John August

Film Industry

The One with Stephen Schiff

Episode - 337

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Film Industry, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot, Television, Transcribed, Writing Process

John is joined by The Americans’ executive producer Stephen Schiff at a live Scriptnotes taping in New York! They discuss grounding an outrageous premise in character, suspension of disbelief, premium act breaks, and writing for a foreign language.

We also answer audience questions about New York writers rooms, expert consultants, expecting comparisons, first drafts, and how to write a period piece when history is full of spoilers.

Links:

* [Stephen Schiff](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0771496/) currently works on [The Americans](http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-americans). Its final season premieres on March 28th.
* Thank you, [McNally Jackson Independent Booksellers](http://www.mcnallyjackson.com/event/scriptnotes-live-podcast-recording-author-john-august) for hosting our live show!
* [Google Ngram Viewer](https://books.google.com/ngrams)
* Bookstore staff recommendations, which led John to [The End We Start From](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0802126898/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Megan Hunter
* [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 Matthew Chilelli ([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_337.mp3).

**UPDATE 2-20-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-337-the-one-with-stephen-schiff-transcript).

The Next 117 Pages

Film Industry, Los Angeles, QandA, Scriptnotes, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig talk about everything that comes after the oft-discussed First Three Pages, speculating on the kinds of issues they’d spot if they were looking at full scripts.

They also answer listener questions on topics ranging from proper spacing protocol to novelists rewriting their screenplay adaptations.

This episode originally aired on November 27, 2012.

Links:

* Scriptnotes T-shirts are [available](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast) for one more week, including some old favorite styles, like [Gold Standard](https://cottonbureau.com/products/scriptnotes-gold-standard) and [Midnight Blue](https://cottonbureau.com/products/scriptnotes-midnight-blue)!
* You can catch John at one of his [book tour stops](http://read.macmillan.com/mcpg/arlo-finch/), or listen to [Launch](http://wondery.fm/launch) to keep up with him on the road.
* [“The exception that proves the rule”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule) on Wikipedia
* Stuart’s post, [Learning from the Three Page Challenge](http://johnaugust.com/2012/learning-from-the-three-page-challenge)
* [Brining](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brining)
* [Cook’s Illustrated](http://www.cooksillustrated.com/)
* [Ticket to Ride](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ticket-to-ride/id432504470?mt=8) for iOS
* [German-style board games](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-style_board_game) on Wikipedia
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive) are available!
* [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/)
* INTRO: [Folger’s “Peter Comes Home for Christmas”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4kNl7cQdcU)
* OUTRO: [Train Song](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/train-song/id303463575?i=303463582) by Feist and Ben Gibbard on iTunes

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_65_rebroadcast.mp3).

Call Me by Your Name

Adaptation, Directors, Film Industry, Indie, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Aline welcome Peter Spears, producer of Call Me by Your Name, to discuss how the film came to be, from optioning the novel through its long development and multiple roadblocks.

Through the lens of Call Me by Your Name, we discuss the difficulties of preproduction for an indie film, the process of securing book rights, the opportunities that adaptation presents, and what this movie means in the Hollywood landscape.

Links:

* Thanks to [Peter Spears](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817379/) for joining us!
* Read the Call Me by Your Name [script](http://sonyclassics.com/awards-information/screenplays/callmebyyourname_screenplay-20171206.pdf), watch the [movie](http://sonyclassics.com/callmebyyourname/) and read the [book](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1250169445/?tag=johnaugustcom-20).
* Subscribe to Launch at [http://wondery.fm/launch](http://wondery.fm/launch) or wherever you listen to podcasts.
* You can preorder Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire and read an excerpt [here](http://read.macmillan.com/mcpg/arlo-finch/). Also, John’s book tour dates are [available](http://johnaugust.com/arlo-finch), if you want to say hi!
* [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
* [Aline Brosh McKenna](https://twitter.com/alinebmckenna) on Twitter
* [Peter Spears](https://twitter.com/pjspears) 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 Hunter Christensen ([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_336.mp3).

**UPDATE 2-6-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-336-call-me-by-your-name-transcript).

Worst Case Scenarios

Adaptation, Directors, Film Industry, Follow Up, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, WGA

John and Craig ponder worst case scenarios that might usher the end of screenwriting as we know it. What are the odds that screenwriters lose work because an economic crash keeps movies from getting made? That screenwriting gets outsourced? That human screenwriters are replaced by AI? That film as a medium gets replaced? That the WGA falls apart?

We also answer listener questions about communicating with actors and waiting on optioned IP to get produced.

Links:

* [Wonder](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543472/), adapted from RJ Palacio’s [book](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0375869026/?tag=johnaugustcom-20), references many brands. So does [“Making Things Up Again”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_gN6JlIJAA) from [The Book of Mormon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Mormon_(musical)).
* The [USS Callister](https://www.netflix.com/watch/80131567?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C0%2C00fdc079-caa8-4bf0-af0d-8bf24c098023-23694565) episode of [Black Mirror](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror) written by Charlie Brooker & William Bridges
* [Megan Ganz](https://twitter.com/meganganz)
* [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 Andy Roninson ([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_334.mp3).

**UPDATE 1-22-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-334-worst-case-scenarios-transcript).