John August

Transcribed

The Story This Was Based On

Episode - 525

Go to Archive

HWTBAM, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig invite investigative reporter Zeke Faux (Bloomberg) for a new round of How Would This Be A Movie. They cover stories ranging from the secret history of sushi to fake Scottish rappers. Zeke shares what it’s like to option an article to Hollywood and tricks for getting noticed by producers.

In follow-up, we get a romantic update from Oops and answer a listener question on whether it’s worth watching prior adaptations of a given work.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we ask: what are the remaining distinctions between writing for Hollywood and writing for magazines?

Links:

* [Scriptnotes Hoodies](https://cottonbureau.com/products/scriptnotes-tri-blend-zip-hoodie#/12684369/sweatshirt-unisex-zip-up-hoodie-solid-black-tri-blend-xs) order by November 18 in time for the Holidays!
* [Veterans in Media and Entertainment](https://vmeconnect.org/)
* [Movie Pass is Back!](https://www.businessinsider.com/moviepass-cofounder-stacy-spikes-buys-back-company-and-plans-relaunch-2021-11)
* [339 – Mostly Terrible People](https://johnaugust.com/2018/mostly-terrible-people) sign up for the full episode at Scriptnotes.net
* [Zeke Faux](https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/AP5w7epl1Xo/zeke-faux) and on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ZekeFaux)!
* [How Thieves Stole $40 Million of Copper by Spray-Painting Rocks](https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2021-painted-rocks-copper-heist/?cmpid=BBD062921_MKT) By Andy Hoffman and Benedikt Kammel
* [Secret History of Sushi](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/11/05/magazine/sushi-us.html) by Daniel Fromson with illustrations by Igor Bastidas for the NYT
* [The Migrant Laborers Who Clean Up after Disasters](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/11/08/the-migrant-workers-who-follow-climate-disasters) by Sarah Stillman for the New Yorker
* [‘The story of a weird world I was warned never to tell’](https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-42951788) by Sarah McDermott for the BBC
* Silibill N’ Brains: [Meet the Two Scottish Rappers Who Conned the World](https://www.vice.com/en/article/rknaa6/meet-the-two-scottish-rappers-who-conned-the-world) by Tom Seymour for Vice and [Fake It Till You Make It: The Great Hip Hop Hoax](https://www.dontdiewondering.com/fake-it-till-you-make-it-the-great-hip-hop-hoax/) by Samuel on DDW Magazine
* [Inevitable Foundation](https://inevitable.foundation/)
* [Friendsgiving Miry’s List](https://give.miryslist.org/campaign/2021-friendsgiving-with-mirys-list/c373800)
* [Jasmila Žbanić](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasmila_%C5%BDbani%C4%87), [Quo Vadis, Aida?](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8633462/) and [#Craigana](https://images.app.goo.gl/5K3sehZMad1pVjWSA)
* [Roam Research](https://roamresearch.com/)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Ryan Gerber ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by [Megana Rao](https://twitter.com/MeganaRao) 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/525standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 12-1-21** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2021/scriptnotes-episode-525-the-story-this-was-based-on-transcript).

A Screenwriter’s Guide to Bullshitting

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig offer guidance on how to navigate an industry built on embellishment, vamping, and saving face. Did you really love that movie? Have you even started that rewrite? In many cases, the truth matters less than your confident delivery.

We also answer listener questions on story consultants, how to describe a puffin call, and the experience of seeing our scenes on screen.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John presses Craig on what young people should do instead of attending college.

Links:

* [Dune already made $41M](https://observer.com/2021/10/dune-is-getting-a-sequel-but-how-did-it-really-perform-lets-check-the-data/)
* [Spy Magzine](https://www.vulture.com/2011/02/spy_magazine_google_books.html)
* [Clean Up Pictures](https://cleanup.pictures)
* [Use Live Text and Visual Look Up on your iPhone](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212630)
* [Jack Thorne’s James Mactaggart Lecture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaxwlpbJbbg)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Henry Adler ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by [Megana Rao](https://twitter.com/MeganaRao) 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/523standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-9-21** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2021/scriptnotes-episode-523-transcript).

Blindspots and Natural Structures

News, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig check character blindspots, looking at how ‘over-security’ drives characters to humor and heartbreak. We also discuss natural structure: how certain events (weddings, sports, school) can create narrative scaffolding.

The death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust has the industry talking about safety. Craig explains the protocols for guns on sets, while John urges decision-makers not to overfocus on the blanks-versus-vfx debate. More crew members die driving home from sets than on them.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we discuss work-life balance and the myths of time management.

Links:

* [Rust Movie Set Shooting](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/21/us/alec-baldwin-shooting-rust-movie.html)
* [Netflix to Change How It Measures a Title’s Viewers Post-‘Squid Game’](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-change-public-viewer-reporting-1235033741/)
* [There Is No Such Thing as Bragging Too Much About a Kidney Donation](https://slate.com/technology/2021/10/bad-art-friend-kidney-crisis-donation-altruism.amp)
* [Episode 480, The Wedding Episode](https://johnaugust.com/2020/the-wedding-episode)
* [The Premise by BJ Novak](https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-premise)
* [College Degrees are Overrated](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/18/opinion/college-degrees-employers.html)
* [What is the Financial Value of my Degree?](https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/7583742/)
* [Kids These Days: The Making of Millennials](https://www.amazon.com/Kids-These-Days-Making-Millennials/) by Malcolm Harris (not the Kids are Alright!)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Andrew Ryan ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by [Megana Rao](https://twitter.com/MeganaRao) 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/522standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-8-21** The transcript for this episode can now be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2021/scriptnotes-episode-522-blindspots-and-natural-structure-transcript).

Action Density

News, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig talk action! They examine iconic scenes in classic movies to illustrate the relationship between intensity and density on the page.

We also host a Three Page Challenge: Spooky Edition, our segment that invites listeners to submit writing samples for critique. This week we’re specifically looking at thrilling and chilling scenes. We follow up on the IATSE vote and negotiations.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we talk scary movies, things that scared us as kids, and what’s continued to haunt us.

Links:

* [Hollywood Strike Averted As IATSE & AMPTP Reach Deal On New Film & TV Contract](https://deadline.com/2021/10/hollywood-strike-averted-iatse-amptp-reach-agreement-on-new-film-tv-contract-1234850563/)
* [Learned League](https://www.learnedleague.com/thorsten/whatis.php)
* [Learned League’s Classic Action Scenes](https://johnaugust.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Untitled-document.pdf)–play along with Craig!
* [Fractal Forest](https://johnaugust.com/index.php?gf-download=2021%2F10%2FFractal-Forest-3-Page-Challenge.pdf&form-id=1&field-id=4&hash=09ef60e375578582dcaf52e8f9abc7c61c3157fd593804d7ac3406965b747fdf) by Nicholas Nyhof
* [The Other Side of Night](https://johnaugust.com/index.php?gf-download=2021%2F10%2FEllen-Apswoude-The-Other-Side-of-Night-Three-Page-Challenge.pdf&form-id=1&field-id=4&hash=0ad0aadf23eb71cd8ef81f83e1610df5b0a502f1d92ec36c8f80417a66f79f03) by Ellen Apswoude
* [Big Evil](https://johnaugust.com/index.php?gf-download=2021%2F10%2FBig-Evil-Three-Page-Challenge.pdf&form-id=1&field-id=4&hash=7b50f3984902b4c0662a6dc94ab68a7670d3e4f814932d3682929318f8a0e742) by Lance Baughman
* Thanks to all our participants and our selected writers. You can submit your three pages [here](https://johnaugust.com/threepage) to be considered!
* [Way Too Interested podcast by Gavin Purcell](https://waytoointerested.com/)
* Respect your local school board! Also enjoy this [SNL sketch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2dj59Db1C4).
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by [Megana Rao](https://twitter.com/MeganaRao) 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/521standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 10-31-21** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2021/scriptnotes-episode-521-action-density-transcript).