John’s answer.
Also check out Marvin Acuna’s [producer: Great Buck Howard] recent video blog on just that subject:
http://thebusinessofshowinstitute.com/blog/631/video-tip-25-should-you-relocate-to-los-angeles/business-of-show/
May 21st, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Strangerthanfiction,
Not to steal John’s thunder, but yes, yes you can have a writing career outside of Hollywood. I, in fact, have a writing career outside of Hollywood (although I have that career thanks to my managers and agents and lawyers inside Hollywood).
For the past few years I’ve been happy to call myself a pro screenwriter. I don’t make uber-loads of money but that’s not the point for me (not the point for me right now, I should say). The point for me right now is to write (or have the opportunity to write without the distractions of a parallel career digging ditches or serving coffee).
Basically, having a career to me means that I get to watch the clock doing what I love not doing something I hate. I sell scripts so that I get to keep doing what I love. If I didn’t need to sell scripts I wouldn’t.
But I was lucky because my first script got me a lot of attention. If I lived in LA I might have been able to turn that attention into a John August-like career but I’m not sure that would’ve satisfied my desires to just write (at least at first). Because a lot of being a “writer” in Hollywood, at least a writer without a movie in the can, from my very brief and limited exposure, has very little to do with just writing. Writing is a luxury it seems. 80% of the time you’re “digging ditches” or “serving coffee” (in the figurative sense). You’re begging someone else to let you write. You’re hustling and doing favors and pitching and driving around and not writing. And then when you get the job you write but you write with that parallel career tapping you on the shoulder (the one where you’re begging for someone to let you write again). This is my theory why you’ll see a writer with 10 to 15 in development credits 6 months after his big spec sale. Instead of writing, he’s made a career out of begging (or maybe I’m just jealous).
So the question to you becomes what do you mean by career?
May 21st, 2009 at 4:38 pm
What is happening with the Dark Shadows project? Sam Sarker says there would be an announcement soon but I am guessing his definition of soon is sometime next year? Is it true the project is delayed till then? I am really interested in hearing some details about the script and what kind of plot you incorperated into the film adaption. Looking forward to your thoughts on the project and hopefully some answers.