John August

Film Industry

Toxic Perfection Syndrome

Episode - 165

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

Craig and John discuss that delusional period in which you’re convinced your script is the best thing ever written — and the inevitable heartbreak when someone tells you it isn’t. (TPS is close cousins to the Oscar Speech in the Shower.)

Also this week: SF terms and tropes, Adam Sandler’s Netflix deal, and what the WGA should focus on.

Links:

* Get your [flu shot](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm)!
* [Get tickets now](http://www.slate.com/live/la-culturefest.html) for tomorrow’s live Slate Culture Gabfest with guests John and Craig
* John and others [on their favorite Simpsons episodes and moments](http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/09/29/the_simpsons_daniel_radcliffe_amy_schumer_fred_armisen_and_other_celebrities.html?wpsrc=fol_tw) from Slate
* John’s schedule at [the 2014 Austin Film Festival](http://austinfilmfestival2014.sched.org/speaker/john_august.1sssegfs?iframe=no&w=i:0;&sidebar=yes&bg=no#.VDMKbCldVjc)
* Business Insider on [the Adam Sandler/Netflix deal](http://www.businessinsider.com/why-netflix-did-adam-sandler-deal-2014-10)
* [Turkey City Lexicon](http://www.sfwa.org/2009/06/turkey-city-lexicon-a-primer-for-sf-workshops/)
* [Drone delivery has begun](http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/dhl-drone-start-making-deliveries-german-island/)
* [Blade Buddy](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NIPQ0VW/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) on Amazon
* Get premium Scriptnotes access at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/) and hear our 1,000th subscriber special
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Betty Spinks ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_165.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_165.mp3).

**UPDATE 10-11-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-165-toxic-perfection-syndrome-transcript).

Guardians of the Galaxy’s Nicole Perlman

Adaptation, Film Industry, QandA, Scriptnotes

Craig and John talk with Guardians co-writer Nicole Perlman about the development of this summer’s blockbuster, and her two years as part of Marvel’s in-house writing program. It’s a great look at how movies get started, and the dozens of drafts you didn’t see on the big screen.

Nicole stays with us as we discuss which city would take over if Hollywood fell into the sea, why IMDb credits rarely reflect a writer’s real career, and the worst ideas we were ever pitched by a producer or studio executive.

Links:

* Today is the last day to [order shirts and hoodies from the John August Store](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* Nicole Perlman on [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2270979/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Uncannygirl)
* [Guardians of the Galaxy](http://marvel.com/guardians)
* Steven Soderbergh’s [silent, black and white Raiders of the Lost Ark](http://extension765.com/sdr/18-raiders)
* Star Wars Episodes [1: Jedi Party](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSCm8yAxBr8), [2: The Friend Zone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI8aSJBC9u0) and [3: Revenge of Middle Management](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itkl7cHcX_E) recut and re-voiced by Auralnauts
* Their cut of [The Throne Room minus Williams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj-GZJhfBmI)
* [The Science and Entertainment Exchange](http://www.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org/) connects scientists with entertainment industry professionals
* [Two-step verification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-step_verification) is the seatbelt of the digital world
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_164.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_164.mp3).

**UPDATE 10-3-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-164-guardians-of-the-galaxys-nicole-perlman-transcript).

Luck, sequels and bus money

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

This week, Craig and John tackle listener questions.

Why do some giant books get crammed into a single movie, while others get split into multiple films? How do you write a movie if you can’t even get your computer fixed? What should a screenwriter do if, after nine years of trying, he still can’t catch a break?

We don’t always have simple answers, but at least we have t-shirts. The new batch is available for pre-order starting today, so don’t wait.

If you’re in Los Angeles, the only chance to see us live this fall is at the Slate Culture Gabfest on October 8th. Check the link for tickets below.

Links:

* New shirts are [available for pre-order now through September 30th in the John August Store](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* [Applause](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applause_(musical)), the All About Eve musical, on Wikipedia
* [Get tickets now](http://www.slate.com/live/la-culturefest.html) for October 8th’s live Slate Culture Gabfest with guests John and Craig
* [Fountain](http://fountain.io/) is a plain text markup language for screenwriting
* [WriterDuet](https://www.writerduet.com/)
* WGA [Low Budget Agreement](http://www.wga.org/uploadedFiles/writers_resources/LBAhandout.pdf)
* [Every Insanely Mystifying Paradox in Physics: A Complete List](http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/physics-paradoxes.html)
* [Gillette Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall](http://gillette.com/en-us/products/razor-blades/fusion-proglide-flexball-razors/fusion-proglide-manual-razor-with-flexball)
* Styptic pencils on [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E5QJC04/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antihemorrhagic)
* Leave us a comment [on iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/scriptnotes-podcast/id462495496?mt=2)
* Get premium Scriptnotes access at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/) and hear our 1,000th subscriber special
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_162.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_162.mp3).

**UPDATE 9-19-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-162-luck-sequels-and-bus-money-transcript).

A Cheap Cut of Meat Soaked in Butter

Film Industry, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Words on the page, Writing Process

To celebrate the third anniversary of Scriptnotes, John and Craig invite Aline Brosh McKenna and her limitless analogies back to discuss box-office journalism, scene geography, emotional IQ and flipping the script.

It’s a jam-packed episode. In fact, there was so much we cut part of it out as a bonus Overtime show that will show up for premium subscribers later this week. In it, we make predictions, re-invent Spanx, and detail our love of D&D. If you want to sign up for the premium edition of Scriptnotes, head over to scriptnotes.net.

If we hit 1000 premium subscribers, we promise to do an NC-17 show that you should definitely not play in the car with your kids.

Tickets are available now for the Slate Culture Gabfest Live on October 8th. John and Craig will be guests, and it should be swell. Links below.

Links:

* [Aline Brosh McKenna](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0112459/) on episodes [60](http://johnaugust.com/2012/the-black-list-and-a-stack-of-scenes), [76](http://johnaugust.com/2013/how-screenwriters-find-their-voice), [100](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-100th-episode), [101](http://johnaugust.com/2013/101-qa-from-the-live-show), [119](http://johnaugust.com/2013/positive-moviegoing), [123](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-holiday-spectacular), [124](http://johnaugust.com/2013/qa-from-the-holiday-spectacular) and [152](http://johnaugust.com/2014/the-rocky-shoals-pages-70-90)
* [Joan Rivers](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/arts/television/joan-rivers-dies.html)’s obituary in The New York Times
* [Get tickets now](http://www.slate.com/live/la-culturefest.html) for October 8th’s live Slate Culture Gabfest with guests John and Craig
* [Why do people throw tomatoes?](http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/fresh-ideas/dinner-food-facts/why-do-people-throw-tomatoes1.htm) from How Stuff Works
* [the-knowledge.org](http://the-knowledge.org/en-gb/) teaches you how to rebuild the world from scratch
* About [Global Entry](http://www.cbp.gov/global-entry/about)
* [Movies Have Worst Summer Since 1997](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/30/movies/movies-have-worst-summer-since-1997.html?_r=1) by Brooks Barnes
* Mimeographs on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimeograph) and [eBay](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xmimeograph&_nkw=mimeograph&_sacat=0)
* [Maguire Watch](http://everythingisterrible.blogspot.com/p/maguire-watch.html) on Everything is Terrible!
* Get premium Scriptnotes access at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/) and hear our 1,000th subscriber special
* [The Honourable Woman](http://www.sundance.tv/series/the-honorable-woman) on Sundance.tv
* [This Movie Will Require Dinosaurs](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399167706/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by C. W. Neill, and details on the [September 15th live read](https://www.facebook.com/events/560093127430494/)
* [N3TWORK](http://www.n3twork.com/) is the first personal TV network
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Robert Hutchison ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_161.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_161.mp3).

**UPDATE 9-11-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-161-a-cheap-cut-of-meat-soaked-in-butter-transcript).