John August – The Story Department https://www.thestorydepartment.com Story. Screenplay. Sale. Tue, 18 Aug 2015 09:58:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-fav-32x32.png John August – The Story Department https://www.thestorydepartment.com 32 32 2808072 Better Dialogue For Screenplays – John August Pt 4 – [Video] https://www.thestorydepartment.com/writing-better-dialogue/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/writing-better-dialogue/#respond Wed, 31 Dec 2014 03:19:34 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=32616 Working on a rewrite? At a loss as to how to go about it? Successful Hollywood screenwriter John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie, The Nines) shows us how to write stronger dialogue by examining what belongs in conversation versus what belongs in the action, how to create authentic relationships, and dozens of other little tips and tricks.

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Writing better dialogue from John August on Vimeo.

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/writing-better-dialogue/feed/ 0 32616 [Video]: John August Pt 3 – Scene Openings https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-3-scene-openings/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-3-scene-openings/#respond Wed, 24 Dec 2014 04:00:14 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=32613 Read more]]> Working on a rewrite? At a loss as to how to go about it? Successful Hollywood screenwriter John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie, The Nines) shows us how to write better scene openings, by promoting the conflict early in the scene, giving characters instant identities, and dozens of other little tips and tricks.

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-3-scene-openings/feed/ 0 32613 [Video]: John August Pt 2 – Better Scene Description https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-2-better-scene-description/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-2-better-scene-description/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2014 03:25:13 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=32586 Read more]]> Working on a rewrite? At a loss as to how to go about it? Successful Hollywood screenwriter John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie, The Nines) takes us on Part 2 on how to rewrite scene description to feel less like a shopping list and more like the movie you want to see on the screen…

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-2-better-scene-description/feed/ 2 32586 Best of the Web 7 Dec https://www.thestorydepartment.com/best-web-7-dec/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/best-web-7-dec/#respond Sat, 06 Dec 2014 22:33:30 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=32533 Read more]]> Story & Structure

:: Bad Writing Day? Get Inspired With This!
:: “You Don’t Know Nothing. So Do Not Write What You Know.”

Script Perfection

:: Inspiring Screenwriting Advice from John August
:: ‘Foxcatcher’ Screenplay Struggles
:: Is Hollywood Really Killing the Art of Screenwriting?

Best of the Rest

:: NBR chooses ‘A Most Violent Year’ Best Film Of 2014
:: Enough already. I want to see it.
:: Justice League Dark Has A Screenplay
:: Should Birdman Win Best Original Screenplay?
:: Mockingjay Part I Should Not Have Been Made
_______________________________

With thanks to Cameron Pattison.

]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/best-web-7-dec/feed/ 0 32533 [Video]: John August Pt 1 – Writing Better Action https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-1-writing-better-action/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-1-writing-better-action/#comments Wed, 03 Dec 2014 04:10:18 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=32558 Read more]]> Working on a rewrite? At a loss as to how to go about it? Successful Hollywood screenwriter John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie, The Nines) takes us on Part 1 on how to rewrite action to feel less like a shopping list and more like the movie you want to see on the screen…

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-john-august-pt-1-writing-better-action/feed/ 1 32558 [Video]: Writing Better Action https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-writing-better-action/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-writing-better-action/#respond Wed, 25 Sep 2013 03:07:26 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=30283 Read more]]> Almost inevitably, Youtube instructional videos tend to involve several minutes of bad jokes, dithering and mildly embarrassing vignettes from the maker’s personal life (try clearing your search history first next time, guys).

John August (Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Go) bucks the trend by jumping straight into the action. How to write better action beats: write it how the scene’s supposed to feel, not like a recipe for one.

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-writing-better-action/feed/ 0 30283 [Video]: Advice for Screenwriters https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-advice-for-screenwriters/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-advice-for-screenwriters/#respond Wed, 27 Jun 2012 02:00:43 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=23978 Read more]]> ‘Read a lot of books, and watch a lot of movies.’ ‘Don’t write what you know.’ ‘It’s like advising someone on how to ride a bicycle: eventually you have to get up on the seats and pedal.’ The final Academy Series video on Screenwriting, the venerable panel give aspiring screenwriters both barrels.

The full series of interviews is here.

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-advice-for-screenwriters/feed/ 0 23978 [Video]: Highlights and Challengers of Being a Screenwriter https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-highlights-and-challengers-of-being-a-screenwriter/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-highlights-and-challengers-of-being-a-screenwriter/#respond Wed, 20 Jun 2012 02:30:07 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=23854 Read more]]> Sometimes forget why you got into writing?

Here’s a wry reminder from the Academy’s best about why you love it, even the tough bits.

The full series of interviews is here.

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-highlights-and-challengers-of-being-a-screenwriter/feed/ 0 23854 [Video]: Screenwriters on Excellence in Scripts https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-screenwriters-on-excellence-in-scripts/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-screenwriters-on-excellence-in-scripts/#respond Tue, 12 Jun 2012 23:30:17 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=23726 Read more]]> In Part four on the Academy Screenwriters’ series, some of America’s top scribes discuss strategies to overcome mediocre writing and achieve excellence in scripts. Not that you’re writing mediocre stuff, but… well, you know.

The full series of interviews is here.

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-screenwriters-on-excellence-in-scripts/feed/ 0 23726 [Video]: Screenwriters – on Writer’s Block https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-screenwriters-on-writers-block/ https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-screenwriters-on-writers-block/#respond Tue, 05 Jun 2012 23:30:12 +0000 https://thestorydepartment.com/?p=23603 Read more]]> We have written about how to beat writer’s block before, but when a selection of top screenwriters including John August (Big Fish) and Ted Griffin (Ocean’s Eleven) tackle the topic, we’re listening.

The full series of interviews is here.

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]]> https://www.thestorydepartment.com/video-screenwriters-on-writers-block/feed/ 0 23603