John August

Film Industry

Live from Austin 2015

Episode - 222

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Film Industry, Follow Up, News, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Travel

Craig and John return to the Austin Film Festival for a supersize live show with guests Nicole Perlman and Steve Zissis.

We talk with Nicole about what’s changed in her life after the breakout success of Guardians of the Galaxy, and how she juggles multiple projects.

Steve Zissis tells us how he transitioned from waiter to co-creator of HBO’s Togetherness, and the unusual origin of the show.

Then all four of us play How Would This Be a Movie, looking at #Zola’s adventure, the runaway blimp and the lonely death of George Bell.

Plus audience questions!

Our thanks to the Austin Film Festival for hosting us, and our terrific audience.

* [The Austin Film Festival](https://www.austinfilmfestival.com/aff/live/)
* [The Monty Hall problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem) on Wikipedia
* Nicole Perlman on [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2270979/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Uncannygirl), and on [Scriptnotes, 164](http://johnaugust.com/2014/guardians-of-the-galaxys-nicole-perlman)
* Steve Zissis on [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1587813/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/stevezissis)
* Togetherness on [HBO](http://www.hbo.com/togetherness) and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togetherness_(TV_series))
* Papermag on [The Harrowing Twitter Odyssey of @_zolarmoon](http://www.papermag.com/2015/10/the_harrowing_twitter_odyssey.php)
* The Baltimore Sun on the [rogue JLENS blimp](http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aberdeen-havre-de-grace/bs-md-jlens-blimp-loose-20151028-story.html)
* [The Lonely Death of George Bell](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/18/nyregion/dying-alone-in-new-york-city.html), from The New York Times
* Variety on [Nicole Perlman and Challenger](http://variety.com/2006/film/features/nicole-perlman-1200337283/)
* [Marty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_(teleplay)) on Wikipedia
* [Glif](http://www.studioneat.com/products/glif) tripod phone mount
* [Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age](http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/Plan_your_visit/exhibitions/cosmonauts.aspx) at the London Science Museum
* The Man Who Planted Trees, on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Planted_Trees_(film)) and [Netflix DVD](http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Man-Who-Planted-Trees/70048862?strkid=1887480798_0_0&strackid=743041023553ef8f_0_srl&trkid=222336)
* [Thync](http://www.thync.com/)
* [Intro/Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_222.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_222.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-6-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-222-live-from-austin-2015-transcript).

Nobody Knows Anything (including what this quote means)

Film Industry, Follow Up, Psych 101, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Transcribed, Writing Process

Craig and John get to the bottom of William Goldman’s famous quotation about Hollywood, which is so often misapplied. Then it’s a discussion of zombie cars, wind-tunnels, blockbusters, and the paradox of choice.

Finally, we look at the intersection of luck and talent behind a screenwriter’s career, and why struggle isn’t a useful yardstick for much of anything.

Links:

* [Austin Film Festival 2015 panel schedule](https://austinfilmfestival.com/festivalandconference/conference/2015-panels/)
* Karina Longworth’s [You Must Remember This](http://www.vidiocy.com/you-must-remember-this)
* Scriptnotes, 220: [Writers Rooms, Taxes, and Fat Hamlet](http://johnaugust.com/2015/writers-rooms-taxes-and-fat-hamlet)
* [William Goldman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Goldman) on Wikipedia, and [Adventures in the Screen Trade](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0446391174/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) on Amazon
* [The Zombie-mobile](https://medium.com/swlh/the-zombie-mobile-b03932ac971d#.whezv2fps)
* [Least objectionable program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_objectionable_program) on Wikipedia
* [The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060005696/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Barry Schwartz
* [The Selling Your Screenplay Podcast, episode 95](https://t.co/kq6mQdMUZh)
* [Tessy and Tab](http://www.tessyandtab.com/)
* [BuzzFeed Crosswords](http://www.buzzfeed.com/tag/crosswords), and [logic-puzzles.org](http://www.logic-puzzles.org/)
* [Pokémon’s Creepy Lavender Town Myth, Explained](http://kotaku.com/pokemons-creepy-lavender-town-myth-explained-1651851621) on Kotaku

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_221.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_221.mp3).

**UPDATE 10-28-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-221-nobody-knows-anything-including-what-this-quote-means-transcript).

Apprenticeship 101

Film Industry

Jana Kinsman worked as an apprentice beekeeper and goat-tender, but a lot of her advice applies well to [anyone in their first job](https://medium.com/@janakinsman/being-a-good-apprentice-e7a182dae495#.w7v86ea11):

> This isn’t your chance to prove yourself in a grandiose way. Your mentor isn’t expecting you to suddenly make their lives easier, they’re not looking for a hero or someone to throw themselves over the puddle where they’re about to walk.

> This is not your opportunity to change their system or their workspace or their routine. I’ve worked with many mentors whose way of doing things was an absolute trainwreck. Inefficiencies galore, messes, unfinished projects EVERYWHERE. But it was never my responsibility to point it out to them.

When I started working in Hollywood — first as a reader, later as an assistant — I didn’t know what I was doing. I observed and tried to figure out what needed to be done, and asked as many questions as I needed to.

I quietly watched how my bosses worked, not because I wanted to become them, but because I wanted to understand how they made decisions, and how they fit into the bigger picture of the industry.

Kinsman concurs:

> I tell people that some of the most valuable things I learned from working with mentors have been examples of how I don’t want to do things. It’s not about forcing yourself into thinking your mentor is a flawless human with a perfect way of doing things, it’s seeing their flaws and their inefficient systems and accepting them for who they are.

> Often times this will give you a chance to put yourself in their shoes and look at your own future realistically: If you were doing what they were doing for as long as they’ve been doing it, would you be perfect?

You eventually realize that everyone is doing the best they can, just like you. The difference is experience, and the only way to get it is to do the work.

Writers Rooms, Taxes, and Fat Hamlet

Film Industry, Follow Up, News, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Writing Process

John and Craig discuss the trend of hiring multiple writers to work concurrently on tentpole features. Can movies be written like television, and should they?

Then it’s a look at tax bills that LA-based writers may find themselves facing, and why you shouldn’t be afraid of a portly Hamlet.

Also this week, a strange French plagiarism case, and John considers writing a book in November.

Reminder that John is interviewing Drew Goddard for a special Writers Guild Foundation event on October 28th. Tickets available through the link below.

Links:

* [Get tickets now for the WGAF’s October 28th Writers on Writing event with Drew Goddard, moderated by John](https://www.wgfoundation.org/screenwriting-events/writers-on-writing-with-drew-goddard/)
* [Austin Film Festival 2015 panel schedule](https://austinfilmfestival.com/festivalandconference/conference/2015-panels/)
* [John Carpenter Wins Plagiarism Case Against Luc Besson Over ‘Lockout’](http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/john-carpenter-wins-plagiarism-case-against-luc-besson-over-lockout-20151015)
* [Exorcist: The Beginning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcist:_The_Beginning) and [Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion:_Prequel_to_the_Exorcist) on Wikipedia
* [/Film and How Did This Get Made’s oral history of Theodore Rex](http://www.slashfilm.com/theodore-rex/)
* November is the month for [flu shots](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2015-2016.htm), [Movember](https://us.movember.com/) and [NaNoWriMo](http://nanowrimo.org/)
* [Overcast](https://overcast.fm/) now has chapter support
* THR on [The Problems When Many Writers Work on ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Transformers’ and Other Film Franchises](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/problems-writers-work-star-wars-831582)
* AB63 Tax Program [FAQ](http://finance.lacity.org/content/AB63ProgramFAQ.htm), and on [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/3ogwef/freelance_tax_for_los_angeles_residents/), [LA Weekly](http://www.laweekly.com/news/did-you-just-get-a-500-freelance-assignment-the-city-might-bill-you-30-000-6040715) and [NBC 4](http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/LA-Freelancers-Get–Tax-Bill.html)
* [Is Hamlet Fat? A Slate investigation](http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/theater/2015/09/is_hamlet_fat_the_evidence_in_shakespeare_for_a_corpulent_prince_of_denmark.html)
* [Computer Show](http://computer.show/) with Adam Lisagor
* [Tesla Autopilot First Ride: Almost as Good as a New York Driver](http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/news/a27044/tesla-autopilot-first-ride-almost-as-good-as-a-new-york-driver/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_220.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_220.mp3).

**UPDATE 10-22-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-220-writers-rooms-taxes-and-fat-hamlet-transcript).