Story and Plot

Anthrax, Amnesia and Atomic Veterans

Episode - 260

July 26, 2016 Books, Follow Up, Meta, News, QandA, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot

John and Craig implore screenwriters to think twice before using the phrase “begs the question.” We know it’s a losing battle, but if we learned anything from 300, sometimes those are still worth having.

We then dive into one of our favorite features, How Would This Be a Movie, looking at listener-suggested stories about anthrax, amnesia and atomic veterans.

Links:

* [Arlo Finch](http://arlofinch.tumblr.com/) on TUMBLR
* [Duly Noted: Let’s Talk about Episode 259](http://johnaugust.com/2016/duly-noted-lets-talk-about-episode-259)
* [Craig’s One Cool PI Thing](https://www.quora.com/Do-irrational-numbers-like-pi-disprove-humanity-being-a-simulation)
* [Latif Ullah’s Cut of Overboard](https://vimeo.com/174891455)
* [Begging the Question](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question)
* [Begging the Question Fallacy](http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/begging-the-question.html)
* [Trip Gabriel](http://nytimes.com/2016/07/17/opinion/sunday/the-day-that-went-missing.html?_r=0)
* [Oliver Sacks](http://www.oliversacks.com/)
* [The Answer to the Riddle Is Me: A Memoir of Amnesia](https://www.amazon.com/Answer-Riddle-Me-Memoir-Amnesia/dp/0547519273) on Amazon
* [Tom Hallman, Jr.](http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2016/07/the_fight_continues_for_vetera.html)
* [Clyde Haberman](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/30/us/veterans-of-atomic-test-blasts-no-warning-and-late-amends.html?_r=1)
* [2001 Anthrax Attacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks)
* [Bruce Edward Ivins](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Edwards_Ivins)
* [macOS Sierra](http://www.apple.com/macos/sierra-preview/)
* [Phased](https://vimeo.com/173472729) by Joe Capra
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter

* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/Episode_260.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-1-16:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2016/scriptnotes-ep-260-anthrax-amnesia-and-atomic-veterans-transcript).

The Exit Interview

July 19, 2016 Books, Follow Up, Meta, News, QandA, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot

In the season finale of Scriptnotes, John and Craig reveal big changes to the podcast.

After five years, a much-loved supporting character is leaving the show. We look back at his time with us, what he learned and what he’ll take with him to his new screenwriting adventures.

Meanwhile, one of the hosts is leaving Los Angeles entirely. We discuss what’s taking him to a different time zone and the impact it will have on the show.

Finally, a fresh voice joins the podcast, bringing an international flavor and a name worthy of NPR.

If all these changes sound scary, please be assured we’ll be back next week with the start of a new season.

Links:

* [Girl Gone Overboard](https://vimeo.com/174427174), cut by Fredrik Limi
* [Stuart Friedel](https://twitter.com/stuartfriedel) on Twitter
* [The Peter Stark Program](https://cinema.usc.edu/producing/)
* [Matt Byrne](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4791766/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1), [Chad Creasey](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1548657/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1), [Dana Fox](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1401416/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) and [Rawson Thurber](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1098493/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)
* [Thomas Barbusca](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4564958/?ref_=tt_cl_t13)
* [The Three Page Challenge](http://johnaugust.com/threepage)
* [Steve Zissis](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1587813/?ref_=nv_sr_1) and [Corey Stoll](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1015684/)
* One of John’s doppelgängers [as Hebrew National’s Uncle Sam](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf2j-YzZRAA)
* [Ghostbusters (2016)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1289401/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm) credits on IMDb
* Gizmodo on [The Six Plots](http://gizmodo.com/data-analysis-suggests-there-exist-only-six-book-plots-1783263768)
* [NaNoWriMo](http://nanowrimo.org/)
* [Godwin Jabangwe](https://twitter.com/itaizhou) on Twitter
* [The Wibberleys at UCLA TFT](http://www.tft.ucla.edu/2015/02/the-wibberlys/)
* [My Dad Wrote a Porno](https://overcast.fm/+FQ0rlFek8)
* [Do irrational numbers like pi disprove humanity being a simulation?](https://www.quora.com/Do-irrational-numbers-like-pi-disprove-humanity-being-a-simulation) on Quora
* [Pastor Evan Mawarire](https://twitter.com/pastorevanlive) on Twitter, and [#ThisFlag](https://twitter.com/hashtag/thisflag)
* Fiddler’s Bistro [chicken kabobs](https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fiddlers-bistro-los-angeles?select=O5lDBWpGnHsPoGEcP69Qxw) and [red pepper dip](https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fiddlers-bistro-los-angeles?select=0ASoVfJyY3ahUW_S2p3Uwg)
* The phonaesthetically beautiful [cellar door](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellar_door) and [The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IsXKMkDAMQ)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_259.mp3).

**UPDATE 2-22-23** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2016/scriptnotes-ep-259-the-exit-interview-transcript).

Generic Trigger Warning

July 12, 2016 Follow Up, QandA, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, WGA, Words on the page

John and Craig take a look at three new entries in the Three Page Challenge, with scripts tackling kidnapping, dystopia and parkour hackers. We look at both how the writing works on the page, and what the writers seem to be trying to say.

We also answer listener questions about the increased visibility of characters with disabilities on screen, and the differences between the two WGAs.

Links:

* [Submit your Three Pages here](http://johnaugust.com/threepage)
* Three Pages by [Philip Lemon](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/PhilipLemon.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Lynn Esta Goldman](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/LynnEstaGoldman.pdf)
* Three Pages by [J.E. Alexander](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/JEAlexander.pdf)
* [Common MythConceptions](http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/common-mythconceptions-worlds-most-contagious-falsehoods/)
* [Patrick Patterson](https://twitter.com/pdpatterson/status/750745376441954305) saved a life with [Be The Match](https://bethematch.org/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Sam Comer ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_258.mp3).

**UPDATE 7-18-16:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2016/scriptnotes-ep-258-generic-trigger-warning-transcript)