Last week, we shipped out 8,000 [Writer Emergency Packs](http://writeremergency.com) to our Kickstarter backers. The bulk of the packing happened in three days, so I set up a time-lapse camera to document the process.
Here’s [the finished video](http://youtu.be/FSYTA4bLo24).
You can read the full update about how we did it in the [Kickstarter update](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/913409803/writer-emergency-pack-helping-writers-get-unstuck/posts/1086118).
As part of their Creative Spark series, The Academy shot a video with me talking about my [creative process](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbngAEH5Lis&list=PLsruNZel-SDQj6OIG7M8uFzSGX6SMa3iS).
Man, I talk with my hands a lot. But overall, I’m happy with how the video turned out.
The [whole series](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsruNZel-SDQj6OIG7M8uFzSGX6SMa3iS) is terrific. As an Academy member, I love this increased focus on showing the process of filmmaking, and the faces that go with the names.
My hope is that videos like these not only inspire new filmmakers, but also help film fans appreciate how many talented craftspeople work to make their favorite films come to life.
Film Industry, Follow Up, Genres, QandA, Scriptnotes, Words on the page, Writer Emergency, Writer Emergency Pack
John and Craig look at the nature of fluke hits, everything from #alexfromtarget to huge spec sales. Is luck just luck, or is it about how often you play the game? Where does talent fit in?
We walk through a great breakdown of twist endings by Alec Worley, looking at how expectation both inside and outside of the story shapes the experience.
Then we answer a bunch of listener questions, on topics including using real-life locations, breaking up dialogue, and passing gracefully when you don’t like a project.
The Scriptnotes Holiday show is December 11th in Hollywood, featuring guests Aline Brosh McKenna, B.J. Novak, Jane Espenson and Derek Haas. Check the link below for tickets.
Links:
* Tickets to the Scriptnotes Holiday show are on sale tomorrow at the [Writers Guild Foundation website](https://www.wgfoundation.org)
* Big Fish: The Musical is now playing [at Musical Theatre West in Long Beach](http://www.musical.org/MusicalTheatreWest/bigfish2014.html)
* [Writer Emergency Pack](http://writeremergency.com) is going strong [on Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/913409803/writer-emergency-pack-helping-writers-get-unstuck)
* [The Five Types of Twist Endings](http://alecworley.weebly.com/blog/the-five-types-of-twist-ending) by Alec Worley
* [Alex from Target](http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/11/alex-from-target-fame.html)
* [Darius Kazemi’s XOXO talk](http://boingboing.net/2014/10/28/every-artists-how-i-made-i.html)
* [Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0465026567/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Douglas R. Hofstadter
* Screenwriting.io on [intermediary slugs](http://screenwriting.io/what-is-a-slug/)
* [Tim and Susan Have Matching Handguns](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgrjhtbQlOQ) by Joe Callander
* [Too Many Cooks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrGrOK8oZG8) by Casper Kelly, and [his interview in Entertainment Weekly](http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/11/07/adult-swim-too-many-cooks/)
* Get premium Scriptnotes access at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/) and hear our 1,000th subscriber special
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes editor Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_170.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_170.mp3).
**UPDATE 11-17-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-170-lotteries-lightning-strikes-and-twist-endings-transcript).
Emily Brewster of Merriam-Webster offers a cogent defense of “drive safe,” “take it easy” and other cases in which adverbs seem to be [missing their -ly ending](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7epnfcHy5SA):
It’s not simply a matter of do-what-you-want. These words really are adverbs, they just look like their related adjective forms. A good example is “near.” It’s an adjective, a preposition and adverb — even though there is also an -ly form.
It was a near miss. [adjective]
I work near the train station. [preposition]
The deadline draws near. [adverb]
Christmas is nearly here. [adverb]
They’re all related, but you can’t use them interchangeably.
Last night, Stuart corrected something I wrote in a Kickstarter update. Instead of “look close,” he suggested “look closely.” Both work, but there’s something I really love about the flat form.
Thanks to [Bryce Edmonds](https://twitter.com/noophlogic/status/531270951099301888) for the link.