John August

QandA

Still suing

Film Industry, Follow Up

Remember that guy who’s [suing the agencies](http://johnaugust.com/2011/suing-to-get-an-agent) for not representing him? Jim Vines has an interview with him, and asks one question that kept [nagging at me](http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2011/08/interview-withjustin-samuels.html):

> JV: With regard to the agents and/or producers you’ve queried, how do they even know you’re an African-American screenwriter? I mean, your point of view seems to be: “They know I’m black—they won’t read my script!” Do you mention in your queries that you’re an African-American?

> JS: I didn’t say that they know I’m African-American. I said since the majors do not even accept queries, this has a disproportionate impact on African-Americans in terms of locking us out of the industry, as we have no access to the people we would need to be read by.

I don’t agree with his logic, but that’s at least an answer.

[Disparate impact](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disparate_Impact) falls under U.S. employment law. Does it apply to the agencies he’s suing, since he’s not seeking to be hired by them? Assuming disparate impact could be shown, would requiring agencies to accept queries actually change the percentages? This interview still suggests a very uninformed view of the industry.

After the epic comment threads on this issue, let’s send any new discussion to [Jim’s post](http://theworkingscreenwriter.blogspot.com/2011/08/interview-withjustin-samuels.html).

Rob Corddry on getting stuff written

Geek Alert, Television, Web series

Merlin Mann’s [Back to Work podcast](http://5by5.tv/b2w/29) has a great discussion with Rob Corddry this week, talking about Children’s Hospital. (Which, if you’re not watching, is [available on iTunes](http://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/childrens-hospital-season-1/id296879842).)

I was especially interested in how Corddry and his team are breaking stories for the upcoming season: using the simultaneous editing features in Google Docs. That’s the same way Stuart and I wrote the point-counterpoint for yesterday’s article about FCP X. The collaboration features in Google Docs are fairly amazing and under-heralded.

You can listen to the Corddry podcast [here](http://5by5.tv/b2w/29).

TV reboots have a bad track record

Television

Kevin Fallon points out that most reboots of classic series [don’t stick around long](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/print/2011/08/tvs-history-of-failed-remakes/243609/):

> Sleek, hip, and expensive relaunches of *The Bionic Woman* (which in 1978 starred an indestructible Lindsay Wagner) and *Knight Rider* (the ‘80s series in which a pre-Baywatch David Hasselhoff talks to his crime-fighting car) were high-profile disappointments for NBC in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The one-two punch of failure would be the cautionary tale against remaking TV classics—had attempts at reviving *Get Smart, Love Boat,* and *Melrose Place* (among others) not tanked spectacularly before them. Given the graveyard of TV remakes haunting Hollywood, why do networks keep churning them out?

Because familiar brand names are worth something, particularly when trying to launch a new show in the fall. And while the batting average isn’t great, several shows have worked, including 90210, Battlestar Galactica and Hawaii Five-O.

One could argue that the reboots Fallon lists simply weren’t very good (though I enjoyed the new Melrose Place).

For example, V was a slo-mo car crash of lizard sex and muddled religious allegory. The only reason it stuck around for a second season is that V is in its very DNA kind of awesome. ((I watched every episode of V. But then again, I would watch Elizabeth Mitchell boil water. When I close my eyes, Juliet is still living in her Dharma Initiative bungalow, waiting for her reading group.))

Look at it from a network president’s point of view. You’ve ordered pilots. They’ve been shot. Now you’re trying to decide what you want on your schedule.

Given two shows that seem roughly equal in quality, wouldn’t you pick the one with a pre-sold name? Do you want a comedy with a witch or *Bewitched?*

TV reboots will continue. Most of them will fail. But that’s because most TV shows fail. That’s TV.

Oh, they’ll remember his name

Film Industry, News

There are better ways to [attract agency attention](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/08/script-left-for-talent-agents-is-instead-blown-up-by-cops.html):

> Beverly Hills police responded shortly after 9 a.m to an office building in the 400 block of North Camden Avenue after an unidentified man brought a locked briefcase to a talent agency with the hope that someone in the office would review the script inside.

Nearby offices were evacuated. The briefcase was blown up by the bomb squad, with the man’s laptop and script inside.

No word on whether the agency plans on representing the writer but yeah there’s no way. Don’t do this. Stunts often backfire.