John and Craig discuss the craft of constructing beginnings: what they consider when writing the first line of a script and how opening scenes have evolved with audience expectations.
We also investigate a question from former producer Stuart Friedel and dive into the history of foreign levies. We then make predictions on the future of movie-going by analyzing the history of megaplexes.
Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members we look at cliches versus conventions.
Links:
- WGA Parental Leave begins May 2!
- Learn more about foreign levies
- 99 Percent Invisible Podcast Episode: The Megaplex
- We’ve Outgrown the Ugly Duckling Transformation by Mina Le on Youtube
- TV Tropes – Vampires
- Listener Guide Submissions send in your favorite episodes from 300-500!
- Check out the Screenwriting Life Podcast and this episode with John!
- Upstep – the review is positive!
- Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
- Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
- John August on Twitter
- Craig Mazin on Twitter
- John on Instagram
- Outro by Peter Hoopes (send us yours!)
- Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli.
Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
You can download the episode here.
UPDATE 3-26-2021 The transcript for this episode is now available here.