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Three Page Challenge

The New One with Mike Birbiglia

Episode - 427

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November 19, 2019 Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed

John and Craig welcome back writer/comedian Mike Birbiglia (Sleepwalk with Me, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend) to discuss his one-man show “The New One.” When writing about yourself, how much has to be true? What responsibilities do you have to friends and loved ones?

Then it’s a new round of the Three Page Challenge, where we look at the first three pages in listeners’ scripts. We also address Akiva Schaffer’s concerns on movie screeners and try our first-ever bonus segment after the credits.

Links:

  • Three Page Challenge – F.T.S. by Danielle Motley
  • Three Page Challenge – Dunked by John Bickerstaff
  • Buy tickets to our live show with guests Kevin Feige, Lorene Scafaria, Shoshannah Stern, and Josh Feldman on December 12th at the LA Film School here.
  • Join us or livestream the Assistant Townhall this Sunday, November 24th
  • Spleeter open source music separation library
  • Brains Sweep Themselves Clean Of Toxins During Sleep by Jon Hamilton
  • Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
  • Support local! Books are Magic
  • Mike Birbiglia on Twitter
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli
  • Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 12-1-19: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Getting Staffed

March 5, 2019 Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, WGA

John and Craig proudly welcome back former Scriptnotes producer Megan McDonnell to tell her journey from film student to getting staffed on her first television show.

We then review a batch of Three Page Challenge submissions, covering how to keep your audience engaged, build tension, and earn interesting characters. Plus, follow up on the WGA and recent Bones ruling.

Thank you to our Three Page Challenge participants, and special thanks to Megan McDonnell for all of your work on Scriptnotes!

Links:

  • The Bones Decision
  • The Peter Stark Program
  • Three Pages by Christopher Cramer
  • Three Pages by David Koutsouridis
  • Three Pages by Carrie Wong and Herman Ming
  • Megan’s Desk Setup
  • Light Up Phone Charger
  • Russian doll starring Natasha Lyonne
  • Submit to the Three Page Challenge here
  • Submit to the Pitch Session here
  • T-shirts are available here! We’ve got new designs, including Colored Revisions, Karateka, and Highland2.
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Scriptnotes Digital Seasons are also now available!
  • Outro The Stuart Special by James Llonch & Jim Bond (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 3-8-19: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Austin 2018 Three Page Challenge

November 13, 2018 Producers, QandA, Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Words on the page

John and Craig review three new Three Page Challenge entries with the help of Lindsay Doran (producer of Stranger Than Fiction, Sense and Sensibility, Nanny McPhee, Dead Again) and Jewerl Ross (manager and founder of Silent R Management). They then invite the writers up to discuss the notes, including the importance of geography, setting up relationships, and the danger in feeding kittens to sharks.

We also answer listener questions about “emotional math,” breaking rules, the evolution of screenwriting and trying to be clever, but failing.

Thanks to the Austin Film Festival for hosting us and to our brave participants!

Links:

  • Tickets are on sale for the Holiday Live Show!
  • Thank you for joining us, Lindsay Doran and Jewerl Ross!
  • Lindsay Doran’s Ted Talk is also great.
  • The Three Pages
  • On Writing Well by William Zinsser
  • T-shirts are available here! We’ve got new designs, including Colored Revisions, Karateka, and Highland2.
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Scriptnotes Digital Seasons are also now available!
  • Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 11-28-18: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Two Things at the Same Time

October 2, 2018 Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Words on the page

John and Craig look into simultaneity and how to visually articulate two things happening at once with the temporally-limited medium of written word.

We also explore how simultaneity can ramp up tension, fracture narrative and play with expectations. Then we apply what we’ve discussed to three new entries in the Three Page Challenge.

Links:

  • Become a premium subscriber in time for our bonus Q&A episode. Submit your questions here.
  • T-shirts are available here! We’ve got new designs, including Colored Revisions, Karateka, and Highland2.
  • Three Pages by Angelique Gross
  • Three Pages by Yohannes Ashenafi
  • Three Pages by J. Gordon
  • Mark Rober’s video, “How to Beat Any Escape Room”
  • iOS 12’s password handoff feature
  • Inneresting, a new John August newsletter. You can subscribe here.
  • The USB drives!
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Scriptnotes Digital Seasons are also now available!
  • Outro by Rajesh Naroth (send us yours!).

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 10-11-18: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

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