John August

Film Industry

Disaster Porn, and Spelling Things Out

Episode - 103

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Broadway, Film Industry, Follow Up, News, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed, Words on the page

John and Craig discuss Damon Lindelof’s interview about how plot stakes have escalated lockstep with budget, perhaps to the point of absurdity.

Then it’s a look at why screenwriters get the note to “spell things out,” and the situations in which it’s okay or troubling to have characters speak story points. Finally, we tackle the media’s obsession with Hollywood’s demise, and why you never read a story about “what went right.”

All this, plus hedge funds, Big Fish discounts and crossword magic in the new Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

* Scriptnotes First 100 Episodes flash drives [are available until Friday, 8/16](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* Daniel Loeb’s [Variety interview](http://variety.com/2013/film/news/exclusive-interview-daniel-loeb-vows-to-end-sony-spinoff-quest-at-least-for-now-1200572856/)
* Vulture: [Star Script Doctor Damon Lindelof Explains the New Rules of Blockbuster Screenwriting](http://www.vulture.com/2013/08/script-doctor-damon-lindelof-on-blockbuster-screenwriting.html)
* Use discount code SCRIPT for a deal on select [Big Fish on Broadway tickets](http://www.bigfishthemusical.com/) (And be sure to [tweet](https://twitter.com/stuartfriedel) or [email](mailto:ask@johnaugust.com) Stuart and let him know when you’ll be there)
* David Kwong’s [crossword puzzle magic](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1VPUZDr-fY) will blow your mind
* Outro by Scriptnotes listener Bryan Duke

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_103.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_103.mp3).

**UPDATE** 8-15-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-103-disaster-porn-and-spelling-things-out-transcript).

Hits, misses and hedge funds

Film Industry, Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed

Craig and John take a look at one investor’s campaign against Sony Pictures, and George Clooney’s strong reaction. From there, we examine why studios have multiple labels — TriStar is back! — and how that affects writers.

It’s also time for another round of Three Page Challenges. We tackle at three entries, ranging from desert dystopias to urban wastelands to magical westerns.

Many listeners have asked for an easy way to get at all the back episodes. Now you can! We’ve put all 100 episodes on a custom USB flash drive, both in m4a and mp3 formats, along with transcripts and other stuff. They’re available at [store.johnaugust.com](http://store.johnaugust.com/).

While you’re there, you can also find the few remaining Scriptnotes t-shirts. Sizes and quantities are very limited.

LINKS:

* George Clooney tells Daniel Loeb to [stop spreading fear at Sony](http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/george-clooney-slams-sony-investor-daniel-loeb/)
* The New York Times on [Sony hiring Tom Rothman to revive TriStar](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/business/media/sony-hires-rothman-to-head-revived-tristar-unit.html?_r=0)
* Three Pages by [Robert Rue](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/RobertRue.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Catherine Grieve & Dylan Wagner](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/CatherineGrieveDylanWagner.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Sarah Carman & James Roland](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/SarahCarmanJamesRoland.pdf)
* [The Spectacular Now](http://spectacularnowmovie.com/) is spectacular
* [Vanity Fair talks to](http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2013/08/the-spectacular-now-writers-miles-teller) Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
* [Coravin](http://www.coravin.com/) lets you enjoy your wine without ever pulling the cork
* Outro by Scriptnotes listener Matthew Chilelli

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_102.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_102.mp3).

**UPDATE** 8-9-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-102-hits-misses-and-hedge-funds-transcript).

Scriptnotes, the 100th episode

Directors, Film Industry, Meta, Producers, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed

John and Craig are joined by Aline Brosh McKenna and Rawson Thurber for the 100th episode of Scriptnotes, recorded live at the Academy Lab in Hollywood. It was a great night with an amazing audience.

We discuss the origins of the show, the rise of the Screenwriter Plus, and that Slate article about Save The Cat! which so many listeners had mentioned. It’s such a big show that we’re splitting the audience Q&A into a separate episode.

This episode has more swearing than most, so parents beware. You might not want to play it in the car.

Huge thanks to The Academy for the event, sponsored on behalf of the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting.

LINKS:

* The Academy [Nicholl Fellowships](http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl/) in Screenwriting
* [Aline Brosh McKenna](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0112459/) on IMDb, and her [first](http://johnaugust.com/2012/the-black-list-and-a-stack-of-scenes) and [second](http://johnaugust.com/2013/how-screenwriters-find-their-voice) appearances on Scriptnotes
* [Rawson Thurber](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1098493/) on IMDb
* Go see [We’re the Millers](http://werethemillers.warnerbros.com/) on August 7th!
* Slate’s article on [Save the Cat!](http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/07/hollywood_and_blake_snyder_s_screenwriting_book_save_the_cat.single.html) (and Stuart’s [review of the series](http://johnaugust.com/2012/in-which-stuart-reads-the-save-the-cat-books-and-tells-you-what-he-thought))
* [Makers: Women Who Make America](http://www.pbs.org/makers/home/) on PBS
* [Scriptnotes](http://johnaugust.com/podcast): A podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters
* The classic [Pilot G2](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GAOTSW/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) and the brand new erasable [Pilot Frixion](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009QYH644/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) on Amazon
* [Stuart](https://twitter.com/stuartfriedel), [Ryan](https://twitter.com/ryannelson) and [Nima](https://twitter.com/nyousefi)
* Outro by Scriptnotes listener Mike Timmerman

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_100.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_100.mp3).

**UPDATE** 8-4-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-100-scriptnotes-the-100th-episode-transcript).

Long movies, producer credits and price-fixing

Film Industry, Producers, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed

John and Craig discuss the Apple ebook price-fixing lawsuit and its lessons for Hollywood, before segueing to the new credits system for producers. Then: Have movies gotten too long, and would making them shorter really save money?

T-shirts. If you ordered one, you should probably have it by now. So if it’s not in your hands, email Stuart at [orders@johnaugust.com](mailto:orders@johnaugust.com) to investigate.

There was confusion about the Golden Ticket. If you got a card saying, “This is the Golden Ticket!” then you have the Golden Ticket. If not, you just have a lovely card with your shirt.

There will probably be a standby line for the Live 100th episode on July 25th in Hollywood. Follow [@johnaugust](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) or [@clmazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter for details.

LINKS:

* [TidBITS](http://tidbits.com/article/13912) on the Apple eBooks price fixing suit, and [Fortune](http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/10/apple-ebook-verdict-appeal/)’s article on the same
* [The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/business/media/new-designation-signifies-i-was-really-a-producer-of-this-film.html?_r=1&) on the PGA’s new mark, and the [PGA](http://www.producersguild.org/blogpost/923036/164597/The-Producers-Mark–What-it-means-where-it-comes-from-and-how-you-can-get-it) on what it is and how you get it
* [Why are Hollywood movies so long?](http://priceonomics.com/why-are-hollywood-movies-so-long/)
* [Velib](http://en.velib.paris.fr/) bike sharing in Paris
* Tesla [battery swap](http://www.teslamotors.com/batteryswap) is worth watching
* [Send us](mailto:ask@johnaugust.com) a link to your downloadable Scriptnotes outro
* Outro by Scriptnotes listener Matthew Chilelli

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_98.m4a).

**UPDATE** 7-19-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-98-long-movies-producer-credits-and-price-fixing-transcript).