Screenwriter and author John August

Sidecast: SAG-AFTRA on Strike

Episode - SC21

July 13, 2023 Scriptnotes, Sidecast, WGA

SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents all the film and television actors in the US, has announced that their members are going on strike. John and Drew look at what that means, what to expect, and how it will impact the ongoing writers strike.

Links:

* [SAG-AFTRA Strike Notice to Members](https://www.sagaftra.org/files/sa_documents/Strike%20Notice%20to%20Members.pdf)
* [A Message from the SAG-AFTRA President and Chief Negotiator](https://www.sagaftra.org/message-sag-aftra-president-and-chief-negotiator)
* [AMPTP Responds To SAG-AFTRA Strike](https://deadline.com/2023/07/actors-strike-studios-respond-sag-aftra-1235437389/) by Erik Pedersen for Deadline
* [Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/uploadedfiles/members/member_info/contract-2023/wga_proposals.pdf)
* [Updated picket hours and information](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations#west)
* [2023 WGA Strike Rules](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/strike-rules)
* [Strike Rules FAQ](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/strike-rules-faq)
* [Picket Schedules and Locations](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations)
* Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations [here at WGAContract2023.org](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/)
* John on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/johnaugust), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en) and [Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/SC21standard.mp3).

Advice for a New Staff Writer (Encore)

July 11, 2023 Scriptnotes

John welcomes Alison McDonald (Russian Doll, #BlackAF) and Ryan Knighton (In the Dark, Billions) to reveal the fundamentals and unspoken rules of working in a TV writers room.

How did they get the job? How much should new writers talk? What should you wear? How much money do you make? And what’s for lunch?

Our bonus segment is for everyone this week! John invites Ryan Knighton back to talk about travel writing and the mixed blessings of tourism.

Links:

* The original [Episode 368: Advice for a New Staff Writer](https://johnaugust.com/2018/advice-for-a-new-staff-writer)
* [Alison McDonald](http://www.alimcd.com/) on [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1037485/)
* [Ryan Knighton](https://twitter.com/ryanknighton) on Twitter
* [The Case Against Travel](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/the-case-against-travel) by Agnes Callard for The New Yorker
* [‘Designing Women’ Creator Goes Public With Les Moonves War: Not All Harassment Is Sexual](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/designing-women-creator-les-moonves-not-all-harassment-is-sexual-1142448), a guest column by Linda Bloodworth Thomason for the Hollywood Reporter
* [Succession](https://www.hbo.com/succession) on HBO
* [Be My Eyes](https://www.bemyeyes.com) app
* [UCB Training Center](https://ucbcomedy.com/trainingcenter/)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/) on Instagram
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli). Our intern is Halley Lamberson.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](https://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/368RB.mp3).

The original transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-368-advice-for-a-new-staff-writer-transcript).

Sidecast: Heroes and Villains (of the Strike)

July 6, 2023 Scriptnotes, Sidecast, WGA

A lot of people have been singled out as either heroes or villains of this writer’s strike, but does any individual deserve that title? John and Drew look at these narratives, the motivations behind them, and celebrate their own personal heroes of the strike.

Links:

* [David Zaslav Article Taken Down By GQ After Warner Bros. Discovery Raises Objections](https://deadline.com/2023/07/david-zaslav-article-taken-down-by-gq-warner-bros-discovery-1235430387/) by Dave Hayes for Variety
* [Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/uploadedfiles/members/member_info/contract-2023/wga_proposals.pdf)
* [Updated picket hours and information](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations#west)
* [2023 WGA Strike Rules](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/strike-rules)
* [Strike Rules FAQ](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/strike-rules-faq)
* [Picket Schedules and Locations](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations)
* Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations [here at WGAContract2023.org](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/)
* John on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/johnaugust), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en) and [Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/SC20standard.mp3).

Sidecast: Summer Schedule

June 23, 2023 Scriptnotes, Sidecast, WGA

With that hot summer sun comes new picketing hours from the WGA. John and Drew take a look at the new schedule and answer a listener question about YouTube content.

Links:

* [Updated picket hours and information](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations#west)
* [Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle – Griffith Observatory Scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF-tPvPAqhQ)
* [NDA with Dave Wiskus – What the Writers Strike Means For Creators (feat. John August)](https://youtu.be/ROjBaBAWU8E)
* [Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/uploadedfiles/members/member_info/contract-2023/wga_proposals.pdf)
* [2023 WGA Strike Rules](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/strike-rules)
* [Strike Rules FAQ](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/strike-rules-faq)
* [Picket Schedules and Locations](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations)
* Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations [here at WGAContract2023.org](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/)
* John on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/johnaugust), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en) and [Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/SC19standard.mp3).

« Previous Page