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I live in Paris now

September 3, 2016 Arlo Finch, International, News

Two weeks ago, my family and I moved to Paris. We’ll be here for about a year.

I’m not here for work, or to escape this [nightmare of an election][election]. Rather, this sojourn has been in the planning stages for several years, going all the way to back to a [screenwriters trip][filmfrance] organized by Film France back in 2009. My daughter is attending sixth grade here. We’ll head back to Los Angeles for seventh.

While I’m here, I’ll be writing [Arlo Finch][arlo]. And we’ll still be doing [Scriptnotes][scriptnotes]. We recorded a new episode this week. I think we’ll be able to keep up with our normal weekly schedule.

The biggest adjustment so far has been learning how to navigate Paris as an inhabitant rather than a visitor. For example, setting up a French checking account is a nightmare, but it’s a prerequisite for almost everything else (phone plans, electricity, transit passes). Paris busses are remarkably handy in ways I never considered as a tourist. We don’t have a car, but so far that’s been a plus.

Ex-pat American writers living in Paris is a complete cliché, so I won’t be blogging or [tweeting][twitter] about it much. If you want to see what I’m doing during my days, I’m an active user of Instagram stories. So [follow me on Instagram] if you want to see lots of pictures of kids carrying baguettes and dogs in restaurants.

[filmfrance]: http://johnaugust.com/2008/france-finished

[election]: http://fivethirtyeight.com

[arlo]: http://johnaugust.com/2016/i-wrote-a-book

[scriptnotes]: http://johnaugust.com/scriptnotes

[twitter]: http://twitter.com/johnaugust

: http://instagram.com/johnaugust

Don’t Think Twice

Episode - 261

Go to Archive

August 2, 2016 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:

* [Don’t Think Twice](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dont_think_twice/) on Rotten Tomatoes
* [Angela Duckworth](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/jobs/graduating-and-looking-for-your-passion-just-be-patient.html) New York Times Op-Ed
* [Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/629.Zen_and_the_Art_of_Motorcycle_Maintenance) on Good Reads
* [Frank Oz](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000568/) on IMDB
* [Episode 99: Psychotherapy for Screenwriters](http://johnaugust.com/2013/psychotherapy-for-screenwriters)
* [FING](https://www.fingbox.com/download)
* [Landmark Theatres](https://www.landmarktheatres.com/los-angeles/the-landmark)
* [Music Box Theatre](http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [Mike Birbiglia](https://twitter.com/birbigs) on Twitter
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Matt Davis ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/Episode_261.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-5-16:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2016/scriptnotes-ep-261-dont-think-twice-transcript).

Anthrax, Amnesia and Atomic Veterans

July 26, 2016 Books, Follow Up, Meta, News, QandA, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot

John and Craig implore screenwriters to think twice before using the phrase “begs the question.” We know it’s a losing battle, but if we learned anything from 300, sometimes those are still worth having.

We then dive into one of our favorite features, How Would This Be a Movie, looking at listener-suggested stories about anthrax, amnesia and atomic veterans.

Links:

* [Arlo Finch](http://arlofinch.tumblr.com/) on TUMBLR
* [Duly Noted: Let’s Talk about Episode 259](http://johnaugust.com/2016/duly-noted-lets-talk-about-episode-259)
* [Craig’s One Cool PI Thing](https://www.quora.com/Do-irrational-numbers-like-pi-disprove-humanity-being-a-simulation)
* [Latif Ullah’s Cut of Overboard](https://vimeo.com/174891455)
* [Begging the Question](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question)
* [Begging the Question Fallacy](http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/begging-the-question.html)
* [Trip Gabriel](http://nytimes.com/2016/07/17/opinion/sunday/the-day-that-went-missing.html?_r=0)
* [Oliver Sacks](http://www.oliversacks.com/)
* [The Answer to the Riddle Is Me: A Memoir of Amnesia](https://www.amazon.com/Answer-Riddle-Me-Memoir-Amnesia/dp/0547519273) on Amazon
* [Tom Hallman, Jr.](http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2016/07/the_fight_continues_for_vetera.html)
* [Clyde Haberman](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/30/us/veterans-of-atomic-test-blasts-no-warning-and-late-amends.html?_r=1)
* [2001 Anthrax Attacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks)
* [Bruce Edward Ivins](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Edwards_Ivins)
* [macOS Sierra](http://www.apple.com/macos/sierra-preview/)
* [Phased](https://vimeo.com/173472729) by Joe Capra
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter

* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/Episode_260.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-1-16:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2016/scriptnotes-ep-260-anthrax-amnesia-and-atomic-veterans-transcript).

I wrote a book.

July 20, 2016 Arlo Finch, Author, Books, News

I’m not sure how many screenplays I’ve written. At least 30. Maybe 50.

I have [ten produced credits][imdb], so that means a lot of unmade movies. As much as I love screenwriting, it’s like being the architect for a bunch of buildings that may never get built. Screenplays are transitional documents, plans for making the “real” thing.

Novels, however, *are* the real things. Even if they’re later adapated into movies or TV shows, the books themselves are finished works. They’re permanent in a way screenplays could never be.

So in between other projects, I decided to write one. And now it’s [getting published][quote].

Here’s the key bit from the press release:

> Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, has signed a 3-book deal for a new middle grade series by award-winning screenwriter John August, who counts Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Go among his credits.

> In the first book in the series, Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire, set to be published in early 2018, readers are introduced to Arlo Finch, a young boy who joins a mountain scouting troop and discovers that his fellow campers are not just training in outdoor survival—they are also learning to harness the wild magic that lies deep within the forest. Through treacherous adventures and close calls, Arlo is awakened to his unique destiny and the foundations of the Rangers’ Vow: loyalty, bravery, kindness, and truth.

As a screenwriter who frequently gets sent these kinds of books to adapt, it’s been fascinating to see the other side of the business. I’m asking a ton of questions. I’ll be sharing what I learn here and elsewhere.

Since middle grade fiction readers are not the core demo of this site, I’ve also set up a Tumblr at [arlofin.ch][tumblr] that’s just about the book — and is more kid-and-parent friendly.

If you’re curious about the behind-the-scenes of writing and producing the series, I’ll be starting a sporadic newsletter with updates and sneak peeks along the way. More details soon.

Huge thanks to Jodi Reamer, my agent at Writers House, and my editor Connie Hsu for making this happen. It’s going to be a busy couple of years, but I’m looking forward to the journey ahead.

[imdb]: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0041864
[quote]: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bookmark/big-fish-screenwriter-john-august-912543
[tumblr]: http://arlofin.ch

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