John August

Three Page Challenge

Ugly children and cigarettes

Episode - 88

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Film Industry, Formatting, QandA, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Television, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed

Has a statistician cracked the code on successful screenplay formulas? John and Craig cast a skeptical eye at a New York Times article on Vinny Bruzzese, who claims to have done exactly that.

But is the real story Bruzzese’s numbers game, or a general misunderstanding of how the film industry actually operates?

From there, we answer several reader questions before diving in on a new batch of Three Page Challenges.

LINKS:

* [Turning the Page: Storytelling in the Digital Age](http://www.oscars.org/events-exhibitions/events/2013/05/turning-page.html) at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater
* [Solving Equation of a Hit Film Script, With Data](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/06/business/media/solving-equation-of-a-hit-film-script-with-data.html?hp&_r=0) by Brooks Barnes
* Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s [Black swan theory](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_swan_theory) on Wikipedia
* Screenwriting.io on [multicamera script format](http://screenwriting.io/how-are-multicamera-tv-scripts-formatted/)
* Three Pages by [Sue Morris](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/SueMorris.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Robin Peters](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/RobinPeters.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Kevin Pinkerton](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/KevinPinkerton.pdf)
* [FilmCraft Screenwriting](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0240824865/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Tim Grierson on Amazon
* OUTRO: Thompson Twins’ [Doctor Doctor covered by Danny McEvoy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpHAgyUKn-0)

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_88.m4a).

**UPDATE** 5-10-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-88-ugly-children-and-cigarettes-transcript).

Another Time and Place

Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig discuss the odd dislocation writers experience when writing movies in coffeeshops and windowless offices. We’re literally “someplace else” with our characters, but learning how to work in less-than-ideal circumstances is part of the screenwriter’s trade.

Then it’s another round of Three Page Challenges, wherein we wrestle with the question of why “two months earlier” keeps cropping up. Whatever the reason: stop it.

LINKS:

* [RIP Michael France](http://www.tampabay.com/news/obituaries/michael-france-screenwriter-and-beach-theatre-owner-dies/2115065)
* Mitchell and Webb’s [Working from home](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_DNpTMKXk) sketch
* How to [submit your Three Pages](http://johnaugust.com/threepage)
* Three Pages by [Charlie Lyons](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/CharlieLyons.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Lisa Scott](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/LisaScott.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Kevin Graham-Caso](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/KevinGrahamCaso.pdf)
* [Ulysses III](http://www.ulyssesapp.com/) for Mac
* That Mitchell and Webb Look [BBC Two site](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0092s71) and [on Hulu](http://www.hulu.com/that-mitchell-and-webb-look)
* Mitchell and Webb’s [Homeopathic Emergency Department](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0), [Angel Summoner and the BMX Bandit](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbzUfV3_JIA) and [Write This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sifESist1KY) sketches
* OUTRO: [Beatboxing Inspector Gadget Flute Remix](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59ZX5qdIEB0)

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_85.m4a).

**UPDATE** 4-21-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-85-another-time-and-place-transcript).

God doesn’t need addresses

Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed

Craig is sick and John is in the middle of tech rehearsals, but nothing will stop them from discussing another batch of Three Page Challenges.

This week we look at four entries, including one that Craig likes so much he can’t wait to read the whole script. It’s an episode chock full of sex, prayers, early-morning beers and Aztecs.

LINKS:

* How to [submit your three pages](http://johnaugust.com/threepage)
* Three pages by [Justin Adams](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/JustinAdams.pdf)
* Three pages by [Ben W.](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/BenW.pdf)
* Three pages by [Abigail Blackmore](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/AbigailBlackmore.pdf)
* Three pages by [Ed Stahr](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/EdStahr.pdf)
* The [Tesla Motors Forum](http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/forumdisplay.php/47-Tesla-Motors-Forum) and the very helpful [FlasherZ](http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/member.php/9819-FlasherZ)
* [Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0544002695/?tag=johnaugustcom-20), by Viktor Mayer-Schonberger & Kenneth Cukier
* Mitchell & Webb’s [Grammar Nazi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3y0CD2CoCs) sketch
* OUTRO: [Fell on Your Head](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7QiR2Go0Lg) by Francis and the Lights from Robot & Frank

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_82.m4a).

**UPDATE** 3-29-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-82-god-doesnt-need-addresses-transcript).

Rigorous, structured daydreaming

How-To, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Writing Process

Craig and John take a look at an old post that found new life this week when it got picked up on Twitter and Reddit. We go beyond the bullet points to look at the process of writing a scene, from asking the basic questions to getting the words on the page.

1. What needs to happen in this scene?
2. What’s the worst that would happen if this scene were omitted?
3. Who needs to be in the scene?
4. Where could the scene take place?
5. What’s the most surprising thing that could happen in the scene?
6. Is this a long scene or a short scene?
7. Brainstorm three different ways it could begin.
8. Play it on the screen in your head.
9. Write a scribble version.
10. Write the full scene.
11. Repeat 200 times.

Through this lens, we look at three new entries in the Three Page Challenge.

LINKS:

* [@RyanRivard](https://twitter.com/RyanRivard)’s How to write a scene [graphic](https://twitter.com/johnaugust/status/306566727867711489/photo/1)
* The [Reddit post](http://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/19ehyv/for_fellow_aspiring_screenwriters_how_to_write_a/)
* The [original 2007 blog post](http://johnaugust.com/2007/write-scene)
* Three pages by [Josh Golden](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/JoshGolden.pdf)
* Three pages by [Kate Powers](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/KatePowers.pdf)
* Three pages by [Andre McGee](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/AndreMcGee.pdf)
* How to [submit your three pages](http://johnaugust.com/threepage)
* [Waking Mars](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/waking-mars/id462397814?mt=8) for iOS
* Homeland on [Amazon Instant](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008QTV3X0/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) and [Blu-ray](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LAJ17M/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* OUTRO: [New York (Daviglio cover)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz6QsE1dhfU)

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_79.m4a).

**UPDATE** 3-8-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-79-rigorous-structured-daydreaming-transcript).