John August

Television

What’s in the WGA Deal

Episode - 310

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Film Industry, Follow Up, Producers, Scriptnotes, Television, Transcribed, WGA

Craig and John talk with Chris Keyser, one of the co-chairs of the WGA Negotiating Committee, to learn what gains were achieved in the most recent deal, and what work lies ahead.

Warning: it’s a super-wonky episode that presumes you’re familiar with the basics outlined in episode 289.

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Email us at ask@dev.johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-2-17: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

A last look at The Leftovers

Adaptation, Directors, Follow Up, Television, Writing Process

Showrunner Damon Lindelof joined me for episode 296 to talk through the process of writing The Leftovers. Here’s how he described breaking an episode:

For the “blue-sky phase,” once we land on something that we like, you just write a sentence. Like, “Baby doll made in Tijuana.” And the last one is “Kevin throws baby out window.” It’s literally just those sentences.

After two days, you look and you have about 20 of those sentences up on the board. Then you’re ready to go into the next phase, which I think is what I would call the story-breaking phase, where you just go scene-by-scene and you start to pitch specific dialogue, character dynamics, etc.

Writing for Vulture, Boris Kachka takes an in-depth look at how the final episode was written, shot and edited. It’s a great look at the process from blank whiteboard to final cut. Highly recommended for anyone interested in making television.

Twelve Days of Scriptnotes

Film Industry, How-To, Scriptnotes, Television, Transcribed, Writing Process

In this very special episode from 2014, Craig and John welcome special guests Aline Brosh McKenna, Rachel Bloom, B.J. Novak, Jane Espenson and Derek Haas to talk about writing books, movies and especially television.

Aline and Rachel just finished shooting a pilot called Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. We discuss the genesis of the project, and how sexism is just stupid.

B.J. tells us about the joy of reading Inglorious Basterds, and how the key to success is apparently editing your high school newspaper.

Jane and Derek teach us what really goes on in the writers room, from secret lingo to codes of silence.

Plus there are songs!

Recorded with a live audience at LA Film School as a benefit for the Writers Guild Foundation. Huge thanks to everyone who came and supported the show.

Links:

You can download the episode here:

UPDATE 12-01-16: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

New and Old Hollywood

Film Industry, Scriptnotes, Television, Transcribed, WGA

With credits ranging from Captain Phillips to The Hunger Games, plus several stints in WGA contract negotiations, Billy Ray knows as much as any screenwriter about the realities of working writers and the turmoil in the industry. He joins us to talk about his new Amazon pilot, The Last Tycoon, which charts the behind-the-scenes drama at a 1930s Hollywood studio.

From there, we look at how much people get paid for a $200 million movie, the wild success of Warcraft in China, and how great television is doing financially.

The 250-episode Scriptnotes USB drives are back in the store, so be sure to grab one before they sell out.

Links:

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 6-25-16: The transcript of this episode can be found here.