John August

QandA

Moving to Hollywood

Film Industry, QandA

My question involves networking.
I’m at the level where most of my trusted, objective readers agree I have a
legitimate shot, but I live far from Hollywood. Time and again I hear how important
it is to network to get one’s work in the hands of the industry players, but
I don’t have access, being so far away (DC). Do you have any good ideas about
how to make such connections apart from simply relocating to LA?

–Robert Remy

Unfortunately, I don’t have any brilliant suggestions. Outside of a few screenwriter-specific
competitions, such as the Nichols Fellowship or the Austin Film Festival’s
screenwriting awards, the kind of networking you’re talking about relies on
some face-to-face interaction, and that’s pretty much impossible if you’re
in the wrong city.

If you’re trying to make Hollywood movies, this may be the time to move to
LA. If it’s independent films you aspire to, you may find just as many opportunities
in New York, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco or other metropolitan cities. The
Baltimore/D.C. area does have a film community (we used a crew based there
for my television show), so it’s even possible you could make a movie right
where you live.

But I suspect it’s big movies you’re talking about, and big movies require
big money, which pretty much means LA. Some of the bigger screenwriters live
outside of Southern California, but most of them started their careers here
or in New York. If you’ve done everything you can in D.C., consider whether
you feel ready to make the move.

How many pages

Formatting, QandA

I have written a few short stories that turn out to be 5
or 10 minutes. Now I am currently in the middle of writing a full-length screenplay
and was wondering,
what is a good amount for a full length? I heard that there is an amount that,
if it is under, studios will not except it. Is that true, and if so,
what is that amount?

–Ross

Most of the time, you’ll hear 120 pages, which is a good rule of thumb. Honestly,
a script could be anywhere from 100 to 145 pages and still be a reasonable-length
movie, but the majority of scripts that go into production fall between 110
and 120 pages. That’s generally what I aim for.

I thought it was Hollywood urban legend, but Warner Bros. actually has in
their screenwriter contract that a feature-length screenplay can’t come in
at more than 120 pages. I suspect they made an exception for the recent Harry
Potter movie, which based its running time, probably weighed in at more than
140 pages.

9/11 – the movie

QandA

Do you foresee a market for some kind of human interest
story with September 11 as a backdrop, or will this "day of infamy" be
completely off limits?

–Robert Baker

As many people have pointed out, both Pearl Harbor and the Titanic were real-life
tragedies before they became blockbusters, so never say never. But I’d be surprised
if any major movie deals directly with the World Trade Center attack, at least
in the near future.

The biggest difference between what happened in New York and what happened
in Pearl Harbor or on the Titanic is that every American actually saw the planes
smashing into the towers. Because of television, we all watched as the buildings
fell, and knew we were watching thousands of people die in front of us. We’re
all traumatized witnesses. Personally, I can’t imagine trying to re-create
that horror, since it’s so indelibly marked on all of us.

You’re more likely to see movies that deal with the perimeter of the event:
either inspirational stories about people coping with loss, or dramas focusing
on the hijackers’ lives within the U.S. I’m certain there are interesting and
worthy movies to make that involve some of the events of September 11. The
challenge is to find compelling stories that don’t simply milk the tragedy.

Using copyrighted material in a short

QandA, Rights and Copyright

I’m a screenwriting student at The University of Texas. Several
classmates of mine have obtained representation, and gone on to sell scripts,
by writing
shorts that other classmates made and showed at festivals and special alumni
screenings. I’ve written and made one of my own, but it includes a total of
twenty seconds of copyrighted footage taken from three major motion pictures.
I don’t have permission to use any of the footage, but I don’t want to cut
it unless I have absolutely no other choice. If I have no intention to sell
my short, or win money at festivals, and only intend it to get someone to look
at my other work, do I have to cut the 20 seconds?

–Scott

First off, I’m a big believer in copyright, without which the American film
industry could never exist. Copyright law allows companies to feel secure investing
millions of dollars in movies, knowing that if someone tries to steal the finished
product, the U.S. and other governments will step in.

That said, just do it. Especially with a short film, the consequences for
trampling someone else’s copyright are not that dire. Since you’re a student,
and probably broke, it’s not like 20th Century Fox is going to sue you for
your life’s savings.

A friend of mine wrote the short film ERNEST
AND BERTRAM, which was a very
funny version of THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, featuring Ernie and Bert from Sesame
Street. Children’s Television Workshop (CTW), the makers of Sesame Street,
went ballistic, largely because it portrayed Ernie and Bert as closeted gay
lovers.

Long story short, the film played at a bunch of film festivals, and got good
notice for the filmmakers, who eventually had to sign something with CTW that
promised the movie would never be publicly exhibited again. Which is a shame,
because it’s very good. But everyone knew going in that there was a risk, and
it was definitely worth it.

Copyright-wise, that’s pretty much the worst-case scenario for a short film.
So I say try it. Just make the best short you can.