Transcribed

Only haters hate rom-coms

Episode - 225

November 24, 2015 Follow Up, Genres, QandA, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed

John and Craig talk romantic comedies with screenwriter Tess Morris, whose film Man Up is unapologetically part of the genre.

We discuss what distinguishes rom-coms from other comedies, and why they get singled out for disdain and death-of articles.

Also this week: Amazon Storywriter, overused dicks, and follow-up on Whiplash.

Links:

Buy your tickets now for the 2015 Scriptnotes Holiday Show on December 9th with guests Riki Lindhome, Natasha Leggero and Malcolm Spellman
Jon Bon Jovi on Wikipedia
Amazon Storywriter and Fountain
Scriptnotes, 224: Whiplash, on paper and on screen
Tess Morris on IMDb and Twitter, and Man Up on Wikipedia and Rotten Tomatoes
Why Are Romantic Comedies So Bad? by Christopher Orr
CinemaBlend’s 30 Best Romantic Comedies Of All-Time
The New Yorker on Nick Bostrom
Wait But Why on The Fermi Paradox
Fallout 4, and on Amazon
The Vista Theatre
Outro by Jon Spurney (send us yours!)

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-27-15: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Whiplash, on paper and on screen

November 17, 2015 Directors, Follow Up, Formatting, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Words on the page

John and Craig take an in-depth look at two scenes in Damien Chazelle’s WHIPLASH to see how conflicts were structured — and what changed from script to shooting.

In follow-up, we discuss the myth vs. reality of Zola, and what we mean by a character having agency.

We’re having a live holiday show in Los Angeles! It’s December 9th in Hollywood, with special guests Riki Lindhome, Natasha Leggero and Malcolm Spellman. Tickets will sell out, so be sure to click the links below.

Links:

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-20-15: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Confusing, Unlikable and On-The-Nose

November 10, 2015 Adaptation, Follow Up, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig look at some of the least helpful notes screenwriters receive, and strategies for dealing with them.

Then it’s a look at novelists who adapt their own books into screenplays, and the pros and cons involved.

In the premium feed over at scriptnotes.net, you’ll find two bonus episodes: the live Three Page Challenge from Austin 2015, and my interview with The Martian screenwriter Drew Goddard for the Writers Guild Foundation.

Links:

The Austin Film Festival
Sign up for a premium subscription at scriptnotes.net for access to bonus episodes, like this week’s 2015 Austin Three Page Challenge and John’s interview with Drew Goddard
Man Up on Wikipedia and Apple Trailers, and writer Tess Morris on IMDb and Twitter
2015 Nicholl Screenwriting Awards: Andrew Friedhof on YouTube
Follow John’s progress on his NaNoWriMo profile
Los Angeles Times on Melissa Mathison
Against Subtlety from Slate
Herman Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener on Project Gutenberg, and the interactive, annotated version from Slate
The Room Three from Fireproof Games
Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-13-15: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Live from Austin 2015

November 3, 2015 Film Industry, Follow Up, News, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Travel

Craig and John return to the Austin Film Festival for a supersize live show with guests Nicole Perlman and Steve Zissis.

We talk with Nicole about what’s changed in her life after the breakout success of Guardians of the Galaxy, and how she juggles multiple projects.

Steve Zissis tells us how he transitioned from waiter to co-creator of HBO’s Togetherness, and the unusual origin of the show.

Then all four of us play How Would This Be a Movie, looking at #Zola’s adventure, the runaway blimp and the lonely death of George Bell.

Plus audience questions!

Our thanks to the Austin Film Festival for hosting us, and our terrific audience.

The Austin Film Festival
The Monty Hall problem on Wikipedia
Nicole Perlman on IMDb and Twitter, and on Scriptnotes, 164
Steve Zissis on IMDb and Twitter
Togetherness on HBO and Wikipedia
Papermag on The Harrowing Twitter Odyssey of @_zolarmoon
The Baltimore Sun on the rogue JLENS blimp
The Lonely Death of George Bell, from The New York Times
Variety on Nicole Perlman and Challenger
Marty on Wikipedia
Glif tripod phone mount
Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age at the London Science Museum
The Man Who Planted Trees, on Wikipedia and Netflix DVD
Thync
Intro/Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-6-15: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

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