John August

Transcribed

We’re all Disney princesses now

Episode - 62

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News, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Videogames

John and Craig discuss the big movie news of the week: Disney buying Lucasfilm, and with it, the rights to Star Wars.

Everyone’s already talked about what it means for fans and stock prices, but what does it mean for screenwriters? It could lead to new jobs creating extensions to the Star Wars universe — both in film and television — but does the reliance on giant brands make it harder to create the next culturally-defining franchise?

On the topic of new old things, John has his first-ever videogame coming out tomorrow on Xbox: Karateka, a reinvention of Jordan Mechner’s seminal fighting game from the 1980s. He talks about the challenges of making an indie game and what his role was as an executive producer.

From there, we answer listener questions. Is it okay to love your own writing? How young is too young to write a screenplay? What can be done about a 212 page script? And what does “going out wide” with a spec script really mean?

All this and more in episode 62 of Scriptnotes.

Special thanks to everyone who’s rated us and left comments in iTunes. They help new users find us, so if you haven’t left one recently, drop us a line.

LINKS:

* [Disney buys Star Wars](http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118061434)
* The [original Karateka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karateka_(video_game))
* [Karateka](http://karateka.com) launches Nov. 7 on Xbox
* [Letterpress](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/letterpress-word-game/id526619424?mt=8) game for iOS
* [Screenshot](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/johnvcraig.jpg) of John beating Craig in Letterpress
* [Red Cross](https://www.redcross.org/donate/index.jsp?donateStep=2&itemId=prod10002&utm_source=Disney_DayofGiving&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=Sandy) donations to Hurricane Sandy relief
* [Scriptnotes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/scriptnotes-podcast/id462495496) on iTunes
* INTRO: [Card Sharks theme song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDugzjCJP6Y)
* OUTRO: [Star Wars Call Me Maybe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBM7i84BThE)

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_62.m4a).

**UPDATE** 11-9-12: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2012/scriptnotes-ep-62-were-all-disney-princesses-now-transcript).

Alt-universe panels

Follow Up, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Words on the page

Craig and John ret-con the Austin Film Festival, placing themselves on panels in which they didn’t participate. It’s a chance to give the answers they would have given without the bother of being asked (or listening to other people’s opinions).

For example, Terry Rossio’s seminar on “The Throw” — his term for how you end a scene — was presumably terrific. We didn’t attend, but it’s fun to spitball what we would have said about this interesting and under-discussed aspect of screenwriting.

Other topics discussed this week include:

* Setiquette
* Kyle Killen’s secret shower
* Videogame storytelling
* Amazon Studios
* Pilots vs. presentations

Happy Halloween, everyone. Stay safe and dry.

LINKS:

* [Marti Noxon](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0637497/)
* [Kyle Killen](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3189831/)
* John’s [pitch and outline](http://johnaugust.com/library#dc) for D.C.
* [Amazon Studios panel write-up](http://johnaugust.com/2012/amazon-studios-at-aff)
* [Popcorn Fiction panel write-up](http://www.moveablefest.com/moveable_fest/2012/10/popcorn-fiction-derek-haas.html)
* [Terry Rossio](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0744429/)
* INTRO: [I Dream of Jeannie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwpH_IYg0N8)
* OUTRO: [I Want to Be Evil](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS02GeKuWQ4), by Eartha Kitt

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_61.m4a).

**UPDATE** 11-2-12: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2012/scriptnotes-ep-61-alt-universe-panels-transcript).

The Black List, and a stack of scenes

QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

Recording live at the Austin Film Festival, John and Craig take a look at The Black List’s pivot to a paid site, and what it means for screenwriters and the industry. Black List creator Franklin Leonard joins us for questions and criticism.

Next, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada, We Bought a Zoo) joins us to talk about the difference between Movie Stories and A Stack of Scenes. She stays with us to answer live questions from the audience.

Big thanks to both of our guests — our first ones ever — and to AFF for hosting the event. We had a blast, and hope to do more live events in the future.

LINKS:

* [Austin Film Festival](http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/)
* [The Black List](http://blcklst.com/)
* [Aline Brosh McKenna](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0112459/) on IMDb
* [screenwriting.io](http://screenwriting.io/)
* [The Man Repeller](http://www.manrepeller.com) blog
* INTRO: [Walker, Texas Ranger](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKmJ-xD_Xt0) opening
* OUTRO: [The Yellow Rose of Texas](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LArGlfEVYqM)

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_60.m4a).

**UPDATE** 10-25-12: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2012/scriptnotes-ep-60-the-black-list-and-a-stack-of-scenes-transcript).

Plot holes, and the myth of perseveraversity

QandA, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed

John and Craig discuss Frankenweenie and Superhero! before cracking open the mailbox to answer listener questions: What advice would they give to their younger selves? Is a spec with a similar high-concept premise doomed? Should Australian screenwriters use U.S. spelling conventions?

Then, a discussion of what constitutes a plot hole and to what degree screenwriters are to blame.

After that, two new Three Page Challenge entries. We’ve received more than 500 of these, which is crazy.

All this and what to name an Amanda Peet character in this week’s Scriptnotes. Next week, join us for the the first-ever Scriptnotes Live podcast from the Austin Film Festival.

LINKS:

* John’s [Frankenweenie thoughts](http://johnaugust.com/2012/some-first-thoughts-on-fifth)
* Craig’s [Superhero!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superhero_Movie) movie
* [Movie Plot Holes](http://www.movieplotholes.com)
* John on [the perils of coincidence](http://johnaugust.com/2007/perils-of-coincidence)
* Three pages by [Greg from Liechtenstein](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/greg_l.pdf)
* Three pages by [Vance Kotrla](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/vance_kotrla.pdf)
* [Kindle Paperwhite](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OZNZG0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007OZNZG0&linkCode=as2&tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* [Nogales, Arizona](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nogales,_Arizona) on Wikipedia
* INTRO: [PBS Intro](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCuqlLq1k7o)
* OUTRO: [There is No Arizona](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUSN3_3vhYs) covered by Mishavonna

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_59.m4a).

**UPDATE** 10-19-12: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2012/scriptnotes-ep-59-plot-holes-and-the-myth-of-perseveraversity-transcript).