John August

Film Industry

Blockbusters

Episode - 114

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Film Industry, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

This week, John and Craig go big to look all things blockbuster. First, Anita Elberse’s new book Blockbusters argues that giant movies are a comparatively safe bet for Hollywood. Meanwhile, Gravity is the movie on everyone’s lips, but will we learn the right lessons, or just try to put more movie stars in space?

Speaking of big name actors, wow, some of them don’t seem to like being directed. Finally, we offer some advice on following up after general meetings. All this and slightly more in the 114th edition of Scriptnotes.

Links:

* Come see Scriptnotes live at the 2013 [Austin Film Festival](http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/)
* [The Atlantic](http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/10/the-big-business-of-big-hits-how-blockbusters-conquered-movies-tv-and-music/280298/) on Anita Elberse’s new book, Blockbusters, and the book [on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805094334/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* [Gravity](http://gravitymovie.warnerbros.com/) is in theaters now
* The relevant [Last Vegas interview excerpt](http://instagram.com/p/faO_XwGZ1W/)
* KnowYourMeme on [Morgan Freeman, Titty sprinkles](http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/morgan-freeman)
* IndieWire on [the Blade: Trinity lawsuit](http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/details-of-chaos-on-the-set-of-blade-trinity-indicate-production-was-troubled-from-the-start)
* Sundance Institute’s [feature film programs](http://www.sundance.org/programs/feature-film/)
* [Internet killed the Video Store: An Abandoned Industry](http://www.messynessychic.com/2012/09/06/internet-killed-the-video-store-an-abandoned-industry/) is John’s [One Cool Thing](http://johnaugust.com/onecoolthings)
* And [GTA V Mythbusters](http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVSZoKmDBr8UdW2MjaDo5uZ8ESO68Bdrk) is Craig’s [One Cool Thing](http://johnaugust.com/onecoolthings)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Ashley Kotzur

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_114.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_114.mp3).

**UPDATE** 10-23-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-114-blockbusters-transcript).

Not Safe for Children

Film Industry, Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge

Explicit language warning! Even the titles of this week’s Three Page Challenge entries are filthy, so John and Craig let the f-bombs fly. We also look at Diablo Cody’s useful list of things no one ever tells you about being a successful screenwriter.

Links:

* Diablo Cody’s [7 Things No One Tells You About Being a Top Screenwriter](http://www.vulture.com/2013/10/diablo-cody-7-lessons-of-being-a-screenwriter.html), from Vulture
* Join us for Scriptnotes Live at the [2013 Austin Film Festival](http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/)
* Three Pages by [David Liberman](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/DavidLiberman.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Billie Jean VK](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/BillieJeanVK.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Aviv Rubinstien & Derek Assaff](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/AvivRubinstienDerekAssaff.pdf)
* [Meaty: Essays by Samantha Irby](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0988480425/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) on Amazon
* [Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide monitor](http://nest.com/smoke-co-alarm/life-with-nest-protect/), and [on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FN4EWAM/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Alan Dague-Greene

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_113.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_113.mp3).

**UPDATE** 10-17-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-113-not-safe-for-children-transcript).

Let me give you some advice

Film Industry, Indie, Producers, QandA, Random Advice, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot, Transcribed, Words on the page

Craig and John go back to basics with an all advice episode, looking at the Dear J.J. recommendations for Star Wars, Tony Gilroy’s advice to screenwriters and whatever’s up with Max Landis.

From there, they open the listener mailbag to answer questions ranging from mastering characters’ voices to indie financing.

Links:

* [4 Rules to Make Star Wars Great Again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_joDNOpeWWo&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D_joDNOpeWWo&app=desktop)
* Clerks on [Death Star politics](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGOVbXF7Iog)
* Eddie Izzard on [the Death Star cantina](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ2yRTRlMFU)
* Tony Gilroy’s [Top 10 tips for writing a Hollywood blockbuster](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24348113)
* The New York Times on [Rethinking Gender Bias in Theater](http://theater.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/theater/24play.html?_r=1&)
* [Max Landis](http://shelbysells.com/2013/09/30/interview-series-max-landis/) on the Pillow Talk interview series
* Wikipedia on [Bitcoin mining](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin_mining#Bitcoin_mining)
* John’s 2011 blog post on [Blue Valentine and adoption](http://johnaugust.com/2011/dear-cindy-in-blue-valentine)
* [WinesTilSoldOut](http://wtso.com/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener The Face of Human Error

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_112.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_112.mp3).

**UPDATE** 10-10-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-112-let-me-give-you-some-advice-transcript).

What’s Next

Broadway, Directors, Film Industry, Follow Up, Los Angeles, News, Projects, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig discuss what it feels like to finish a project — the combination of excitement and relief, joy and sadness — as Craig advises John which project he should write next now that Big Fish is set to open.

In film news, a new fund aims to back films directed by women, while Los Angeles appoints a new film czar with considerable studio experience.

All this, plus Craig recounts how he nearly saw John take a fist to the face.

Links:

* [Lobot](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lobot)
* LA Times on the [Gamechanger Film Fund](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-film-fund-gamechanger-female-directors-20130926,0,4152777,full.story)
* LA Times on [LA’s new Film Czar](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-garcetti-appoints-sherak-film-czar-20130926,0,6798783.story)
* [Patti Lupone stops the show to yell at a photographer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WruzPfJ9Rys) on YouTube
* [Box](http://www.botndolly.com/box) by Bot & Dolly
* [Rear projection effect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_projection_effect) on Wikipedia
* Big Fish production designer [Julian Crouch](http://juliancrouch.com/portfolio/Welcome.html)
* Big Fish’s [Ryan Andes](http://ryanandes.com/), and [on Twitter @AndesRyan](https://twitter.com/AndesRyan)
* [Blind soldier uses tongue device to ‘see’](http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/mar/15/blind-soldier-tongue-sight) at The Guardian
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Matthew Chilelli

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_111.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_111.mp3).

**UPDATE** 10-4-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-111-whats-next-transcript).