• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

John August

  • Arlo Finch
  • Scriptnotes
  • Library
  • Store
  • About

Rights and Copyright

Splitting the Party

Episode - 383

Go to Archive

January 15, 2019 Adaptation, Arlo Finch, Big Fish, Film Industry, Follow Up, Genres, News, Producers, QandA, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed, Travel, Treatments

John and Craig talk about the trope of “Never split the party,” and why, as a writer, you often want and need to divide up your characters to better explore relationships, propel the story forward, give actors something to do, and simply fit everyone in the frame.

We also follow up on screenwriting scams, sequences, websites, and liking things that others don’t.

Links:

  • Join us for the WGA’s Princess Bride screening on January 27th.
  • You can catch John on Studio 360.
  • “Let’s Split Up the Gang” and “Never Split the Party” are topical TV tropes.
  • Watch Patton Oswalt when he’s not being utilized in a big scene.
  • Scriptnotes, Ep 381: Double Ampersand with Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens
  • Big Fish sequence outline
  • Sarah Silverman recording Slaughter Race, music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Phil Johnston and Tom MacDougall
  • TripIt
  • This Is Your Brain On Pot
  • You can now preorder the next Arlo Finch
  • T-shirts are available here! We’ve got new designs, including Colored Revisions, Karateka, and Highland2.
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Scriptnotes Digital Seasons are also now available!
  • Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 1-23-2019: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Tying Things Up

September 4, 2018 Books, Film Industry, Follow Up, Go, News, Random Advice, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Videogames, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig cover endings, both for craft and for business. First they articulate the importance of the denouement and the social contract it fulfills with the audience. Then they discuss what happens to a writer’s work after their death.

We also follow up on pitching, and introduce a new segment: Change Craig’s Mind. This week: Ventriloquists!

Links:

  • You can listen to John & Craig on another podcast: Jordan, Jesse, Go!
  • You can check out our episode with Mindy Kaling, or our episode with Susanna Fogel and David Iserson for some context in this week’s follow-up.
  • John’s attempt at “Changing Craig’s Mind” about ventriloquism: Nina Conti
  • Edward Albee’s estate has special rules about casting for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
  • Erin Gibson: Throwing Shade podcast, Gay of Thrones, and her new book, Feminasty: The Complicated Woman’s Guide to Surviving the Patriarchy Without Drinking Herself to Death.
  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge: Killing Eve, Fleabag, and she’s the robot, L3-37, in Solo
  • The Witcher 3: Blood And Wine DLC
  • The USB drives!
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Scriptnotes Digital Seasons are also now available!
  • Outro by Rajesh Naroth (send us yours!). And thank you, Luke Davis, for Craig’s musical intro!

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 9-12-18: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Netflix Killed the Video Store

August 21, 2018 Film Industry, Follow Up, Indie, Los Angeles, QandA, Resources, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Video

John welcomes Kate Hagen to talk about missing movies and the role that video stores play in archiving film history, preserving access to all movies and creating a sense of community. They discuss some of the barriers to films getting digital distribution, from limited music licenses to struggles with chain-of-title when companies fail.

We also discuss what it is to be a script reader, write coverage and clash with a boss’ taste. And we follow up on Moviepass and its legacy.

Links:

  • Thanks for joining us, Kate Hagen!
  • In Search of the Last Great Video Store by Kate Hagen
  • The Black List
  • Netflix’s DVD service
  • Fresh Horses was one of those missing movies.
  • The Fall of MoviePass and its reverse stock split
  • Kate recommends Ladies & Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains, Mikey and Nicky and FilmStruck to watch classic movies.
  • My Life as a Goddess by Guy Branum
  • Tees-En-Scène sells shirts that highlight and support female writer/directors.
  • The USB drives!
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • Kate Hagen on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Scriptnotes Digital Seasons are also now available!
  • Outro by Luke Davis (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-28-18: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Best Popular Screenwriting Podcast

August 14, 2018 Arlo Finch, Film Industry, Follow Up, Producers, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Videogames, WGA

John and Craig pack this business-centric episode with big picture conversations about guild negotiations, changes to the Oscars, the Disney/Fox merger, the Paramount Consent Decree, and the tragedy that is being unable to stream The Flamingo Kid.

Links:

  • Scriptnotes is now on Spotify!
  • The Austin Film Festival is coming up on October 25th!
  • Changes are coming to the Oscars, including a new category for “Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film.”
  • IATSE is not backing its Editors Guild in asking for a reasonable turnaround and pension support.
  • The Department of Justice will review the Paramount Consent Decree.
  • In Search of the Last Great Video Store by Kate Hagen for the Black List blog.
  • Add to this form if you find a movie that isn’t streamable.
  • Antihero game for iOS.
  • Mark Halpin’s puzzles for The Nation
  • The USB drives!
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Scriptnotes Digital Seasons are also now available!
  • Outro by Luke Davis (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-22-18: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Newsletter

A weekly-ish roundup of stuff we've found interesting delivered right to your inbox.

Read Past Issues

Explore

Projects

  • Arlo Finch (26)
  • Big Fish (87)
  • Charlie (39)
  • Charlie's Angels (16)
  • Chosen (2)
  • Corpse Bride (9)
  • Dead Projects (18)
  • Frankenweenie (10)
  • Go (30)
  • Karateka (4)
  • Monsterpocalypse (3)
  • One Hit Kill (6)
  • Ops (6)
  • Preacher (2)
  • Prince of Persia (13)
  • Shazam (6)
  • Snake People (6)
  • Tarzan (5)
  • The Nines (118)
  • The Remnants (12)
  • The Variant (22)

Apps

  • Bronson (13)
  • FDX Reader (11)
  • Fountain (32)
  • Highland (71)
  • Less IMDb (4)
  • Weekend Read (33)

Recommended Reading

  • First Person (82)
  • Geek Alert (145)
  • WGA (119)
  • Workspace (19)

Screenwriting Q&A

  • Adaptation (66)
  • Directors (90)
  • Education (48)
  • Film Industry (478)
  • Formatting (128)
  • Genres (90)
  • Glossary (6)
  • Pitches (29)
  • Producers (59)
  • Psych 101 (116)
  • Rights and Copyright (95)
  • So-Called Experts (46)
  • Story and Plot (170)
  • Television (161)
  • Treatments (21)
  • Words on the page (236)
  • Writing Process (177)

More screenwriting Q&A at screenwriting.io

© 2021 John August — All Rights Reserved.