John August

QandA

What does a writer’s assistant do?

Film Industry, QandA, Writing Process

questionmarkIn your most recent posting you mentioned your assistant Chad. Someone in the comments made a crack along the lines of “oh boy, sure would be nice to have an assistant,” and that got me thinking… What does he do for you? Is he more of a secretary, or does he actually help with the writing, reading drafts, etc.

I know your previous assistant went on to become a director, so I’m sure that Chad doesn’t just sit around all day answering the phone and filing his nails. Do you guys work out of your home, or have a separate office?

–Alon Ozery
Toronto

Back before he wrote and directed [Dodgeball](http://imdb.com/title/tt0364725/combined), [Rawson Thurber](http://imdb.com/name/nm1098493/) worked as my assistant, and was nice enough to write up [this article](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2003/being-a-writers-assistant) for the site. So, first, I’d point you there.

Typically, a Hollywood assistant does a lot of what you’d normally call secretarial work: answering phones, scheduling appointments, arranging travel, and dealing with the clutter of office life. In the case of my assistants, they also proofread everything I write. Sometimes, there’s plenty of work, but more often they’re on their own, which is why I make it a habit to hire screenwriters. If someone is going to be under-employed, sitting in front of a computer for eight hours a day, they might as well be writing something that can further their career. That’s how Rawson wrote [Terry Tate](http://www.milkandcookies.com/keywords/terrytate/) and Dodgeball.

My other fantastic previous assistants include [Emilie Sennebogen](http://imdb.com/name/nm0784398/maindetails), [Sean Smith](http://imdb.com/name/nm1091301/maindetails) (who is now writing on [“Summerland”](http://imdb.com/title/tt0400037/maindetails)), and [Dana Fox](http://imdb.com/name/nm1401416/maindetails) (who wrote [The Wedding Date](http://imdb.com/title/tt0372532/)).

Chad, who’s been with me for about two years, has a project set up at Warner Bros., and takes a lot of meetings around town. Before too long, he’ll move on and become a full-time screenwriter, and the cycle will begin again.

As to your second question, our house has a free-standing garage, and I work in a space attached to that. It’s ten feet from the kitchen door to my office, but it’s a crucial ten feet — enough that it feels distinct from home life, but close enough that I can still run in and get whatever I need. I could probably get an office at a studio, but I’m sure I wouldn’t like it as much.

Picking a printer

Formatting, Geek Alert, QandA

questionmarkWhat kind of printer do you have? As a fellow geek, I’m curious. In my imagination, I see a professional screenwriter requiring a huge, high-powered beast that can print one script per minute. Or, do you not even print anything since it’s all sent out via PDF in these modern times? How much do you print in the average day/week?

–Alon Ozery
Toronto

We have an HP LaserJet 4100TN (closest equivalent is probably the [4250tn](http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?product_code=Q5402A%23ABA)), which is more than adequate. It can print out a 120-page script in about four minutes — but more often it’s only printing 60 pages, because we’ll choose side-by-side layout to [save paper](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2005/screenwriting-wastes-a-lot-of-paper).

I don’t print nearly as much as I used to, since most times I’m delivering a .pdf rather than a printed script. I used to recommend screenwriters spend the extra money for a fast printer, but there’s really no great advantage now. Almost any laser printer — and even most inkjets — can print a script in less time than it takes to walk the dog.

How to get into film school

Education, QandA

questionmark
I know there’s a post in the archives about film school, and [whether it’s necessary,](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2003/is-film-school-necessary) but I would love to hear any advice you have on actually applying to film school.

How can someone improve their chances for getting accepted to a MFA program in film production/writing? What in your opinion are film schools really looking for in applicants? Any thoughts on what to avoid in an application?

–Oz
Honolulu, HI

This time, I decided I would go right to the source and ask [Howard A. Rodman](http://imdb.com/name/nm0734912/maindetails), who in addition to being a fine writer and all-around good guy, is the chair of the MFA and BFA programs in screen and television writing of the USC Cinema School.

Here’s what he had to say.

first person**Howard Rodman:** I read many, many applications. [We just this week finished selecting this fall’s incoming class.] Here’s what we’re looking for:

1. Writing. Good writing. Not necessarily in screenplay format. We’re less interested, at this point, in whether you know what we’re here to teach you, than in whether you can put together a sentence. Tell a story. Create a dimensional character. In short: do you have your very own voice? [P.S. – We know the difference between “its” and “it’s,” and we actually care.]

2. Grades, good enough to pass muster with the larger USC admissions apparatus, and good enough to give us the confidence you’ll be able to execute a demanding program. Four point something GPAs and 1600 SATs (or GREs) are truly lovely, but are not in and of themselves guarantors of anything. We’re looking for writers [see #1 above], but we do need to know you can handle the load.

3. Diversity. Folks with life experience. Folks from strange and wonderful places. Folks who’ve had interesting ‘first’ careers before turning to writing. Not just your typical work/study/get ahead/kill types. The New York Times says that a cinema MFA may be the new MBA; but I’m not sure we’d view it that way.

4. A good mix. Not all Hummers, not all Priuses.

Pitch fests: Are they worth it?

Pitches, QandA

questionmarkI’m considering plunking down $300 to go to a pitch fest, but I’m wondering if they’re really worth it.

— Raffi Bagadasarian

For readers who don’t know, a pitch fest is an event where aspiring screenwriters pitch their screenplays to a group of Hollywood-types, who hopefully will want to read-slash-buy their scripts, or at least offer suggestions for improving their pitch technique.

A few years ago, I was on a (free) pitching panel for a local screenwriting conference. It was interesting, but I’m not sure it was terrifically helpful for the writers who pitched. (In fact, the other writers in the audience may have learned more just by listening to misguided pitch after misguided pitch, and the criticisms thereof.)

I’ve heard tales of studio executives buying ideas they heard during a pitch panel, but I don’t know of any verifiable success stories. If any readers have experiences, positive or negative, with pitch panels, please help Raffi out by leaving a comment.