John August

Transcribed

Big Screens, Big Money

Episode - 315

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Film Industry, Producers, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig offer a 101 on how movies make money at theaters, and why a 1948 Supreme Court case changed everything.

Then we look at two recent disruptions to the standard model: Movie Pass and Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky.

We also answer listener questions on waiting periods and creative rights.

Links:

* [The WGF 2nd Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament](https://www.wgfoundation.org/poker2017/) is on Friday, October 20th
* [Tuff Turf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuff_Turf) and [The Warriors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warriors_(film)) on Wikipedia
* USC’s [Peter Stark Producing Program](http://cinema.usc.edu/producing/index.cfm)
* [United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Paramount_Pictures,_Inc) on Wikipedia
* The [National Association of Theater Owners](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Association_of_Theatre_Owners) and [CinemaCon (formerly ShoWest)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Association_of_Theatre_Owners#CinemaCon_.28formerly_ShoWest.29) on Wikipedia
* The Wrap asks, [Is MoviePass’ $10 Monthly Subscription Deal Too Good to Be True?](http://www.thewrap.com/moviepass-too-good-to-be-true/)
* [With ‘Logan Lucky,’ Soderbergh Hopes to Change Film’s Business Model](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/business/media/with-logan-lucky-soderbergh-hopes-to-change-films-business-model.html?referer=https://t.co/iJtvadduKq?amp=1) from The New York Times
* [Party of One](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0804187983/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Dave Holmes
* [Hellblade](http://www.hellblade.com/), and [on Steam](http://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/414340/)
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_315.mp3).

**UPDATE 9-6-17:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2017/scriptnotes-ep-315-big-screens-big-money-transcript).

Unforgiven

Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot, Transcribed, Words on the page

Craig and John take a deep dive into 1992’s Unforgiven, looking at how the David Webb Peoples script works on the page and on the screen.

In the links below, you’ll find the PDF of the script we’re using. It’s also available in Weekend Read.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-30-17: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Well, It Worked in the 80s

Film Industry, QandA, Recycled, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed

John and Craig look at four films from the past and discuss how we could make them today.

Then we have more listener questions on internships and alternate jokes.

Next week is a deep dive on Unforgiven, so get to watching if you haven’t seen it recently.

Links:

* [Triskaidekaphobia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triskaidekaphobia) on Wikipedia
* Where to watch [Unforgiven](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/unforgiven) before next week’s deep dive
* [You Get Me](https://www.netflix.com/title/80155477) on Netflix
* [Romancing the Stone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romancing_the_Stone), [Ferris Bueller’s Day Off](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferris_Bueller%27s_Day_Off), [Rain Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_Man) and [Coming to America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_to_America) on Wikipedia
* [Watch Toad get struck by lightning](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0yKSNq-oLg) on YouTube
* [BuzzFeed News Trained A Computer To Search For Hidden Spy Planes. This Is What We Found.](https://www.buzzfeed.com/peteraldhous/hidden-spy-planes?utm_term=.dtAP3rMkDp#.hkG7aMKdQR)
* [The Maze of Games](http://www.lonesharkgames.com/maze/) by Mike Selinker
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Jonathan Mann ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_313.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-22-17:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2017/scriptnotes-ep-313-well-it-worked-in-the-80s-transcript).

The Magic Word Is In This Episode

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

Craig and John tackle a bunch of listener questions, along with follow-up on previous discussions.

Are road trip movies just a series of coincidences? How do you start the second draft? Should you mention screenwriting awards in a query?

Plus: a Redditor insists there is a secret password you have to write within a script for it to be purchased. After 311 episodes, the time has come. We reveal that magic word.

Links:

* [‘Chernobyl’ Miniseries Set By HBO & Sky](http://deadline.com/2017/07/hbo-sky-chernobyl-miniseries-starring-the-crown-jared-harris-tca-1202136735/)
* Carolyn Strauss on [Scriptnotes, 127](http://johnaugust.com/2014/women-and-pilots)
* [Big Fish The Musical starring Kelsey Grammer is on its way to London](https://www.theotherpalace.co.uk/whats-on/big-fish-the-musical)
* Scriptnotes, 310: [What’s in the WGA Deal](http://johnaugust.com/2017/whats-in-the-wga-deal)
* Scriptnotes, 309: [Logic and Gimmickry](http://johnaugust.com/2017/logic-and-gimmickry)
* A Reddit user asks: [Is there a secret password for success?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/6pu0px/is_there_a_secret_password_for_success/)
* [Every Three Hours](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X_XY-vWzKs&feature=youtu.be) on YouTube
* [Mouth Time with Reductress](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mouth-time-with-reductress/id1093619338?mt=2) on iTunes
* [The House of Da Vinci](http://www.thehouseofdavinci.com/)
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_312.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-14-17:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2017/scriptnotes-ep-312-the-magic-word-is-in-this-episode-transcript).