John August

QandA

Franz Kafka’s brother, and the perfect agent

Episode - 172

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Film Industry, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig talk about why writers are often reluctant to show their work, and how film journalists love to focus on the director — even when there’s no director in sight.

Then, it’s part two of our Perfect series, in which we look at what constitutes the perfect agent. Underlying the agent archetypes — advisor, advocate, connector — is a relationship based on honesty and trust. How do you build it? How do you maintain it? We offer our opinions from the writer’s side of the phone sheet.

Come to our live show on December 11th in Hollywood! You’ll find the link in the show notes.

Links:

* If you ever have issues with the Scriptnotes app, [please let us know](http://johnaugust.com/ask-a-question)
* Get premium Scriptnotes access at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/) and hear last week’s two bonus episodes, plus our upcoming 1,000th subscriber special
* [Chris Pratt Circles Cowboy Ninja Viking](http://deadline.com/2014/11/chris-pratt-cowboy-ninja-viking-1201291185/)
* If you missed our Kickstarter, [sign up at writeremergency.com](http://writeremergency.com/) to be notified when packs are available for purchase
* If you know a lot about retail, [reach out to us](http://johnaugust.com/ask-a-question)
* [Christopher Nolan’s Brother to Adapt Isaac Asimov’s Foundation for HBO](http://www.vulture.com/2014/11/jonathan-nolan-to-adapt-isaac-asimovs-foundation.html?mid=twitter_nymag), on Vulture
* [Frequent Tim Burton Collaborator to Pen Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Movie](http://time.com/3590944/scary-stories-movie-john-august-tim-burton/), from Time
* [Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Movie Writer Could Change Everything](http://io9.com/scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark-movie-writer-could-ch-1659822243), on io9
* [Franz Kafka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka) and [Max Brod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Brod) on Wikipedia
* [High Maintenance](http://www.helpingyoumaintain.com/), and on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/ondemand/highmaintenance) and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Maintenance_(web_series))
* [The Worst Line in Scriptwriting History](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIt0VY7Yg2w) from [Mortal Kombat: Annihilation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_Kombat:_Annihilation)
* [Mortal Kombat: A Novel](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0812544528/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) on Amazon
* [Get your tickets now](https://www.wgfoundation.org/screenwriting-events/scriptnotes-holiday-show/) for the Scriptnotes Holiday Show
* Rachel Bloom’s [NSFW song about Ray Bradbury](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1IxOS4VzKM)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes editor Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_172.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_172.mp3).

**UPDATE 12-1-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-172-franz-kafkas-brother-and-the-perfect-agent-transcript).

Finishing a script, and the Perfect Studio Executive

Film Industry, News, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Writing Process

What are the odds that fivethirtyeight.com’s statistical analysis of screenplays will make Craig angry? Always bet on umbrage. Fortunately, he just finished a script, so we talk about that, and John’s new gig writing Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (which was the project he described phone-pitching the past few episodes).

Then we talk about what makes for the perfect studio executive. It’s a series we plan to continue, looking at the prototypical awesome person in various categories.

Our December 11th live show is likely to sell out, so don’t delay getting your ticket. And Thursday at noon is the last chance to get a Writer Emergency Pack. Links to both below.

Links:

* [Get your tickets now](https://www.wgfoundation.org/screenwriting-events/scriptnotes-holiday-show/) for the Scriptnotes Holiday Show
* [The Book with No Pictures](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0803741715/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by B.J. Novak
* [Writer Emergency Pack](http://writeremergency.com) is [on Kickstarter until Thursday](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/913409803/writer-emergency-pack-helping-writers-get-unstuck)
* [How Data Can Help You Write A Better Screenplay](http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-data-can-help-you-write-a-better-screenplay/) by Walt Hickey
* [Heritage turkeys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_turkey) on Wikipedia, and the [Heritage Turkey Foundation](http://heritageturkeyfoundation.org)
* [Transparent](http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-HD/dp/B00I3MNF6S) on Amazon Prime
* Get premium Scriptnotes access at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/) and hear our 1,000th subscriber special
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) submitted by Scriptnotes listener RJ Sampson ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_171.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_171.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-25-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-171-finishing-a-script-and-the-perfect-studio-executive-transcript).

Lotteries, lightning strikes and twist endings

Film Industry, Follow Up, Genres, QandA, Scriptnotes, Words on the page, Writer Emergency, Writer Emergency Pack

John and Craig look at the nature of fluke hits, everything from #alexfromtarget to huge spec sales. Is luck just luck, or is it about how often you play the game? Where does talent fit in?

We walk through a great breakdown of twist endings by Alec Worley, looking at how expectation both inside and outside of the story shapes the experience.

Then we answer a bunch of listener questions, on topics including using real-life locations, breaking up dialogue, and passing gracefully when you don’t like a project.

The Scriptnotes Holiday show is December 11th in Hollywood, featuring guests Aline Brosh McKenna, B.J. Novak, Jane Espenson and Derek Haas. Check the link below for tickets.

Links:

* Tickets to the Scriptnotes Holiday show are on sale tomorrow at the [Writers Guild Foundation website](https://www.wgfoundation.org)
* Big Fish: The Musical is now playing [at Musical Theatre West in Long Beach](http://www.musical.org/MusicalTheatreWest/bigfish2014.html)
* [Writer Emergency Pack](http://writeremergency.com) is going strong [on Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/913409803/writer-emergency-pack-helping-writers-get-unstuck)
* [The Five Types of Twist Endings](http://alecworley.weebly.com/blog/the-five-types-of-twist-ending) by Alec Worley
* [Alex from Target](http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/11/alex-from-target-fame.html)
* [Darius Kazemi’s XOXO talk](http://boingboing.net/2014/10/28/every-artists-how-i-made-i.html)
* [Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0465026567/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Douglas R. Hofstadter
* Screenwriting.io on [intermediary slugs](http://screenwriting.io/what-is-a-slug/)
* [Tim and Susan Have Matching Handguns](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgrjhtbQlOQ) by Joe Callander
* [Too Many Cooks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrGrOK8oZG8) by Casper Kelly, and [his interview in Entertainment Weekly](http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/11/07/adult-swim-too-many-cooks/)
* Get premium Scriptnotes access at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/) and hear our 1,000th subscriber special
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes editor Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_170.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_170.mp3).

**UPDATE 11-17-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-170-lotteries-lightning-strikes-and-twist-endings-transcript).

In praise of flat adverbs

Geek Alert, Words on the page

Emily Brewster of Merriam-Webster offers a cogent defense of “drive safe,” “take it easy” and other cases in which adverbs seem to be [missing their -ly ending](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7epnfcHy5SA):

It’s not simply a matter of do-what-you-want. These words really are adverbs, they just look like their related adjective forms. A good example is “near.” It’s an adjective, a preposition and adverb — even though there is also an -ly form.

It was a near miss. [adjective]

I work near the train station. [preposition]

The deadline draws near. [adverb]

Christmas is nearly here. [adverb]

They’re all related, but you can’t use them interchangeably.

Last night, Stuart corrected something I wrote in a Kickstarter update. Instead of “look close,” he suggested “look closely.” Both work, but there’s something I really love about the flat form.

Thanks to [Bryce Edmonds](https://twitter.com/noophlogic/status/531270951099301888) for the link.