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John and Craig examine why and how writers need to make bad things happen to their characters, and the ways in which hero suffering differs between features and television.

We also answer listener questions about WGA jurisdiction, becoming a signatory, timing a script for television, and why all scripts aren’t available online.

Then in our bonus segment for premium members, John and Megana discuss why she picked this episode to replay, what she’s learned from the archives, and how to follow up on a general meeting.

Links:

• The Team America: World Police puke scene, with some bad language
• The opening of Finding Nemo
• Aslan’s sacrifice in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
• Can We Stop Suicides? by Moises Velasquez-Manoff for the New York Times
• The environment in Red Dead Redemption 2
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• John August on Twitter
• John on Instagram
• Outro by Michael O’Konis (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli. And special thanks to Megan McDonnell, the original producer of this episode!

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-13-21 The transcript for this episode can be found here.

John and Craig discuss preproduction, with Craig sharing how he’s prepping for an entire season of television. From costumes to casting, we look at the showrunner’s decisions beyond just the words in the script.

Then it’s another round of How Would This Be A Movie, with further analysis on why certain movies get made.

Finally in our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig debate what information belongs on a time traveller’s cheat sheet.

Links:

• Zola Movie discussed in our HWTBAM segment on Episode 222.
• The Criminals Thought the Devices Were Secure. But the Seller Was the F.B.I.
• 1,000-Word Job Listing for a “Household Manager/Cook/Nanny and follow up An Interview With the Woman Who Wrote the Viral 1,000-Word Job Listing for a “Household Manager/Cook/Nanny from Ruth Graham on Slate.
• Couple breaks up after being handcuffed together for 123 days
• Must I really indulge my ‘psychic’ sister-in-law?
• Decoder Ring: The Tootsie Shot
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• John August on Twitter
• Liz Hannah on Twitter
• John on Instagram
• Outro by Michael Karman (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 7-15-21 the transcript for this episode can be found here.