John August

Indie

The One with the Indie Producer

Episode - 343

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Film Industry, Indie, Producers, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John welcomes independent producer Keith Calder to discuss what a producer actually does, how financing and distribution strategies have changed with streaming, and how to approach film festivals as a filmmaker.

We also answer a listener question about which career path to take after being laid-off: climb the Hollywood ladder or bootstrap and just make films.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 4-2-18: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Call Me by Your Name

Adaptation, Directors, Film Industry, Indie, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Aline welcome Peter Spears, producer of Call Me by Your Name, to discuss how the film came to be, from optioning the novel through its long development and multiple roadblocks.

Through the lens of Call Me by Your Name, we discuss the difficulties of preproduction for an indie film, the process of securing book rights, the opportunities that adaptation presents, and what this movie means in the Hollywood landscape.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 2-6-18: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Don’t Think Twice

Follow Up, Indie, Meta, News, QandA, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot

Craig and guest host Mike Birbiglia discuss Mike’s new film, Don’t Think Twice, a comedy about life as an improv performer. The two explore the current state of independent film and the challenges facing aspiring filmmakers.

Craig and Mike also answer listener questions, including one on assassinating a fictional president.

Links:

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-5-16: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

From Debussy to VOD

Film Industry, Follow Up, Indie, Psych 101, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig talk about what screenwriters can learn from the structure of classical music, then invite journalist Scott Tobias on to discuss how day-and-date video-on-demand releases make it hard to know how indie films are doing, individually and as a group.

We also talk about the future of the Three Page Challenge, Reboots vs. Remakes, and how everyone in Hollywood is just a little bit off.

Links:

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 6-12-14: The transcript of this episode can be found here.