John August

Follow Up

How I Became…on NPR

Books, Follow Up, Projects

I [tweeted it](https://twitter.com/johnaugust/status/4035360659) while it was happening, but if you missed it, author Steve Hely gave [an interview](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112883759) on NPR’s Fresh Air this afternoon. He’s the writer of How I Became a Famous Novelist, [the book I optioned](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/how-i-became-a-famous-novelist) a few months ago and hope to make my next movie to write and direct.

As it happens, I’m in New York and had breakfast with Steve this morning. He’s working long hours as a writer on 30 Rock. He spilled no secrets about the new season, but when pressed for details about how they break such dense stories I got this much out of him: colored markers.

Steve’s novel is very funny and [worth a read](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802170609?ie=UTF8&tag=johnaugustcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802170609). I’m just starting to figure out the movie version. Today’s conversation was about Boston, the BooXpo and where to place the disastrous wedding that motivates a large part of the plot.

Popcorn Fiction

Follow Up, The Variant

Back when I released [The Variant](http://johnaugust.com/variant), I mentioned that it was originally written to be part of an oft-delayed anthology of screenwriters-writing-fiction.

On Friday, that anthology emerged as [Popcorn Fiction](http://popcornfiction.com), with its first story penned by the estimable Scott Frank. Featuring murder, sex and trapeze artists, “The Flying Kreisslers” is a great read.

Popcorn Fiction should have a new story up every two-to-four weeks. I’ll be writing one of the future installments, a tale much shorter than The Variant.

Challenge results

Challenge, Follow Up, Genres

[Scene Challenge]Oh, so *that’s* why I don’t do these more often.

There were 145 entries for the [Superheroic Scene Challenge](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge), and some of them were looooong. Printed out, they totaled 406 pages. Going side-by-side shrunk it to a still-ridiculous 203.

My assistant Matt and I read every one. We have a lot of honorable mentions.

Favorite hero names include [Trilobyte](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172335), [Mighty Mandi](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172325), [The Level](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172412), [Harico Ver](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172298), and [The Endurist](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172301).

I enjoyed seeing the wide range of possible interpretations on villain Brickhouse. Given the name, there were a slew of German/Austrian variants, but it was nice to see the occasional [Victorian spin](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172410), the [blaxpoitation vixen](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172320), and the villain who could [become the entire building](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172419). (Appropriately, his nemesis was Breckin Wall, a.k.a. Wreckin’ Ball.)

The challenge was to write an action scene, so I couldn’t give the gold medal to entries that were more talk than walk. But I enjoyed the non-action of this [diner conversation](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172385), this [con game](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172327), and this [riff on nanotechnology and bio-bots](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172418).

And you can’t get more non-action than an excellent [Buddhist superhero](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172415).

Finally, there were some that made the short list. Nima (he made Scrippets!) combined [robots with a Buffy-esque heroine](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172406). The Divide combined [robots with golems](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172279). Chip Street [kept the action tight](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172317), as did [Bill K.](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172401). Ryan Jackson explored the implications of [Dora’s magic backpack](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172330), while DougJ went the [teddy bear route](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172402).

The winner actually came quite early in the stack: [#7 by Spenturion](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/superheroic-scene-challenge#comment-172275), in which hero Azure battles Brickhouse while coaching a group of pre-teens in proper quips. It’s light on action, but keeps a nice tempo. And it’s short, which is no small victory.

EXT. CITY MUSEUM OF UBIQUITIES – NIGHT

Our hero, AZURE stands patiently waiting on the large marble front steps. Dressed in bright blue body kevlar and donning a pair of goggles on his head.

Around him stand three boys ages 9-13: a FAT BOY, a SHORT BOY and a NERDY BOY. They are all wearing matching blue t-shirts, and a cheap knock-off goggles.

AZURE

All right. Brickhouse is going to be coming through that door at any moment.

Right on cue, CRASH!

BRICKHOUSE comes tumbling through a solid brick wall, about 15 yards from the door. He stands tall, at about eight feet and built like his namesake implies.

He’s carrying a golden jeweled STAFF in his right hand. It looks like a pencil proportionately.

AZURE (CONT’D)

Remember what we talked about?

FAT BOY

Open the fight with witty banter.

AZURE

That’s right. Ok, I’ll take him on, you guys do like we practiced.

Brickhouse lets out a deep bellied laugh, and begins to run toward the group. He runs like a toddler, throwing his weight in to it with no fear, ready to topple at any moment.

BRICKHOUSE

Azure? God you’ve let yourself go. You a camp counselor?

Azure takes off running towards the man, at an impossible speed.

SHORT BOY

(overconfident)

That’s what she said.

Azure takes a flying leap, landing on the oaf’s back. He grips Brickhouse by the hair and begins PUNCHING him in the face.

AZURE

(between punches)

That’s not really so much banter... more importantly it didn’t make sense.

BRICKHOUSE

Get off of me!

Brickhouse tries to swat him away like a fly, all the while still barrelling towards the group of boys. Azure covers Brickhouse’s eyes.

FAT BOY

You’re momma’s so fat--

The short boy stops mid sentence as Brickhouse TRIPS, launching himself and Azure along with him, in to the air.

What follows is nothing short of beautiful: 600 pounds of muscle hits the ground, hard, tearing through the marble of the steps like tissue.

Azure rides the man like a surfboard.

They end up too close for comfort for the costumed boys, who all take a few steps back.

AZURE

We went over this!

Brickhouse struggles as he’s pinned down.

SHORT BOY

The bigger they are--

AZURE

(scolding)

Don’t even finish that...

BRICKHOUSE

(holds up staff)

Do you know what this is? I’ve got the Staff of Ptelomy! Do you know how long I’ve waited to get my hands on this staff?

SHORT BOY

That’s what she said!

AZURE

Better! Still not what I’m after.

BRICKHOUSE

How do you put up with this?

FAT BOY

You better put up or shut up!

AZURE

Again, not making sense.

The Nerdy boy begins to speak up, but cuts himself short and takes a step back.

Azure catches this and makes direct eye contact, punching Brickhouse instinctually.

AZURE (CONT’D)

Come on... you can do it. Can’t be much worse than what we’ve had so far.

NERDY

When we’re done with you, they’ll call you Pile-of-bricks.

AZURE

Finally.

WHACK! Azure lands a final heavy punch.

Brickhouse is beyond limp.

Azure grabs Brickhouse and THROWS him in to a nearby lightpole.

The metal pole bends around his weight and collapses. Azure approaches, takes the bar and wraps it around Brickhouse’s body, forming an impromptu straight jacket.

Red and blue lights flash as tires screech to a halt nearby.

Out of the eyesight from the children, Azure drops his heroic facade and lights up a cigarette.

BRICKHOUSE

What a bunch of wash-ups. How’d you get stuck training wannabes?

AZURE

Court ordered. I might have destroyed an orphanage fighting Gigantathorn.

BRICKHOUSE

I hate orphans.

Congrats to Spenturion, and to all the entrants for making the Best Challenge Ever. The next one will be limited to three sentences.

Cablevision and the Supreme Court

Film Industry, Follow Up, Television

In January, I wrote about [Cablevision and the Infinite TiVo](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/cablevision-and-the-infinite-tivo), a plan by a cable operator to shift recording of TV shows from users’ boxes to a central server:

> Cablevision wants to offer DVR as a service instead of a device. Rather than recording 30 Rock on the box attached to your TV, the show will be recorded at Cablevision’s headquarters. Then, when you want to watch it, Cablevision will send the show to your television. If it works right, it should feel just like a normal DVR. Only without the cost of the DVR.

I thought it sounded great if you were a consumer, or Cablevision. And pretty damn bad if you were a copyright holder, or someone who produced content. Like, say, a screenwriter.

> Cablevision’s RS-DVR is back-door video-on-demand. They’re trying to offer the networks’ output to their customers on their own terms, without paying any additional fees.

The U.S. Supreme Court disagrees. Sort of.

Today, it [refused to hear an appeal](http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090629-711145.html) on the Cablevision case, allowing the Second Circuit Court’s decision to stand. Cablevision can begin introducing its service.

In a brief to the Supreme Court, the U.S. Solicitor General’s office had already urged the Court to skip this case, [rather than risk bad precedents:](http://www.techlawjournal.com/topstories/2009/20090529.asp)

> Network-based technologies for copying and replaying television programming raise potentially significant questions, but this case does not provide a suitable occasion for this Court to address them.

> The parties’ stipulations, moreover, have removed two critical issues — contributory infringement and fair use — from this case. That artificial truncation of the possible grounds for decision would make this case an unsuitable vehicle for clarifying the proper application of copyright principles to technologies like the one at issue here.

If Cablevision’s service really is *exactly* analogous to a conventional DVR — a giant farm with one hard drive per customer, recording shows only a time-forward basis (no reaching back to record last week’s 30 Rock) — then it’s pretty easy to use the metaphor of a very long hard drive cable. A different case, or a more ambitious service, would offer a better venue for figuring out what role a middleman can play in offering content to consumers.

I don’t think consumers really want a virtual DVR. They want content. They want to watch whichever TV show they want, whenever they want it. And they should be able to.

As I said in my first article:

> The studios should then negotiate with Cablevision and all the other cable and satellite providers to roll out a system that calls this service what it really is: video-on-demand. A consumer should be able to watch (or record in their home) an episode when it’s first broadcast, or get it through VOD for a fee. That fee should be low, cheap enough to make it an appealing alternative to piracy.