MakingOf.com has an interview with John August about his screenwriting process. As always, John August demonstrates his knowledge of the craft by breaking down concepts into relatable terms, and sharing really original insight into the craft — no respun Syd Field here.
Normally I’d embed the video here, but MakingOf.com has some weird Iframe code going on, so I’m just providing the link.
I first learned about the GTD system in my radio producing days, when I oversaw six TV and radio programs distributed across the South. Back then, my system revolved around a paper day planner, supported by some basic email folders.
Things changed when I went freelance. I used to commute to an office and keep regular work hours; now my office is wherever I am, and my work hours are whatever I dictate. While this has let me accomplish a lot more, it’s also poking holes in my old paper day-planner system.
The core principle of GTD is “get it out of your head.” That is, keep your information externalized so it doesn’t add to your mental stress. The paper system completely defeated me there, as it was easily misplaced, and none of it was searchable (if I have to memorize where I wrote down Mr. Johnson’s project information, I might as well just memorize it).
So, this past weekend, I made the switch to a digital organization system. Continue Reading…
A few weeks back, J.C. Hutchins invited me to come on his program “Hey Everybody!” to talk about our collaboration on Disconnect, the nature of storytelling, and the process of making a low-budget film.
It runs about 45 minutes long, and is one of the more in-depth discussions I’ve ever recorded about these topics. If you’re a filmmaker or know one, it’s worth a listen.
While you’re at it, consider picking up a copy of J.C. Hutchins’ Personal Effects: Dark Art. This isn’t a paid endorsement, but I think as a storyteller it’s important to keep up with where the craft is going, and what J.C. is doing with Personal Effects is close to revolutionary. It’s worth your time, if only for a master class in storytelling.
It’s a commonly-held bit of wisdom that if you want to become a better screenwriter, you need to read a lot of screenplays.
Well, Don Boose over at Simply Scripts.com has made that pursuit a whole lot easier. Simply Scripts.com has compiled the WGA’s Top 101 Screenplays with links to nearly all of them (some with multiple drafts available). The list is a comprehensive blend of great writing from the last hundred years: Pulp Fiction stands shoulder-to-shoulder wth North-by-Northwest and Dr. Strangelove.
So get over there and start reading. There’s no better place to learn than the footsteps of the masters.
Earlier this evening I was part of the Dead Robots’ Society roundtable discussion on adapting prose to the screen. Along with me were top-tier storytellers Matt Wallace and Patrick McLean.
Questions came both from the terrific hosts (PG Holyfield, Justin Macumber, Terry Mixon, and Ryan Stevenson) as well as the audience questions I had mentioned before.
The interview ranges from lessons learned in the world of commercials and advertising, the challenges in switching from prose to screenwriting, and what it takes to preserve a good story from the page to the screen.
You get a chance to get to know the hosts in the beginning, the actual interview begins around 15:20 in. You get to hear me at my most silly, so take it while you can get it.
Esteemed author P.G. Holyfield (Murder at Avedon Hill) will be hosting the interview, which I firmly believe will descend into “shindig” and then devolve swiftly into “mob rule.” You can’t get three guys like ourselves in the same podcast and expect anything else.
And to add to the chaos: the clever Mr. Holyfield is opening up the forum. Email him with your questions, and they might get asked during the roundtable.
Remember, you’ve got four of the powerhouse podcast storytellers in the same room, ready to pick apart story theory and practice for your edification. This is more than just submitting a question: you’re getting second, third, and fourth opinions from people with a Ph.d. in “mind-exploding.”
Most of my DayJobVu business comes from word of mouth, but as things get tighter in the economy, we all have to reach out farther for new clients. In order to be successful, you need a good demo reel.
I haven’t cut many demo reels before, but I’ve been an editor ten years, so it didn’t seem impossible to learn. So I spent a few days researching great demo reels, reading up on tips, and somewhere in there, it clicked. 48 hours later, I had this.
I sent that out to ten potential clients this morning at 5am. Today, at 2PM, I already have one contract offer and one request for more information.
