John August

Transcribed

Long movies, producer credits and price-fixing

Episode - 98

Go to Archive

Film Industry, Producers, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed

John and Craig discuss the Apple ebook price-fixing lawsuit and its lessons for Hollywood, before segueing to the new credits system for producers. Then: Have movies gotten too long, and would making them shorter really save money?

T-shirts. If you ordered one, you should probably have it by now. So if it’s not in your hands, email Stuart at [orders@johnaugust.com](mailto:orders@johnaugust.com) to investigate.

There was confusion about the Golden Ticket. If you got a card saying, “This is the Golden Ticket!” then you have the Golden Ticket. If not, you just have a lovely card with your shirt.

There will probably be a standby line for the Live 100th episode on July 25th in Hollywood. Follow [@johnaugust](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) or [@clmazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter for details.

LINKS:

* [TidBITS](http://tidbits.com/article/13912) on the Apple eBooks price fixing suit, and [Fortune](http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/10/apple-ebook-verdict-appeal/)’s article on the same
* [The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/business/media/new-designation-signifies-i-was-really-a-producer-of-this-film.html?_r=1&) on the PGA’s new mark, and the [PGA](http://www.producersguild.org/blogpost/923036/164597/The-Producers-Mark–What-it-means-where-it-comes-from-and-how-you-can-get-it) on what it is and how you get it
* [Why are Hollywood movies so long?](http://priceonomics.com/why-are-hollywood-movies-so-long/)
* [Velib](http://en.velib.paris.fr/) bike sharing in Paris
* Tesla [battery swap](http://www.teslamotors.com/batteryswap) is worth watching
* [Send us](mailto:ask@johnaugust.com) a link to your downloadable Scriptnotes outro
* Outro by Scriptnotes listener Matthew Chilelli

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_98.m4a).

**UPDATE** 7-19-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-98-long-movies-producer-credits-and-price-fixing-transcript).

Is 15 the new 30?

Film Industry, News, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed, WGA, Words on the page

Have first acts gotten shorter, or does it just feel that way? John and Craig discuss the pressure on screenwriters to “get to it” faster, and why that’s often the wrong goal.

From there, we talk about the WGA’s annual numbers, which paint an improving picture for TV writers — but more bad news for the feature folk. Finally, we discuss the fight over THE BUTLER, and the degree to which studios can protect titles.

Do you make music? If you want to record us a great outro, we’ll be featuring some on upcoming episodes. Entries should feature the basic Scriptnotes melody (C3-E-D-B-C4) or its minor cousin, but otherwise it’s wide open except for, you know, don’t use copyrighted material. Send a link to ask@johnaugust.com pointing to an mp3 or other sound file we can hear. It’s an expo, not a competition, so have fun.

If you want to share the Scriptnotes love, don’t forget to leave us a rating on iTunes.

LINKS:

* The live [100th episode](http://www.oscars.org/events-exhibitions/events/2013/07/script-notes.html) is sold out!
* WGA’s [2013 Annual Financial Report](http://www.wga.org/uploadedFiles/who_we_are/annual_reports/annualreport13.pdf)
* [John’s 2011 blog post](http://johnaugust.com/2011/you-cant-copyright-titles) on copyrighting movie titles
* [You got served: Weinstein fighting for ‘The Butler’ title](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/goldstandard/la-et-mn-butler-name-change-20130703,0,6660171.story) from the LA Times
* [The Hero’s Journey](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZxs_jGN7Pg&feature=player_embedded) by Glove and Boots
* [Popehat.com](http://www.popehat.com/) and their [posts on Prenda Law](http://www.popehat.com/tag/prenda-law/)

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_97.m4a).

**UPDATE** 7-12-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-97-is-15-the-new-30-transcript).

Three Page Challenge, Live Edition

Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed

John and Craig have done quite a few Three Page Challenges over the last 90-or-so episodes, but never with the writers themselves present. In this episode, everything changes.

Recorded live at the Writers Guild Foundation’s Craft Day, we talk empty claws and doe-eyed paranoia with four young screenwriters brave enough to not only send in their pages, but have them critiqued in front of a live audience. It was a fun session, and included live audience questions.

LINKS:

* [Writers Guild Foundation](https://www.wgfoundation.org)
* [Three Page Challenge packet](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/live_threepagers_final.pdf)

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_96.m4a).

**UPDATE** 7-6-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-96-three-page-challenge-live-edition-transcript).

Notes on the death of the film industry

Film Industry, Producers, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig discuss the death of the film industry as foretold by four prominent filmmakers. Is the way we make movies unsustainable? Is the system fundamentally broken, or just changing into something new? And why don’t we make romantic comedies anymore?

A big thanks to everyone who bought Scriptnotes t-shirts. They ship starting July 1st, which is coincidentally the date tickets for the live 100th episode taping will go on sale.

This Saturday, June 29th, Craig and John will be part of the Writers Guild Foundation Craft Day, doing a live Three Page Challenge. Join us! Tickets available in the links.

LINKS:

* The Writers Guild Foundation presents [The Screenwriter’s Craft: Finding Your Voice](https://www.wgfoundation.org/screenwriting-events/the-screenwriters-craft-finding-your-voice/) featuring Scriptnotes Live
* John’s blog post on [this summer’s two live shows](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-live-in-la)
* [Why Spielberg And Lucas Are Wrong About The Film Industry ‘Implosion’](http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/06/20/why-spielberg-and-lucas-are-wrong-about-the-film-industry-implosion/)
* [Independent Film in Hollywood and France](http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/2013/06/the-ingredients-for-a-healthy-cinema.html)
* Watch [Steven Soderbergh’s ‘State of Cinema’ address from the San Francisco Film Festival](http://www.indiewire.com/article/watch-full-video-recording-of-steven-soderberghs-impassioned-state-of-cinema-address-from-the-san-francisco-film-festival)
* [Lynda Obst: Hollywood’s completely broken](http://www.salon.com/2013/06/15/lynda_obst_hollywoods_completely_broken/)
* [Cicada Mania](http://www.cicadamania.com/) is dedicated to cicadas
* [Feedbin](https://feedbin.me/): A fast, simple RSS feed reader
* [RSS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS) on Wikipedia

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_95.m4a).

**UPDATE** 6-28-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-95-notes-on-the-death-of-the-film-industry-transcript).