‘Big Fish’ Screenwriter Helps With Some Small Tips

So I’ve become a little bit infatuated with screenwriter John August lately. The first full-length screenplay I read this year (to help get the juices going) was his adaptation of Big Fish, which is a great read, by the way. Then I started to listen to his ScriptNotes podcast, with screenwriter Craig Mazin. There’s just an eloquence to the way John August writes his action text in his screenplays, and I’m a sucker for that (see last post about Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan). It’s gotten to a point where J.J’s script for the pilot episode of Fringe has me annoyed now. August does the whole “let’s dictate the action, but spice it up subtly” thing in screenplays really well – and here are some videos to prove it. All these videos can be found on his YouTube page, just search ‘John August.’

This is a little video showing how he would enter a particular scene. The basics are all there: cut to the chase, play up the conflicts, and cut out early. But just the way he explains himself is really easy to follow, and he makes things make really good sense.

This video is more about writing action text. Keep in mind, this is the guy that wrote Go and The Nines – he doesn’t primarily work on straight, genre-action but he can definitely help you if you want to.

Here’s a tutorial that I think all of us screenwriters could benefit in watching/re-watching as to constantly be aware of how we do this. Here is talking about writing better scene descriptions. This is more for the guys working on their first screenplays, but hey it’s always good to be conscientious about it.

Sadly, those are all the video tutorials he has on his site, but I wanted more, so I hit the guy up. The guy was nice enough to take the time out of being a professional screenwriter, doing a podcast about screenwriting, and giving presentations at the Austin Film Festival to reply:

@onemyke I plan to, but haven’t found the time. Glad you like them!

— John August (@johnaugust) October 25, 2013

So hopefully we’ll have more soon! Until then, if you could point me to some other great, similar tutorials – I’d be much obliged! Otherwise, go listen to ScriptNotes on iTunes – make sure you subscribe.

Discovering My Process

Using cards to plot

So an interesting thing happened to me today. After working for MONTHS on end on my first real full-length feature I had a major breakthrough. I’ve been breaking and re-breaking this particular story on and off since May, but due to some personal issues and the sudden announcement of a major deadline, I’ve been working 12-14 hour days for the past two weeks trying to hammer out the newest incarnation of my tale from page-freaking-one.

Call of (Civic)Duty

Let me preface this by saying that if you’ve talked to me in the past few months that, among many other things, I have been on somewhat of an Aaron Sorkin binge. I’ve always liked the man’s writing, but it has since become an almost unhealthy obsession. The following may be a knee-jerk reaction to the idealism and unrelenting optimism that his television work is filled with, but who cares? The man did his job with this viewer.  For the record I’ve watched 4 complete seasons of the West Wing in the last couple of months and am halfway through re-watching season one of The Newsroom along with being caught up with season two as it has been airing this summer.

What has all this Sorkin-binge watching done to me?

Yeah, I don’t care if this isn’t a cool sentiment, but from here on out I’m resolving to be a more well informed member of the electorate.

— Myke Ladiona (@onemyke) August 29, 2013

That.  This new overwhelming sense of civic duty has fallen over me.  Well, civic duty might not be the best term for it. Maybe it’s civic responsibility? I basically feel the sudden urge to participate it a much bigger way than I ever have before. I went ahead and signed up on govtrack.us and opted in for email alerts on Congressional bills.  I’ve bookmarked Politico, The Hill, and Roll Call as news sources. I binged on harsh reviews of the 112th Congress and am just starting to get up on the 113th. I’m over the “coolness” of being disenfranchised and jaded. I’m starting to reject the notion of needing overly idealistic changes. If I’m going to join a rally, I’m going to make sure that there’s one clear objective, one clear set of leaders or organizers, and for damn sure I’m going to expect them to be open to communicating with Congressional leaders.

I feel a little intimidated and scared by the daunting task of suddenly immersing myself in the issues, but whatever. I’m going to try. It’ll be a process, and it will be one thing at a time, but I’m going to wake up and pay attention. I feel that romantic sheen of Gen-X detachment wearing off. I’m ready to dress for the game. I might just be a bench warmer for now but I’m willing to be involved in the huddles.

These metaphors are getting really messy.

I do need help though, if anyone out there is willing to give it. I want to find the best sources of information, read and listen to journalists who pursue the fact and avoid as much logical fallacy as they can. I want to find the outlets of information that can approach a topic intelligently without overusing six dollar words. Is that the expression? I think it is. Forgive me.

Sadly, I come with the disadvantage of only having four years of just film classes for my post-high school education. I didn’t take enough liberal arts, and if I did it was only in classes that had something to do with creative writing and film. I basically feel like one of the uneducated who suddenly wants to play with the intellectual elite, but I swear to you, coach, that I’m going to work even harder in conditioning camps, at practices, and when at the gym in the off season.

So that’s that. I know at least two of you that have read my blogs on WordPress actually live in D.C, but hopefully my tagging will reach a lot of you that don’t know me and are willing to help someone get in the game. I don’t care if you come from the right or the left – as long as you make sense, are rational, and argue logically. Until then I’m starting with the three news sources above, then I’ll try and pay more attention when Congress is out of recess. I hope I can find someone that will keep me accountable, and someone else who can be my guide. Please. It’s my first year on the team.

Cedric, That Ghost Just Isn’t Holy Anymore: A Goodbye to The Mars Volta

All I can do is move forward with my music and just be happy that mars volta ever happened at all. God Damn we had a blast. Thank u again

— Cedric Bixler Zavala (@cedricbixler_) January 24, 2013

…and just like that, this shitty month has claimed the ultimate victim.  Six hours ago Cedric Bixler Zavala announced to the Twittersphere that his duties as the lead singer/lyricist for The Mars Volta have ended for reasons unknown. Well, specific reasons unknown. But judging by the rest of his tweets it seems like he’s been sore towards his other half (guitarist and main composer – Omar Rodriguez-Lopez) for going on and paying more attention to his side projects and solo albums than to TMV.

What am I suppose to do be some progressive house wife that’s cool with watching their partner go fuck other bands? We owe it 2 fans to tour

— Cedric Bixler Zavala (@cedricbixler_) January 24, 2013

While this probably isn’t going to make any headlines on Rolling Stone or Spin (hell it probably won’t even front page on r/music). This has come to a shock to a smaller, but more extremely dedicated following. Well, dedicated to the first few albums.

Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala created narrative in music like no other in this past decade.  Their first album De-Loused in the Comatorium came with a story book and their sophomore LP Frances the Mute ended with an eight-part composition that rivals any ’70’s prog-rock that your dad touts as “the last time music was music.”

Personally, this band was a big part of my life for a good five or six years. Hell, almost a decade.  I don’t think there is any other band currently that has affected my life as much as Volta did. It wasn’t because “it’s like the lead singer just knows me” it was because this band embodied the epitome of art in music towards me.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of other great bands that do fantastic things and truly create something original, but the beauty of art, to me, is in the inspiration.

I can go on and on about this band… and if you bring them up in conversation after a few good beers, I will.  But tonight is just about mourning and celebration.  While it’s been awhile a good two albums since Volta has put out anything that comes close to their first few efforts, they will always hold a special place in my heart.  Maybe their absence in the music scene, along with this dramatic break-up, will inspire another band to aspire to combine stellar musicianship with impeccable uniqueness and create something that hasn’t existed for a long time in the music scene: stark-raving originality.

Thank you Cedric Bixler Zavala.

Thank you Omar Rodriguez Lopez.

You will live on.  I’ve already listened to De-Loused and Frances twice each since I heard the news.

For All Those Who Have Gone

Today Facebook was kind enough to remind me that it was a birthday of an old friend from high school.  One of those friends from high school that I didn’t keep in touch with on a regular basis, but every time we saw each other it was like old times.  I definitely had some good memories with that guy, we still remember the inside jokes we had from those days.  He ended up a good man, had a loving girlfriend, a beautiful kid, and a great job.  He passed away last year in a car accident, leaving behind his girl and his kid.

There’s so many people that we’ve lost along the way. I need both of my hands to count the number of friends I’ve lost in my lifetime.  I’m sure there are people that you miss, as well. The other day someone posted this video on Reddit. It’s a beautiful reminder for all of us. A reminder that we should all celebrate the lives of those we lost.