John August

Film Industry

Putting a price on it

Episode - 158

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Film Industry, Follow Up, QandA, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Transcribed

From Amazon to animation, there’s drama this week about prices for books and movies and even internships. John and Craig take a look at what happens when companies wrestle over how much things cost, and the effect it has on people trying to make a living as writers.

We recorded this episode with a live audience listening in online. It went well enough that we’ll try to do it occasionally.

Craig won’t be able to make to this year’s Austin Film Festival, but never fear: Kelly Marcel will take his place at the live Scriptnotes show.

Links:

* This episode was broadcast live [on Mixlr](http://mixlr.com/scriptnotes/)
* Come see Scriptnotes live with John and Kelly at the [Austin Film Festival](http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/)
* Brian Koppelman’s The Moment Podcast [with guest Craig Mazin](http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/the-moment-podcast-brian-koppelman-and-craig-mazin/)
* [Sparknotes: Goodnight Moon](http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/sparknotes-goodnight-moon) on McSweeney’s
* Slate on [How Gobbledygook Ended Up in Respected Scientific Journals](http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/02/27/how_nonsense_papers_ended_up_in_respected_scientific_journals.html)
* Christopher Wright [on Amazon vs Hachette](https://www.eviscerati.org/articles/2014/08/Amazon-v-Hatchette-Everyone-Wrong-Me), and Dave Bryant’s follow up [on the true costs of publishing a book](http://dave-bryant.livejournal.com/21544.html)
* John’s blog post on how [no one cares about manufacturing costs](http://johnaugust.com/2014/no-one-cares-about-manufacturing-costs)
* LA Times on [Amazon vs Disney](http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-amazon-disney-20140811-story.html)
* The Weinstein Company is [auctioning off an internship for charity](https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/597305)
* [Court docs show role of Pixar and Dreamworks Animation in Silicon Valley wage-fixing cartel](http://pando.com/2014/07/07/revealed-court-docs-show-role-of-pixar-and-dreamworks-animation-in-silicon-valley-wage-fixing-cartel/)
* The Anonymous Production Assistant’s Crew Call Podcast [with guest Stuart Friedel](http://www.anonymousproductionassistant.com/2014/07/31/personal-assistant-stuart-friedel/)
* Robin Williams’s obituary from [The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/movies/robin-williams-oscar-winning-comedian-dies-at-63.html?_r=0)
* The [National Suicide Prevention Lifeline](http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/) and [National Alliance on Mental Illness](http://www.nami.org/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Brian Shane ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_158.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_158.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-22-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-158-putting-a-price-on-it-transcript).

Threshers, Mergers and the Top Two Boxes

Film Industry, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

Craig and John discuss the accusations of plagiarism surrounding True Detective — and what plagiarism even means in the context of filmed entertainment. Movies don’t have footnotes, so how should screenwriters give attribution?

Next it’s time for a look at the major Hollywood studios, and what would happen if any of them were to merge, like Fox and Warners seemed poised to do. Following that, we take a look at the test screening process.

Finally, John wants to talk about the Canadian “about,” which isn’t “aboot,” and is a lot more complicated than you’d think.

Links:

* [Did the writer of True Detective plagiarize Thomas Ligotti and others?](http://lovecraftzine.com/2014/08/04/did-the-writer-of-true-detective-plagiarize-thomas-ligotti-and-others/)
* [Nic Pizzolatto on Thomas Ligotti and the Weird Secrets of True Detective](http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/02/02/writer-nic-pizzolatto-on-thomas-ligotti-and-the-weird-secrets-of-true-detective/)
* [The Problem With Saying True Detective Was “Plagiarized”](http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/08/06/true_detective_plagiarized_no_nic_pizzolatto_did_not_plagiarize_thomas_ligotti.html)
* [Stephen Glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Glass) on Wikipedia
* Slate on [Why Biden’s plagiarism shouldn’t be forgotten](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history_lesson/2008/08/the_write_stuff.html)
* The New York Times on [How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/27/books/27cnd-author.html?_r=0)
* [Fox Withdraws Time Warner Bid](http://online.wsj.com/articles/fox-withdraws-time-warner-bid-1407269617)
* Wikipedia on [the Majors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_film_studio)
* Slate on [NRG](http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/the_hollywood_economist/2005/07/hidden_persuaders.html)
* [How Canadians Really Pronounce “About”](http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-canadians-really-pronounce-about?page=all)
* [A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder](http://www.agentlemansguidebroadway.com/)
* [One Man, Two Guvnors](http://www.onemantwoguvnors.com/)
* [How Jesus Became God](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061778184/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Bart D. Ehrman
* [The Historical Jesus](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060616296/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by John Dominic Crossan
* [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_157.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_157.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-15-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-157-threshers-mergers-and-the-top-two-boxes-transcript).

Two Writers, One Script

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

John and Craig look at the trend towards hiring two writers to work on separate drafts of the same project. Is it better to have writers in parallel than serially? Or does it end up with studios ordering off a Chinese menu: this scene, that character, that other set piece?

Both Craig and John just started new first drafts, so we talk about the difference between the Map and the Territory, and how outlines can’t always anticipate the discoveries made while writing.

Finally, we answer a bunch of listener questions ranging from the Peter Stark Program to loving your day job.

Links:

* John Gary on [spec sales, lightning strikes, and making the NFL](https://twitter.com/johngary/status/491658703821475840)
* [Hot Hollywood Trend: Two Scripts, One Movie](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hot-hollywood-trend-two-scripts-720224)
* [On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1439156816/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) and [Making Movies, by Sidney Lumet](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0679756604/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* [Screenplay, by Syd Field](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385339038/?tag=johnaugustcom-20), [The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1936891026/?tag=johnaugustcom-20), [Sex, Lies and Videotape, by Steven Soderbergh](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0571202896/?tag=johnaugustcom-20), and [The First Time I Got Paid For It](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0306810972/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* [The Peter Stark Program](http://cinema.usc.edu/producing/)
* [The Total Film-Maker, by Jerry Lewis](http://cinearchive.org/post/72674722317/the-total-film-maker-jerry-lewis-book-on) on cinearchive.org
* [What Writers Can Learn From Goodnight Moon](http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/19/what-writers-can-learn-from-good-night-moon/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0) by Aimee Bender
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Sir Funkytown ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_155.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_155.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-4-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-155-two-writers-one-script-transcript).

Disney’s corporate synergy, 1957 and today

Film Industry

I love [this graphic](http://johnaugust.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/disney_chart.jpg) from 1957 showing how the various elements of the Walt Disney company fit together.

corporate chart

You could make the same chart today.

Here is a partial list of the properties Disney owns in 2014:

Features:

* Walt Disney Pictures
* Touchstone Pictures
* Disneynature
* Disney Animation Studios
* Pixar
* Lucasfilm
* Marvel
* The Muppets
* DreamWorks (distribution)

Music:

* Walt Disney Records
* Hollywood Records
* Disney Music Publishing

Destinations:

* Disneyland/Disneyworld worldwide
* Disney Cruise Line
* Disney Vacation Club

Theatrical Group:

* Disney Theatrical Productions
* Disney on Ice
* Disney Live

Consumer Products:

* Disney Store
* Disney Baby
* The Baby Einstein Company

Books:

* Disney-Hyperion
* Marvel Press

Broadcasting:

– ABC Television Network
– ABC Family Worldwide
– Live Well Network
– A+E Networks (50%)
– Disney Channels Worldwide
– Radio Disney
– Disney Television Animation
– ESPN Inc. (80%)
– Hulu (32%)
– A+E Networks (50%), includes Lifetime and History

Online/Interactive:

– Disney Infinity
– Disney.com
– Maker Studio

Comics:

– Marvel
– Disney Comics

Almost every one of these items is a huge business just by itself. Which raises the question: If one were to make a new version of the 1957 chart, would Theatrical Films still deserve the central marquee spot?

Yes.

I’d argue that in 2014, film properties are probably still worth keeping near the middle of any Disney flowchart. The company makes money in many ways, but feature films are still the key drivers. You don’t get Cars merchandise without the movie.

The success of Frozen is an example of how Disney can capitalize on a hit film by using it in other divisions: Disneyland attractions, TV tie-ins (Once Upon a Time), music, books, merchandise, and possibly a Broadway musical.

As screenwriters, there are pros and cons to this kind of corporate synergy.

Giant corporations like Disney will keep making movies because it feeds the engine — and the better the movies, the bigger the multiplier in success. You can criticize individual films, but the juggernaut franchises have sprung from well-executed movies, and all of these movies began with screenwriters.

The challenge for screenwriters is that it’s increasingly difficult to get momentum on any movie that doesn’t seem to have the potential to work across divisions. An R-rated blockbuster like The Matrix can’t become a theme park ride, so why spend $100 million to make it?

Looking at the list of [top-grossing R-rated movies](http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domestic/mpaa.htm), Warners and New Line made seven of the top 10. With talk that [Fox may buy Warners](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-time-warner-white-knight-fox-20140722-story.html#page=1), I wonder if they would still be making those movies post-merger.