JOHN ARNAU
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​Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Aliso Viejo, California (in Orange County)
 
Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel?
I wrote Jimi, Janis and Jim Must Die as I believe Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison were murdered by President Nixon.  He did this to kill off the 60s counterculture movement, win the drug war against the hippies, and silence critics of the Vietnam War.  Since I see all of the scenes and characters in my head visually, writing a screenplay seemed more appropriate, when compared to a novel.  The story is too long (102 pages) to be a short story.
 
How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN?
Off and on, I have been working on Jimi, Janis and Jim Must Die for about three years.  Regarding my writing process for a new screenplay, I outline the entire story in my head.  I then determine the beginning and the end.  That’s when I start writing.  I also want the freedom to discover the characters along the way without predetermining their thoughts and actions.  When my writing is going well, it almost seems like the characters themselves are telling me what to write.
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
I think Martin Scorcese should direct Jimi, Janis and Jim Must Die – he would be the perfect director for this screenplay!  Casino and Good Fellas were really big influences for me.
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
One of my favorite movies of all time is Love Story (from 1970), directed by Arthur Hiller.  It is a great example of being able to “show don’t tell”.  There is an incredible amount of character development for the two main characters with only a minimal use of dialogue.  As I write more screenplays and gain more experience, I hopefully will be able to follow this excellent example.  The classic 30-minute Twilight Zone episodes are also another wonderful example of how to write an excellent story with a strong beginning, middle and end (i.e., often with a surprise ending) and building excellent characters in a very limited period of time.
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
The classic 30-minute Twilight Zone episodes.  They still hold up so well, because they are incredibly well written!
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? 
Write an original story that has wonderful surprises along the way.  When I sit down to watch a movie on television, as an audience member, I am always drawn to well written original stories, because I love the emotional journey of not knowing what is going to happen next.
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
Right now, I am focused on getting as much great coverage as I can for Jimi, Janis and Jim Must Die, from screenwriters who are more experienced than myself, in order to substantially improve the screenplay via revised drafts.  I did receive excellent coverage/notes from the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards (SBISA).  Like so many writers, I am on a slender budget, so I really appreciate that SBISA gave me such great coverage at a very reasonable price.