Video: John August
The screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Aladdin shares insights into his creative process.
The screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Aladdin shares insights into his creative process.
A few years back, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences ran a terrific series of video interviews called Creative Spark. Here is one featuring John August (Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie’s Angels, Frankenweenie, Aladdin).
John advocates the use of a white board. I second that. I use it all the time with my students when discussing their stories. For example:
Using a white board can help make connections between characters and plot, and — as John suggests — “put together a jigsaw puzzle” which is a screenplay.
In addition to his screenwriting, John offers two excellent resources about the craft. The first is his blog which he began in 2004: JohnAugust.com. The second is the the podcast Scriptnotes he co-hosts with Craig Mazin.