John August

Film Industry

Commencement

Episode - 376

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Arlo Finch, Directors, Film Industry, Follow Up, Producers, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, WGA

John and Craig discuss commencement, the official moment to start writing. It can be easy to get pressured into free producer rewrites, starting to write before a deal is done and other pitfalls of blurry boundaries, so the WGA is introducing the Start Button, designed to help writers define their timeline and let the Guild be the bad guy.

We also answer listener questions about procedural television, binge-watching, and crossing the line in dark comedy.

Links:

* Signed [Arlo Finch bookplates](https://johnaugust.com/signed-arlo-finch) are available with a copy of your receipt.
* [Tickets for the Scriptnotes Holiday Live Show](https://go.wgfoundation.org/campaigns/8810-the-scriptnotes-holiday-live-show) are on sale now.
* [Scriptnotes, Ep 296: Television with Damon Lindelof](http://johnaugust.com/2017/television-with-damon-lindelof)
* [Start Button](https://my.wga.org/home/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fhome%2f) for WGA members
* Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana [box set](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399582754/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) or just the [book](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0399580948/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* [This Chemical Is So Hot It Destroys Nerve Endings — In a Good Way](https://www.wired.com/story/resiniferatoxin/) by Matt Simon for Wired
* T-shirts are available [here](https://cottonbureau.com/people/john-august-1)! We’ve got new designs, including [Colored Revisions](https://cottonbureau.com/products/colored-revisions), [Karateka](https://cottonbureau.com/products/karateka), and [Highland2](https://cottonbureau.com/products/highland2).
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Scriptnotes Digital Seasons](https://store.johnaugust.com/) are also now available!
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Andrew Burns ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_376.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-28-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-376-commencement-transcript).

Austin Live Show 2018

Awards, Citizenship, Film Industry, Follow Up, QandA, Scriptnotes, Television, Transcribed, Treatments, WGA

John and Craig invite Wendy Calhoun (Station 19, Empire), Phil Hay (The Invitation, Ride Along), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel), and Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman, Ice Age: Continental Drift) to join them onstage for a discussion about the death of the writing middle class, why we get bored during a film or episode of television, and the consequences of handing over unpaid writing.

We also play a game called “Why is Craig So Mad?”

Recorded live from the Driskill Ballroom at the 2018 Austin Film Festival. Thanks to the Austin Film Festival for hosting us, and to a great audience!

Links:

* Thanks for joining us, [Wendy Calhoun](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1618213/), [Phil Hay](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006534/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1), [Nicole Perlman](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2270979/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1), and [Jason Fuchs](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0297229/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)!
* And thank you, Beto, for the message! Check out the (https://johnaugust.com/Assets/20181027_044233000_iOS.mov) from the audience.
* [The Death of Hollywood’s Middle Class](https://www.fastcompany.com/90250828/the-death-of-hollywoods-middle-class) by Nicole Laporte for Fast Company
* This [tweet](https://twitter.com/nicola_prigg/status/1052664430692093953?s=21) by Nicola Prigg
* Keep an eye on [Weekend Read](https://quoteunquoteapps.com/weekendread/) for screenplays this awards season.
* T-shirts are available [here](https://cottonbureau.com/people/john-august-1)! We’ve got new designs, including [Colored Revisions](https://cottonbureau.com/products/colored-revisions), [Karateka](https://cottonbureau.com/products/karateka), and [Highland2](https://cottonbureau.com/products/highland2).
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [Wendy Calhoun](https://twitter.com/wendycalhoun) on Twitter
* [Phil Hay](https://twitter.com/phillycarly) on Twitter
* [Nicole Perlman](https://twitter.com/uncannygirl) on Twitter
* [Jason Fuchs](https://twitter.com/JasonIsaacFuchs) on Twitter
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Scriptnotes Digital Seasons](https://store.johnaugust.com/) are also now available!
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_373v2.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-8-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-373-austin-live-show-2018-transcript).

No Writing Left Behind

Film Industry, Pitches, Producers, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed, Treatments, WGA, Writing Process

John and Craig discuss the dangers of leave-behinds. The “writing before the writing” is an important part of the craft, but giving it away for free is bad for everyone.

We also answer a listener question about character wants versus needs, and why that distinction has become such a guru staple.

Links:

* Hope to see you this weekend at the [Austin Film Festival](https://www.austinfilmfestival.com/aff/live/)! You can also catch John at the [Texas Book Festival](https://www.texasbookfestival.org/) and the [Boulder Book Store Event](https://www.boulderbookstore.net/event/john-august-arlo-finch-valley-fire)
* [No Writing Left Behind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GhZMFTtags)
* [The Confidence Gap](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/01/well/family/confidence-gap-teen-girls-tips-parents.html) by Claire Shipman, Katty Kay and JillEllyn Riley for The New York Times
* [Youtube TV](https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/)
* T-shirts are available [here](https://cottonbureau.com/people/john-august-1)! We’ve got new designs, including [Colored Revisions](https://cottonbureau.com/products/colored-revisions), [Karateka](https://cottonbureau.com/products/karateka), and [Highland2](https://cottonbureau.com/products/highland2).
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Scriptnotes Digital Seasons](https://store.johnaugust.com/) are also now available!
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Luke Brown ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_372.mp3).

**UPDATE 10-25-2018** The transcript for this episode can now be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-372-no-writing-left-behind-transcript).

Only Haters Hate Rom-Coms

Directors, Film Industry, Follow Up, Genres, Los Angeles, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Writing Process

John and Craig talk romantic comedies with screenwriter Tess Morris, whose film Man Up is unapologetically part of the genre.

We discuss what distinguishes rom-coms from other comedies, and why they get singled out for disdain and death-of articles.

Also this week: Amazon Storywriter, overused dicks, and follow-up on Whiplash.

This episode originally aired on November 24, 2015.

Links:

* [Amazon Storywriter](https://storywriter.amazon.com/) and [Fountain](http://fountain.io/)
* Scriptnotes, 224: [Whiplash, on paper and on screen](http://johnaugust.com/2015/whiplash-on-paper-and-on-screen)
* Tess Morris on [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2208729/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheTessMorris), and [Man Up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SycIWnKMP7Y) on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Up_(film)) and [Rotten Tomatoes](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/man_up_2015/)
* [Why Are Romantic Comedies So Bad?](http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/03/why-are-romantic-comedies-so-bad/309236/) by Christopher Orr
* CinemaBlend’s [30 Best Romantic Comedies Of All-Time](http://www.cinemablend.com/new/30-Best-Romantic-Comedies-All-Time-43134.html)
* The New Yorker on [Nick Bostrom](http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/23/doomsday-invention-artificial-intelligence-nick-bostrom)
* Wait But Why on [The Fermi Paradox](http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/fermi-paradox.html)
* [Fallout 4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_4), and [on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016E70408/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* [The Vista Theatre](http://www.vintagecinemas.com/vista/)
* T-shirts are available [here](https://cottonbureau.com/people/john-august-1)! We’ve got new designs, including [Colored Revisions](https://cottonbureau.com/products/colored-revisions), [Karateka](https://cottonbureau.com/products/karateka), and [Highland2](https://cottonbureau.com/products/highland2).
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Scriptnotes Digital Seasons](https://store.johnaugust.com/) are also now available!
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Jon Spurney ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_225_rerun.mp3).