John August

Transcribed

Luck, sequels and bus money

Episode - 162

Go to Archive

Adaptation, Film Industry, Follow Up, Fountain, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, WGA

This week, Craig and John tackle listener questions.

Why do some giant books get crammed into a single movie, while others get split into multiple films? How do you write a movie if you can’t even get your computer fixed? What should a screenwriter do if, after nine years of trying, he still can’t catch a break?

We don’t always have simple answers, but at least we have t-shirts. The new batch is available for pre-order starting today, so don’t wait.

If you’re in Los Angeles, the only chance to see us live this fall is at the Slate Culture Gabfest on October 8th. Check the link for tickets below.

Links:

* New shirts are [available for pre-order now through September 30th in the John August Store](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* [Applause](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applause_(musical)), the All About Eve musical, on Wikipedia
* [Get tickets now](http://www.slate.com/live/la-culturefest.html) for October 8th’s live Slate Culture Gabfest with guests John and Craig
* [Fountain](http://fountain.io/) is a plain text markup language for screenwriting
* [WriterDuet](https://www.writerduet.com/)
* WGA [Low Budget Agreement](http://www.wga.org/uploadedFiles/writers_resources/LBAhandout.pdf)
* [Every Insanely Mystifying Paradox in Physics: A Complete List](http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/physics-paradoxes.html)
* [Gillette Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall](http://gillette.com/en-us/products/razor-blades/fusion-proglide-flexball-razors/fusion-proglide-manual-razor-with-flexball)
* Styptic pencils on [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E5QJC04/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antihemorrhagic)
* Leave us a comment [on iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/scriptnotes-podcast/id462495496?mt=2)
* 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 listener Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_162.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_162.mp3).

**UPDATE 9-19-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-162-luck-sequels-and-bus-money-transcript).

A Cheap Cut of Meat Soaked in Butter

Film Industry, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Words on the page, Writing Process

To celebrate the third anniversary of Scriptnotes, John and Craig invite Aline Brosh McKenna and her limitless analogies back to discuss box-office journalism, scene geography, emotional IQ and flipping the script.

It’s a jam-packed episode. In fact, there was so much we cut part of it out as a bonus Overtime show that will show up for premium subscribers later this week. In it, we make predictions, re-invent Spanx, and detail our love of D&D. If you want to sign up for the premium edition of Scriptnotes, head over to scriptnotes.net.

If we hit 1000 premium subscribers, we promise to do an NC-17 show that you should definitely not play in the car with your kids.

Tickets are available now for the Slate Culture Gabfest Live on October 8th. John and Craig will be guests, and it should be swell. Links below.

Links:

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 9-11-14: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

A Screenwriter’s Guide to the End of the World

Follow Up, Random Advice, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig spend the hour discussing the number one topic whenever screenwriters are done complaining about studio notes: the end of the world, and how to get ready for it.

From zombies to asteroids to plagues, we make so many movies and TV shows about the extinction of the human race. But why? What is it about the Death of Everything that is so appealing to writers, and how should we approach the genre when beginning on a new story? This is an episode about that.

We’re considering making new Scriptnotes t-shirts, but only if listeners really want them. Click over to [johnaugust.com](http://johnaugust.com) and vote.

Links:

* 2014’s WGA Candidate Night is [September 3rd](http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=5597)
* [Jaye P. Morgan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaye_P._Morgan) is still alive
* [Get tickets now](http://www.slate.com/live/la-culturefest.html) for October 8th’s live Slate Culture Gabfest with guests John and Craig
* [The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch](http://www.amazon.com/dp/159420523X/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Lewis Dartnell
* [Boxed Water](http://www.boxedwaterisbetter.com/) is better
* [Waze](https://www.waze.com/) gets you there with real-time help
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by [Orbit](http://www.orbitgum.com/) ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_160.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_160.mp3).

**UPDATE 9-4-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-160-a-screenwriters-guide-to-the-end-of-the-world-transcript).

The Mystery of the Disappearing Articles

Follow Up, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Words on the page

John and Craig take a look at four new entries in the Three Page Challenge, ranging from galactic drama to medieval comedy. Along the way, they talk about the nature of one-hour teasers, trust, plausibility, and how to properly address religious authorities.

Screenwriting is often described as a compressed form of writing, but one can take it too far. “The” and “a” are often useless articles — but you notice when they’re gone, as we did in one of the entries.

Links:

* John’s blog post [on trust](http://johnaugust.com/2014/on-trust-drama-and-corporations)
* [Less IMDb](http://quoteunquoteapps.com/less-imdb) is working again
* [Submit your Three Pages](http://johnaugust.com/threepage)
* Read this week’s pages on [Weekend Read](http://quoteunquoteapps.com/weekendread/)
* Three Pages by [Joseph Bodner](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/JosephBodner.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Lisa Mecham](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/LisaMecham.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Patrick McGinley](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/PatrickMcGinley.pdf)
* [Handling numbers in dialogue](http://screenwriting.io/how-should-you-handle-numbers-or-confusing-jargon-in-dialogue/) on screenwriting.io
* Three Pages by [Todd Bosley](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/ToddBosley.pdf)
* [@abone114](https://twitter.com/clmazin/status/502894592862060544) recommends [Sugru](http://sugru.com/) for fixing that thing
* Sugru on [Cool Tools](http://kk.org/cooltools/archives/4671)
* Please Like Me on [ABC](http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pleaselikeme/), [Pivot](http://www.pivot.tv/shows/please-like-me), and [iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/please-like-me-season-1/id671267950)
* [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_159.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_159.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-28-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-159-the-mystery-of-the-disappearing-articles-transcript).