John August

Transcribed

This Uncertain Age

Episode - 620

Go to Archive

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig investigate their anxiety and ask, why is the future so hard to predict right now? They discuss everything from what’s going at OpenAi, the upcoming elections, a new service that uses AI to generate script coverage, and muse about how to move forward in a time of unprecedented uncertainty.

We also follow up with two listeners who wrote in for advice, and answer new questions on composite characters, being inspired by reddit, and how to maintain a long running D&D group.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig freestyle the introduction to the upcoming Scriptnotes Book.

Links:

* [The Strange $55 Million Saga of a Netflix Series You’ll Never See](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/22/business/carl-rinsch-netflix-conquest.html) by John Carreyrou for the New York Times
* [Digital background actors in Disney’s Prom Pact](https://x.com/caiden_reed/status/1712403348597694692?s=20)
* [Sacking, revolt, return: how crisis at OpenAI over Sam Altman unfolded](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/25/how-crisis-openai-sam-altman-unfolded) by Dan Milmo for The Guardian
* [Alex Edelman: Just for Us](https://www.justforusshow.com/)
* [Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub](https://www.weber.com/US/en/accessories/smart-grilling/weber-connect-smart-grilling-hub/3201.html)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* Craig Mazin on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@clmazin) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/)
* John August on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@johnaugust), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/johnaugust)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Alex Winder ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli).

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/620standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 12-11-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-620-this-uncertain-age-transcript).

Comedy Episode

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John welcomes Jesse David Fox (Comedy Book, Good One) and Greg Iwinski (Last Week Tonight, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) to “explain the joke” and discuss how comedy works.

They explore everything from harnessing your comedic voice, building a career in comedy, the importance of diversity in late night, to fundamental questions about the art form: How do jokes work? Is laughter always the primary goal of a comedy? Do you need to put your work online? How has the algorithm changed our consumption of comedy? And where does comedy go from here?

In our bonus segment for premium members, Greg, Jesse and John talk about their shared love for The Simpsons. What makes it so funny, and how has it shaped a generation of comedy nerds?

Links:

* [Greg Iwinski](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8660569/) on [Twitter](https://x.com/garyJackson) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/garyjackson/)
* [Jesse David Fox](https://www.vulture.com/author/jesse-david-fox/) on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jessedavidfox/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JesseDavidFox)
* [Comedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture–and the Magic That Makes It Work](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374604721/comedybook) by Jesse David Fox
* [Good One: Podcast About Jokes](https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/good-one) by Jesse David Fox
* [Julia](https://www.max.com/shows/julia/9fab087a-73f8-4e08-b778-bd502697295e) on MAX
* [The Great Stewardess Rebellion](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/636297/the-great-stewardess-rebellion-by-nell-mcshane-wulfhart/) by Nell McShane Wulfhart
* [Everything You Want (ft. MUNA)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQvcDLUFaS8) – Matt Rogers, from his album [Have You Heard of Christmas?](https://shop.capitolmusic.com/collections/matt-rogers/products/matt-rogers-have-you-heard-of-christmas-lp)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* Craig Mazin on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@clmazin) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/)
* John August on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@johnaugust), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/johnaugust)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Jonathan Petkau ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli).

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/619standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-30-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-619-comedy-episode-transcript).

Monsters and You

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

Mad scientists John and Craig dissect monsters and how they function in the stories we tell. How do monsters differ from the average villain? What makes them tick? And how do you make them fascinating?

We also discuss how narratives are applied to real-life news, follow up on aphantasia and diabetes, and answer a listener question on characters in cosplay.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig fire up their dial-up modems to reminisce about the old internet.

Links:

* [Aaron Sorkin on This Cultural Life](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00161mc) from BBC Radio 4
* [Serious Trouble podcast](https://www.serioustrouble.show/podcast) from Josh Barro and Ken White
* [LEGO Titanic](https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/lego-titanic-10294)
* [Internet Artifacts](https://neal.fun/internet-artifacts/)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* Craig Mazin on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@clmazin) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/)
* John August on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@johnaugust), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/johnaugust)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt with help from Chris Csont and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli).

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/617standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-30-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-617-monsters-and-you-transcript).

The One with Neil Gaiman

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig welcome Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Good Omens) to discuss the serialized storytelling of comics and screenwriting. Using Neil’s script for issue 24 of The Sandman, they look at how comics are written, communicating with other artists, using the medium to your advantage, and finding unique ways to deliver your story.

Neil also shares how he developed his voice as a writer, from the origin of his religious and mythological curiosities to the importance of doing it wrong, defining style, and his advice to young writers.

In our bonus segment for premium members, Neil sticks around to talk with John and Craig about the projects we never got around to writing.

Links:

* [Neil Gaiman](https://www.neilgaiman.com/) on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/neilhimself/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/neilhimself)
* [Read Neil’s script for The Sandman #24](https://johnaugust.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Sandman-24-Neil-Gaiman.pdf)
* [Starfield](https://bethesda.net/en/game/starfield)
* [An American Puzzle: Fitting Race in a Box](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/16/us/census-race-ethnicity.html)
* [The Riddle of the Traveling Skull](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/90892.The_Riddle_of_the_Traveling_Skull) by [Harry Stephen Keeler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Stephen_Keeler)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* Craig Mazin on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@clmazin) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/)
* John August on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@johnaugust), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/johnaugust)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Owen Danoff ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli).

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/616standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-15-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-616-the-one-with-neil-gaiman-transcript).