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Austin 2017 Three Page Challenge

Episode - 326

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November 21, 2017 Challenge, Film Industry, Formatting, Scriptnotes, Television, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Words, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig review four Three-Page Challenge entries with the help of Daniela Garcia-Brcek (Literary Manager at Circle of Confusion) and Cullen Conly (Literary Agent at ICM). We then invite the writers up to discuss the notes.

It’s not just craft, though. Our special guests give us a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of representation. What do agents and managers look for when they read (or “look at”) scripts? How important is a logline? Who reads queries? Daniela and Cullen tell us the unvarnished truth.

Thanks to the Austin Film Festival for hosting us and to our brave participants!

Links:

  • Tickets available for the Holiday Live Show now!
  • 2017 Austin Live Three Page Challenge — you can check out the pages here or on Weekend Read.
  • Want to submit a Three Page Challenge?
  • The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!
  • The USB drives!
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Outro by Matt Davis (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 11-29-17: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Getting Stuff Written

October 17, 2017 Books, Challenge, Education, Psych 101, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Words, Writing Process

John welcomes Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo and author of Pep Talks for Writers, to discuss the writing process and how to get out of your own way creatively.

We explore the ubiquity of the Other Syndrome and the perils of envy. We also look at pen names, “throw-away writing,” and the advantages of being a beginner.

Links:

  • Grant Faulkner’s website and Wikipedia entry.
  • Pep Talks for Writers by Grant Faulkner is available here.
  • You can participate in NaNoWriMo, too!
  • I’m Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons
  • The Last Invention of Man: How AI might take over the world by Max Tegmark
  • The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!
  • The USB drives!
  • John August on Twitter
  • Grant Faulkner on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Outro by Rajesh Naroth (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 10-23-17: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Movies Dodged a Bullet

September 26, 2017 Books, Follow Up, Formatting, Highland, Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, WGA, Words, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig speculate about why the film industry fared better in the transition to digital while the music industry struggled.

We also follow up on the WGA elections, hearing John’s priorities as a new board member. Lured back into the intrigue of MoviePass, we discuss new information on this business model.

Then it’s another installment of the Three Page Challenge, in which we discuss listener-submitted pages of their screenplays.

Finally, we answer the most provocative of listener-questions: how do you name your files?

Links:

  • WGA Section of johnaugust.com
  • I’m Joining the WGA Board
  • CEO Mitch Lowe Pulls Back The Curtain On MoviePass And Explains Its Economics from Forbes, by Rob Cain
  • Three Pages by Steven Wood
  • Three Pages by Elizabeth Boston
  • Three Pages by Dan Pavlik
  • Submit for the Three Page Challenge
  • Austin Film Festival 2017 Film Slate
  • Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
  • Meet Cute – Short Film on Indiewire
  • The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!
  • The USB drives will be available again in a few days!
  • John August on Twitter
  • Craig Mazin on Twitter
  • John on Instagram
  • Find past episodes
  • Outro by Rajesh Naroth (send us yours!)

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

Credits: Produced by Megan McDonnell Edited by Matthew Chilelli With Nima Yousefi and Dustin Bocks

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 10-2-17: The transcript of this episode can be found here

What is good writing?

March 1, 2016 Formatting, Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge, Transcribed, Words, Words on the page

It’s an all-craft episode as John and Craig discuss what they mean when they say good writing.

Quality isn’t an objective measurement but rather a subjective experience. It’s the relationship between the reader and writer. From vulnerability to voice, consistency to surprise, good writing shares many characteristics with good acting.

We then look at three new entries in the Three Page Challenge, trying to apply what we just discussed.

Links:

  • Marcus Geduld looks at how you differentiate good acting from bad acting
  • Michael Tabb on The Concept of Premise, and John’s response
  • Paul Rudnick’s Libby Gelman-Waxner
  • Three Pages by Joey Perotti
  • Three Pages by Amanda Marín
  • Three Pages by Josh Corbin
  • Submit your Three Pages here
  • Creatures avoiding planks
  • AskMen on beard oil
  • #masculinitysofragile on Twitter
  • Outro by Daniel Green (send us yours!)

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 3-3-16: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

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