John August

QandA

10 hints for index cards

Story and Plot, Writing Process

I’m outlining a project right now, and thought it would be a good time to review best practices for index cards.

  1. Keep it short. Maximum seven words per card.

  2. A card represents a story point, be it a scene or a sequence. You don’t need a card for every little thing.

  3. Keep cards general enough that they can be rearranged. (“Battle in swamp” rather than “Final showdown”)

  4. Horizontal (a table or counter) often works better than a vertical (a corkboard).

  5. Post-It notes make good alternative index cards.

  6. Consider a letter code for which characters are featured in the sequence. Helpful for figuring out who’s missing.

  7. Most movies can be summarized in less than 50 cards.

  8. Cards are cheap. Don’t hesitate to rework them.

  9. Consider a second color for action sequences. Helps show the pacing.

  10. Write big. You want to be able to read them from a distance.

Are online film classes worth it?

Education, Film Industry, Psych 101, QandA

questionmarkI’m 22 years of age and I’m currently an online student at the Academy of Art University based in California. (I live in Florida.) I am majoring in Directing and Producing.

I’m doing very well with school but I feel I’m not getting anywhere in the process. I mean, the way school is going I’m not going to graduate until I’m around 25 – 26 years of age which is just absurd especially since I’ve been in school already for a year & a half. I may not even finish my online schooling because it’s a bit pricey for the cost per class. I’m also not able to truly associate or really affiliate with anyone through the online program. Online schooling is just not good in that matter since everything is through a message board. You’re also not able to get hands on with anything. I’ve even looked on transferring but the situation is just not presenting itself well.

I’ve talked to a few people and even read some things on if schooling is needed for this industry and some say yes and others say no. It’s a guessing game from where I’m standing.

I’ve even looked around on ways to get noticed or recognized as many have said film festivals, film schools and so forth but that’s nothing new and I didn’t already know. But in order to enter a film festival, I need a film and that takes a lot of money to get a film made and I just don’t have the resources either. I’m really just looking for answers on what do and how I can get my foot through the door but then again, I’m still looking for a door.

I can’t just up & move to California even though I do plan on going out there sometime down-the-line (when? Who knows at this time) but I wouldn’t know where to begin or let alone look, on how to get some kind of acknowledgment or advice. My folks and I are just trying to find some answers for me or a path of some sorts. It’s just becoming frustrating. My folks are questioning on what to do as it’s a dead end on every corner and opportunities are just not coming about.

I hope that maybe you could provide some answers or something.

— Scott
Florida

I think online classes are a great option for many topics, but basic filmmaking isn’t one of them. Drop out and save your money.

Yes: a class that was purely about screenwriting could be taught online, but almost every other part of filmmaking is physical and collaborative. You need to be setting up lights and comparing angles and figuring out why the sound isn’t recording right. An online session might offer a master class with Robert Elswit talking about composition. It would be fascinating. But it wouldn’t be the practical information you need right now as an aspiring filmmaker.

Make short films. Find little movies that are shooting in Florida and work on them for free. Take local classes in the things that interest you.

You’re 22 — you don’t have to have your whole life figured out. But you owe it to yourself to pursue every interesting thing with every bit of energy you have. And if you still find filmmaking is your number one passion, move to a place where they make movies. That’s Los Angeles, New York, and (recently, thanks to tax credits) Louisiana. Get yourself there and get hired on a movie. You’ll learn more your first week as a PA than you have so far in your online classes.

Read what Adam Davis wrote about his experience moving to LA to get started. It’s not easy, but it’s not overwhelming either. Every young actor you’ve seen on TV has moved to Los Angeles, and trust me, many of them aren’t that smart or confident.

Your parents are nervous because they don’t see a clear path ahead for you. My mom was the same way. But once I was here, working 16-hour days on a hundred different things, she could at least see that I’d found something that really engaged me. I was making things, even if I wasn’t making enough money to buy a bed.

It’s okay to struggle. It’s okay to have doubts. But don’t let them paralyze you. You don’t have much, but you have your youth. There are many folks reading this blog in their thirties or forties with a marriage and mortgage who don’t have options you have. Embrace your freedom and explore.

Writing while at a studio

Film Industry, QandA, Rights and Copyright

questionmarkI work at a major studio in town as an assistant. But the joke is that whatever I write is owned by the studio. It kind of freaked me out today and although I know you’re no lawyer, is that just something people say jokingly?

I could understand if I use a work computer, but does that mean even when I’m at home? Should writers not take assistant jobs at studios?

— Chris
Sherman Oaks, CA

Screenwriters have always been assistants, because studios are a great place to learn about the realities of the industry. And in the fifteen years I’ve been working, I’ve never heard of a situation where the studio claimed legal right to a screenplay an assistant had written.

Not saying it’s impossible, but it doesn’t happen as a matter of standard practice.

You’re right to use your own computer and your own time — and that would hold true even if you worked at a Chevy dealer. If the studio has you sign a document establishing that anything you write belongs to them, well, take that seriously. Consider looking for a different job.

In most cases, what’s more important than the legalities are the formalities. If you’ve written some scripts and are in the process of looking for an agent or manager, it’s custom to talk about it with your boss and let her read something if she asks to. Don’t use her contacts as your contacts; your networking should be with other assistants.

You’re looking to preserve a relationship, both with your boss and the studio. Be respectful, even deferential, and you’re unlikely to run into any problems.

Why the Netflix/WB deal isn’t a bad thing

Film Industry, Video

This afternoon, Netflix announced that it wouldn’t be shipping new releases from Warner Bros. until 28 days after street date. In exchange for this window, WB is giving better prices and — most crucially — deeper access to its library for Netflix’s streaming service.

The deal makes sense for Warners. Most DVDs are sold in the first month after release, so if they can turn rentals into sales, they come out ahead.

The deal makes sense for Netflix, too. They’re lowering one of their primary costs and getting more content for their Watch Instantly service. To their credit, they understand that the business of mailing DVDs will end. The future is streaming, and they’re increasingly well-positioned.

If you’re a Netflix subscriber who mostly watches new releases, this deal sucks.

Netflix will probably lose some customers in the near term, particularly as other studios cut similar deals. But they may gain more customers with a better streaming library. Netflix has a strange relationship with subscribers: they want to keep them happy but not too happy, since shipping each disc costs real money. My hunch is that the company has crunched the numbers and discovered that the folks who mostly rent new releases end up costing more to support.

If you’re a writer with a movie on home video, this is probably a good deal. You make residuals on DVD sales and streaming, not subscription rentals.

When Netflix ships a disc of Corpse Bride, I get nothing. When Netflix ships those bits over the internet, Warners gets paid, and I get a few cents. That’s good.