John August

Writing Process

Diary of a First-Time Director

Episode - 212

Go to Archive

Directors, Film Industry, Follow Up, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Sundance, Transcribed, Writing Process

John and Craig sit down with Marielle Heller, the writer and director of the acclaimed feature The Diary of a Teenage Girl, to talk about the journey of getting her movie made, from optioning the novel to the Sundance Labs through production.

We discuss sex scenes and ’70s wallpaper, anamorphic lenses and leaving subplots on the cutting room floor. Plus there’s a lot of MacGruber.

Heller’s film is in US theaters now, and expanding week-by-week. Don’t miss it.

Links:

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 8-28-15: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

One-Handed Movie Heroes

Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig discuss why movie heroes — unlike those in novels or musicals — generally don’t profess internally conflicting views. In reality, our feelings on a topic are likely shades of gray. On the big screen, characters tend to articulate a single point firmly.

We also discuss the last few things we do when getting ready to submit a script.

Then it’s time for three new entries in the Three Page Challenge, with Nazis, nukes and noir.

* Today is the final day to [submit your Fall 2015 Scriptnotes shirt design](http://johnaugust.com/shirt)
* [Submit your Three Pages here](http://johnaugust.com/threepage)
* Three Pages by [Andy Maycock](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/AndyMaycock.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Brian Vidal](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/BrianVidal.pdf)
* Three Pages by [Len Anderson IV](http://johnaugust.com/Assets/LenAndersonIV.pdf)
* [Logan Paul has conquered the internet, but he can’t figure out how to conquer the world](http://www.techinsider.io/vine-star-logan-paul-profile-2015-7) by Caroline Moss
* [Avery Monsen](https://vine.co/AveryMonsen) on Vine
* [Thync](http://www.thync.com/)
* [Muse headband](http://www.choosemuse.com/)
* [A limited number of 200 episode USB drives are back in the John August Store](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* [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: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_210.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_210.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-13-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-210-one-handed-movie-heroes-transcript).

How descriptive audio works

Adaptation, Film Industry, Follow Up, How-To, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, WGA, Writing Process

John and Craig take a deep look at how descriptive audio for the blind works, with clips from Daredevil and an interview with a woman who does it for a living. It’s a fascinating form of writing, with many of the same challenges screenwriters face.

Also this week: Capitals, capitalization, the WGA financial numbers, and answers to a bunch of listener questions.

If you have a Scriptnotes t-shirt design, the deadline is August 11th. Click the link below for details.

Links:

* [Submit your Fall 2015 Scriptnotes shirt design](http://johnaugust.com/shirt) by August 11
* [Capitals](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/capitals-free-word-battle/id968456900?mt=8) for iOS
* [MovieBob Reviews: Pixels](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFD2293oGvA) (NSFW)
* [Subtitling for screenwriters](http://johnaugust.com/2013/subtitling-for-screenwriters) on johnaugust.com
* [Can you reference specific, proper-noun products/songs/locations/etc. in your screenplay?](http://screenwriting.io/can-you-reference-specific-proper-noun-productssongslocationsetc-in-your-screenplay/) on screenwriting.io
* [2015 WGAw Annual Report to Writers](http://wga.org/subpage_whoweare.aspx?id=230)
* [Bathsheba Sculptures](https://www.bathsheba.com/)
* Kevin Kelly’s [Cool Tools](http://kk.org/cooltools/)
* [MacID](http://macid.co/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by 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_208.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_208.mp3).

**UPDATE 7-31-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-208-how-descriptive-audio-works-transcript).

Nobody Eats Four Marshmallows

Film Industry, Follow Up, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, WGA, Writing Process

John and Craig take an in-depth look at turnaround and reversion, and how screenwriters get their scripts back from a studio.

We also look at the latest developments in the Gravity saga, and answer a bunch of leftover questions from the live 200th episode.

Links:

* [Scriptnotes 202, in which we discuss FAST Screenplay](http://johnaugust.com/2015/everyman-vs-superman)
* [Scriptnotes 183: The Deal with the Gravity Lawsuit](http://johnaugust.com/2015/the-deal-with-the-gravity-lawsuit), and follow up from [Scriptnotes 186](http://johnaugust.com/2015/the-rules-or-the-paradox-of-the-outlier)
* [The Gerritsen Ruling, in its entirety](http://www.scribd.com/doc/268738073/Gerritsen-Ruling)
* [Turnaround](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnaround_(filmmaking)) on Wikipedia
* [The 200th Episode Live Show](http://johnaugust.com/2015/the-200th-episode-live-show)
* [“Nobody eats four marshmallows”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMh8D9Bce40&t=47s) from The Hangover 3
* [Scriptnotes 82, featuring Ben W’s Three Pages](http://johnaugust.com/2013/god-doesnt-need-addresses)
* [Minecraft Hololens demo at E3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgakdcEzVwg&feature=youtu.be&t=2m25s)
* [The “Some Guy” Anthem, by Jonathan Mann](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ird715k0t-g)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Jonathan Mann ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_203.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_203.mp3).

**UPDATE 6-25-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-203-nobody-eats-four-marshmallows-transcript).