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

John August

  • Arlo Finch
  • Scriptnotes
  • Library
  • Store
  • About

Search Results for: notes on notes

Clerks and recreation

Episode - 214

Go to Archive

September 8, 2015 Adaptation, Follow Up, How-To, News, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed

Craig and John tackle another installment of “How would this be a movie?” with a look at the Kentucky clerk, the French train bros, Uber and Deflategate. Who are the heroes and villains, and would there be enough plot to support the running time?

We also explore the happy-sad feeling of finishing a screenplay.

Only two-weeks left to pre-order a Scriptnotes t-shirt. Don’t miss out!

Links:

* [Scriptnotes shirts are available for pre-order in the John August Store](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* [You Must Remember This podcast, with Karina Longworth](http://www.infiniteguest.org/remember-this/)
* [Eazypower 30167 40-Inch Flexible Drill Extension with 1/4-Inch Keyed Chuck](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009XAFXU/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) on Amazon
* [Explainer: The Kentucky Clerk Marriage License Controversy](http://blog.acton.org/archives/81601-explainer-the-kentucky-clerk-marriage-license-controversy.html), and [in The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/05/us/kim-davis-same-sex-marriage.html?_r=0)
* [A change of seats for 3 Americans led to saved lives on Paris-bound train](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/as-french-train-suspect-is-interrogated-questions-mount-on-europes-security/2015/08/23/088ff2fe-4923-11e5-9f53-d1e3ddfd0cda_story.html), from The Washington Post
* [Under Siege 2: Dark Territory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_Siege_2:_Dark_Territory), [Snowpiercer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowpiercer) and [The Raid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raid:_Redemption)
* [Timeline of events for Deflategate, Tom Brady](http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4782561/timeline-of-events-for-deflategate-tom-brady) on ESPN.com
* [Concussion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io6hPdC41RM) trailer
* The New Yorker on [The Long History of the Fight Against Uber](http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-long-history-of-the-fight-against-uber)
* [Hell’s Club](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QajyNRnyPMs&feature=youtu.be), a mashup from AMDSFILMS
* [Use Ice Cubes and Your Dryer to Steam Out Wrinkles](http://lifehacker.com/use-ice-cubes-and-your-dryer-to-steam-out-wrinkles-1551615442) on Lifehacker
* [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_214.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_214.mp3).

**UPDATE 9-11-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-214-clerks-and-recreation-transcript).

Craig is running a few minutes behind

September 4, 2015 General, Los Angeles

Recording the podcast today, Craig apologized for being a few minutes late, “like always,” he said. “No worries,” I said. After all, it’s just Skype.

But Craig’s comment got me looking through my Messages history. What follows is a very slightly redacted version of our entire conversation thread since the start of Scriptnotes.

message thread

Craig is still the best co-host in the universe.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

NDAs and other acronyms

September 1, 2015 Film Industry, Follow Up, Formatting, International, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Weekend Read, WGA

Craig and John open the mailbag to answer questions on acronyms in dialogue, off-the-air specs and international WGA jurisdiction. Plus we look at the growing trend of non-disclosure agreements on studio projects, and whether the nature of film requires less complex characters.

The big news: we have new Scriptnotes t-shirts! They’re available only by pre-order, and only for a short time. Join us at the store as we talk through the three designs, ranging from the classic logo, to vintage Camp Scriptnotes to an all-new Three-Act Structure blueprint by listener Taino Soba. Orders must be in by THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th. (Link below)

Links:

* [Scriptnotes shirts are available for pre-order in the John August Store](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* [Dewalt hex bit set](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000628SO2/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) and a [magnetic bit extensions set](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004V3TQP2/?tag=johnaugustcom-20)
* This is the last week of the summer for [Featured Fridays](http://johnaugust.com/2015/weekend-read-featured-fridays) on [Weekend Read](http://quoteunquoteapps.com/weekendread/)
* Scriptnotes, 130: [Period space](http://johnaugust.com/2014/period-space)
* [South Park popularity is soaring in Taiwan](http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2000-12-28/features/0012280062_1_taiwan-south-park-four-musketeers) from The Baltimore Sun
* [Non-disclosure agreements](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-disclosure_agreement) on Wikipedia
* Screenwriting.io on [handling numbers in dialogue](http://screenwriting.io/how-should-you-handle-numbers-or-confusing-jargon-in-dialogue/)
* Screenwriting.io on [spec scripts](http://screenwriting.io/what-is-a-%E2%80%9Cspec-script%E2%80%9D/)
* Scriptnotes, 11: [How movie money works](http://johnaugust.com/2011/how-movie-money-works)
* [Dead Synchronicity](http://www.deadsynchronicity.com/en/home/)
* [Mr. Robot](http://www.usanetwork.com/mrrobot) on USA
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Duncan Pflaster ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_213.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_213.mp3).

**UPDATE 9-3-15:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2015/scriptnotes-ep-213-ndas-and-other-acronyms-transcript).

Diary of a First-Time Director

August 25, 2015 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:

  • Later this week, Scriptnotes shirts will be available for pre-order in the John August Store
  • Scriptnotes and a live Three Page Challenge will be at the 2015 Austin Film Festival
  • Marielle Heller on IMDb
  • The Diary of a Teenage Girl official site and the trailer
  • Scriptnotes, 121: My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend’s Screenwriter, with Mike Birbiglia
  • Sundance Institute Feature Film Program
  • Director of Photography Brandon Trost on Wikipedia
  • Rotoscoping on Wikipedia
  • Mari Heller on NPR’s Fresh Air
  • VHS Camcorder
  • I’m Sorry I Didn’t Respond to Your Email, My Husband Coughed to Death Two Years Ago by Rachel Ward
  • The Wonder Weeks App
  • Outro by Jack Mazin (send us yours!)

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

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

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Newsletter

Inneresting Logo A Quote-Unquote Newsletter about Writing
Read Now

Explore

Projects

  • Aladdin (1)
  • Arlo Finch (27)
  • Big Fish (88)
  • Birdigo (2)
  • Charlie (39)
  • Charlie's Angels (16)
  • Chosen (2)
  • Corpse Bride (9)
  • Dead Projects (18)
  • Frankenweenie (10)
  • Go (29)
  • 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 (14)
  • FDX Reader (11)
  • Fountain (32)
  • Highland (75)
  • Less IMDb (4)
  • Weekend Read (64)

Recommended Reading

  • First Person (87)
  • Geek Alert (151)
  • WGA (162)
  • Workspace (19)

Screenwriting Q&A

  • Adaptation (65)
  • Directors (90)
  • Education (49)
  • Film Industry (489)
  • Formatting (128)
  • Genres (89)
  • Glossary (6)
  • Pitches (29)
  • Producers (59)
  • Psych 101 (118)
  • Rights and Copyright (96)
  • So-Called Experts (47)
  • Story and Plot (170)
  • Television (165)
  • Treatments (21)
  • Words on the page (237)
  • Writing Process (177)

More screenwriting Q&A at screenwriting.io

© 2026 John August — All Rights Reserved.