John August

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Writing Action Set Pieces

Episode - 680

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HWTBAM, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John welcomes back Christina Hodson (The Flash, Bumblebee) to ask, how do you to construct a great action sequence? Using examples from three different movies, they discuss what good action looks like on the page, how to keep your reader from getting bored or confused, and why production can sometimes blow your plans to smithereens.

Then it’s a round of How Would This be a Movie?, where we take four stories from the news and pitch how we might adapt them for the screen. Stories include a mysterious painting, a train trapped in a blizzard, a teen who sued his parents, and zombie colleges.

We also follow up on director’s chairs and mammograms, and answer listener questions on side characters and creating a healthy work/life balance.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Christina examine the do’s and don’ts of introducing yourself to a stranger through email.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 3-24-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

The On-Set Producer

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig welcome producer Dan Etheridge (iZombie, High Potential, Party Down) to look at how non-writing producers develop projects, coordinate across departments, and maintain the tone of the show as directors come and go.

We offer practical tips for making the most of video village, regardless of your role, and solutions for the scourge of directors chairs.

Highland Pro, John’s next generation screenwriting app is now available now for Mac, iPad and iPhone! We discuss what’s new and what’s coming next.

We also answer listener questions pitching multiple projects, writing on tablets and how to launch an app.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John, Craig and Dan look back on their experience officiating weddings, and offer advice for those about to marry people. Dan even officiated John’s wedding!

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 3-21-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Puzzle Box Storytelling

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig decipher mystery box shows, where the premise and audience experience involve solving the puzzle of what’s really happening. They look at strategies for revealing clues and information, being mindful of the audience’s expectations, and the importance of the emotional journey inside the labyrinth.

We also announce a new video game, discuss what we can learn by revisiting old projects, follow up on unlocked pages and home automation, and answer listener questions on live instruments, pulling story from D&D campaigns, and where to draw the line between INT. and EXT.

In our bonus segment for premium members, how do you set boundaries when you feel like you’re always supposed to be writing? That’s not rhetorical — we need help.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 3-17-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Writing while the World is on Fire

Psych 101, Scriptnotes

How do you keep doing creative work when the world is falling apart around you? To sift through the despair and doubt, John welcomes back legendary Scriptnotes guest, writer-turned-psychotherapist Dennis Palumbo. They discuss the many feelings that catastrophic events can bring up in artists, the personal narratives that often inform those feelings, and how to keep moving forward when you feel like the band on the Titanic.

We also follow up on AI, and answer listener questions on competing with brain trusts and how to support a friend embroiled in controversy.

In our bonus segment for premium members, Dennis guides us through the best examples and worst mistakes of portraying therapists on screen.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 2-19-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.