Plot answers the “what” questions: What happens next? What is in the mysterious vault? What secret was the dowager keeping?

Story, however, is much more concerned with the “whos” and “hows” and “whys.” Characters have their own needs and impulses. The trick of good writing is to match up what the characters want to do (motivation) with what the screenwriter wants them to do (plot).

Mild spoiler alert: In the last few minutes, we discuss recent developments on Game of Thrones, but in a general-enough way that it’s not likely to impact your enjoyment if you’re behind. Still, caveat spectator.

Finally, two bits of housekeeping:

• We post full transcripts of every show a few days after they air.

• If you subscribe to us on iTunes, please leave us some feedback. For next week’s show, we’ll read the reviews ranked “most helpful” live, no matter what they say. Which may be a terrible idea. We’ll see.

LINKS:

• Littlest Pet Shop videos
• Plot Wizard
• Plotto: The Master Book of All Plots by William Wallace Cook
• Craig recommends Joe Nienalt and Daniel Vang’s Will-Read-Your-Script Fundraiser for the American Heart Association
• John recommends this all-your-barcodes-together card
• INTRO: My Little Pony
• OUTRO: Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by military band Sidewinder at the White House

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 5-30-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

➤ When John sets a timer for himself, what is his work/break interval sweet spot? (1:12)

➤ How do you break up with your manager? (2:16)

➤ Are there any tricks for organizing files when writing out of order? (3:42)

➤ Why join the WGA? (5:35)

➤ What “lingo” do Craig and John use in story meetings? (13:48)

➤ Will a writer be held back by English being her second language? (17:33)

➤ Is it better to release a short through festivals or by putting it online in parts? (19:37)

➤ Do John and Craig have tips for juggling multiple writing jobs? (21:17)

➤ What is a safe LA neighborhood with good schools for a writer/father who is making the move? (25:56)

➤ Do Craig and John’s finished movies look like they imagined while they were writing them? (30:23)

➤ Is it a smart idea for a 23-year-old aspiring screenwriter to pick up and move to LA? (34:05)

➤ If a character’s race is not specifically mentioned, why is he or she assumed white? (34:57)

➤ Is it okay to refer to specific actors while pitching? What about in the script itself? (39:12)

➤ How did John and Craig meet and decided to collaborate on Scriptnotes? (41:18)

➤ Are screenwriting contests or studio writers’ programs the right step for a 30-year-old mother of one living in Ohio? (42:34)

➤ Why would anyone would want to become a screenwriter in today’s studio climate? (46:38)

➤ If your spec pilot begs to be a premise pilot, is it better to use a non-pilot episode as your sample? (49:15)

➤ Why does page length change when converting files from Movie Magic to Final Draft? Which page count is correct? (51:29)

➤ If your historical epic has a lot of required backstory, is it okay to meet the protagonist on page 30? (53:41)

➤ Is there shame in running with an idea someone else freely posted online? (55:23)

All this and just slightly more on episode 38 of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• The Pomodoro Technique
• Craig’s Done Deal Pro forums post that prompted the question about “lingo”
• INTRO: Skyhawks intro (via Monte Ferraro)
• OUTRO: Bach’s Prelude & Fugue No. 1 in C Major by The Original Swingle Singers, 1963

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 5-24-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

The best gauge of good writing is whether a screenplay’s characters feel distinct and alive. A lot of that comes from how the characters speak: what they say and how they say it.

John and Craig offer some tests to see if your screenplay’s dialogue works:

• Could you take one character’s words and have another say them?
• Can you picture a specific actor speaking each character’s lines? Or, even better, are there actors you can’t picture saying them?
• Do the characters all sound like you, the writer? Or do they have distinct voices?

This week’s listener questions include recycling material, writing large-group action scenes, and possible novels. Craig then rants about the evils of Zynga and the wonder of 1Password.

How do you do an imitation of Denzel Washington? Find out on episode 37 of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Jay Mohr’s Mohr Stories
• Jane Espenson (and Douglas Petrie) on the Nerdist Writers Panel
• Derek Haas’s Popcorn Fiction
• Lightning in a Bottle by Craig Mazin, on Popcorn Fiction
• Snake People by John August, on Popcorn Fiction
• 1Password
• Ski Safari
• INTRO: Misfits of Science stereo remix by Stiks1969
• OUTRO: No Frills Love (Extended Dance Remix) by Jennifer Holiday

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 5-18-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

“Writer’s block” is an overused term. When a writer claims to be suffering from it, he is usually wrestling with some combination of three common problems: procrastination, perfectionism, and fear. “Writer’s block” is a romanticized catch-all that distracts from these real issues.

Screenwriters can use a range of techniques to get over the hump, from setting a kitchen timer, to breaking work down into manageable chunks, to writing in an order that makes sense for the way you work.

They then take two quick listener questions before closing out the episode with this week’s One Cool Thing (TM).

It’s Tuesday! So head over to Panda Express and get yourself a celebratory meal to enjoy with episode 36 of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Jajangmyeon, Craig’s Korean noodles
• George Lucas, Seven Spielberg, and Lawrence Kasdan’s Raiders Story Conference
• Old Jews Telling Jokes
• Charlie Seibel, Giving a Bull an Enema on OJTJ
• iScore
• INTRO: Simon & Simon theme
• OUTRO: Umbrellas by Fredo Viola

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 5-9-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

With so many of Disney’s distribution slots taken up by DreamWorks, Marvel, Pixar and Bruckheimer, whoever gets the job of chief probably won’t be making many movies on his or her own. Yet the Disney brand is one of the only ones that still means something to ticket-buyers, so finding a way to make Disney movies feels like a priority.

A discussion of Gregory Poirier’s recent article on misguided cost-cutting segues to a letter from a veteran Hollywood screenwriter frustrated by just how bad studio development has gotten. That’s followed by more listener questions:

• What distinguishes a well-developed character from a flat one?

• How should a recent college graduate from Colorado go about starting a screenwriting career?

• Where do pitches come from?

• How long should it take for your agent to return your call?

John extols his favorite site for sheet music, while Craig gets nostalgic for his first real computer, the Franklin Ace 1000.

All this and more on Scriptnotes: A podcast about parking, and things that are interesting to parkers.

LINKS:

• John’s post on Gregory Poirier’s article
• Jason Robert Brown on copyright and fighting with teenagers
• Musicnotes version of Jar of Hearts
• Craig’s first computer, the Franklin Ace 1000
• INTRO: Wonderful World of Disney intro
• OUTRO: HardChord DynaMix – Jar of Creep

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 5-4-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

• What are “spec farms,” and how can you avoid them?

• What should you do if you and your reps/producers disagree about whether your script is ready to send out?

• Is it a good idea to post your script online?

• How should you introduce characters in an ensemble? How many is too many?

Todo esto y más en el 34° episodio de Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• The Girls nepotism poster
• The Robotard 8000
• The Nissan Leaf
• Tesla’s Model S
• Intro: Spiderman y Sus Increibles Amigos opening
• Outro: Love is Real (Fred Falke Remix) by Theophilus London

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 4-26-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Well, pretty often, actually. But almost never so publicly. And the already-certifiable, formerly-A-list-ness of it all makes it especially gossip-worthy, so forgive us if we go on for a while.

That settled, we follow up on the Amazon Studios deal and what it means for screenwriters not currently in the WGA. One listener calls Craig an idiot, which leads to a discussion about what “professional screenwriting” even means.

John wants aspiring screenwriters to stop using the term “breaking in,” because it doesn’t accurately reflect the early stages of a writer’s career. Meanwhile, Craig takes umbrage at the idea of “trust fund screenwriters.”

We end with some questions and answers:

• What is a screenwriter’s quote, and how does it get determined?

• How do international screenwriters get U.S. visas?

• Can animation writers get WGA coverage?

All this and more in the new Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Joe Eszterhas’ letter to Mel Gibson
• Warner Bros. buys rights to Reddit creation Rome Sweet Rome
• John’s rusted car, 1990-1996
• Intro: Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle TV cartoon intro
• Outro: North Korean teens play “Take On Me”

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 4-19-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

The big news this week is potentially very big news: Amazon Studios has completely revamped their business model, ditching the terrible parts and transforming into something potentially very good for writers. Notably, Amazon is now a WGA signatory, which offers the promise of residuals and credit protection for screenwriters.

Will it work? It’s too early to say. But when a new player with deep pockets enters the film industry, it often helps loosen the purse strings. More importantly, the Amazon deal sets a precedent for other tech companies considering taking the plunge.

Along the way, Craig talks about directing and John takes his daughter to work. All this and more in this episode of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Presbyopia
• Lena Dunham’s Girls is brilliant
• Tiny Furniture on Amazon
• Nerdist Writers Panel
• My pilot scripts for D.C, Alaska and Ops
• John’s 2010 post on the first Amazon deal
• Craig’s 2010 post on Amazon’s bad deal
• Amazon Studio’s new development process
• INTRO: PM Magazine intro
• OUTRO: We Found Love covered by Chris Harris

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 4-12-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

The bulk of the episode is spent on listener questions:

• After making a spec sale, what should a writing team do next?

• When handing in a rewrite, should you preface your changes in an email?

• How do you handle file-keeping with multiple projects and drafts?

• What is a “spec script auction?”

• What do you do when your manager keeps pushing you to write things you’re not interested in?

• How do you format verse (like Shakespeare) when it’s used as dialogue?

• What do you do when your scene has 23 characters in it?

All this and more in this week’s Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Big Bang Theory without Laughter
• Once, the Broadway musical
• Martin Scorsese’s Casino
• Intro: Bewitched opening
• Outro: South Australia performed by Fisherman’s Friends

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 4-5-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Why do you lock pages? How do you add scenes once the script is locked? Why are some pages different colors? And what comes between page 15 and 15A?

Get it right, and it should be smooth sailing. Get it wrong, and you have a frustrated crew and a lot of cleanup.

Television series generate so many scripts that they generally have their own internal systems, with designated staffers to handle the process. But for small-to-medium-sized features, the screenwriter is the script department.

The good news is that it’s usually pretty straightforward, especially if you follow some best practices to make life easier.

Also discussed this week: science fair projects, historic atrocities, and the origin of “wackiness ensues.”

Standing on the shoulders of giants in episode 30 of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Fark
• Arts and Letters Daily
• The Great Big Book of Horrible Things: The Definitive Chronicle of History’s 100 Worst Atrocities by Matthew White
• The Passage: A Novel by Justin Cronin
• Intro: 3-2-1 Contact opening
• Outro: Crazy in Love by the Puppini Sisters

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 3-28-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

• What happens when a manager wants to attach himself to your spec?
• How much detail should a screenwriter provide about wardrobe?
• When is it okay to give up on screenwriting?

Also discussed: St. Patrick’s Day, The Book of Mormon (the musical), and the Koren/Eggers idiocy.

All this and Americans Against Mayonaise in the new Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• MacGruber on IMDb
• McGarnagle from The Simpsons
• McBain from The Simpsons
• Book of Mormon soundtrack
• Intro: Charles in Charge
• Outro: Danny Boy and McGarnagle

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 3-22-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Your script is probably too long. Here’s how to fix that.

Craig also discusses his WGA seminar on surviving the feature film development process, and his vision for a screenwriters training program analogous to the well-regarded TV showrunners program. He drafts John to teach one segment.

The last few minutes degenerate into a conversation about Skyrim, Arkham City, American Idol and uxoricide. So, be forewarned.

From killing your darlings to killing your wife, all in this week’s Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• My earlier post on How to cut pages
• Marriage in Skyrim
• Intro: ABC’s Wide World of Sports
• Outro: Hey Joe cover by Mark Galloway

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 3-16-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

We discuss what we’d movies we’d make, what standard practices we’d change, and how we’d address the shifting realities of movie-going and home video.

Could we really do it better? Doubtful. It’s easy to play make-believe, but much tougher when you’re reporting to a major multinational corporation.

Still, there are things that everyone seems to get wrong, and it’s worth the conversation about what could be done better. And if any tech billionaires feel like investing, you know where to find us.

Before that long conversation, we answer a bunch of follow-up questions:

• When optioning a novel, is there a rule of thumb for what percentage of the total purchase price the option should cover?
• Does the WGA cover a novelist’s based-on credit?
• What does it mean when a novelist has a producer credit?
• What is Daniel Wallace’s role in the Broadway version of Big Fish?
• What’s to stop a screenwriter from writing a novel version of his spec, and then having his script be “based on” it?

All this and more in this episode of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Asymco crunches the studio numbers
• Intro: The Big Valley opening credits
• Outro: Hey Ya cover by Mat Weddle

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 3-8-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Short advice: Be charitable, be cool, be nice.

Note that we recorded this episode before the Oscars — at which Jim Rash, Nat Faxon and Alexander Payne received the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.  After that acceptance speech, one could imagine a follow-up conversation, but we’ll probably just be done with it.

Have been both the re-writer and the guy being rewritten, we also discuss how to best handle these awkward situations. (Pick up the phone and call the other writer, for starters.)

We finish up by answering a listener question:  How soon is too soon to follow-up with a producer who is reading your draft?

All this, plus discussion of Robin Quivers, Aline Brosh McKenna and a rumored Scriptnotes drinking game.

LINKS:

• Google Translate adds Esperanto
• Esperanto on Wikipedia
• Incubus, the William Shatner movie we couldn’t remember
• Google working on heads-up glasses
• Origin of “thrown under the bus”
• INTRO: A Different World intro
• OUTRO: Call Your Girlfriend as covered by Erato

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 2-29-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

How does a screenwriter option a novel he wants to adapt? John has optioned two novels — one through a studio, and one on his own — while Craig recently optioned his first. In each of these cases, we found the psychological aspects to be just as important as the legal ones.

When can a writer say he “wrote” a movie — particularly if there are other credited writers? John and Craig disagree a bit here, with John trying to draw the distinction between “worked on” and “wrote.”

Finally, should an aspiring writer focus on television or features? The answer from two feature writers may surprise you. Or not: television is pretty damn good these day.

Links:

• Finding out if a book has been optioned
• The Hero from Otherwhere by Jay Williams
• What’s That Book?
• Big Fish, a Novel of Mythical Proportions by Daniel Wallace
• Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
• How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely
• INTRO: The Gary Coleman Show opening credits
• OUTRO: I Wanna Dance with Somebody by Adrian Glynn

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 2-22-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Also this week: The launch of the plain text screenwriting format Fountain, and John’s love for the all-singing, all-dancing, Superbowl-sized NBC network promo.

There’s also brief discussion of some sporting event that happened two Sundays ago.

Links:

• NBC’s “Brotherhood of Man” promo (updated link)
• Fountain
• Where to send a question
• INTRO: Fresno opening credits
• OUTRO: Wessex Boy by Frank Turner

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 2-16-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Theme, like structure, is one of those screenwriting terms that entrances newcomers and annoys veterans. Or at least it annoys John.

Generally, when you’re talking about theme, you’re trying to answer the question, “What is the story really about?” Your plot might concern a spy and stolen nuclear missiles, but the intellectual/emotional heart of the story is whether any man be trusted. Or whether all good acts are selfish. Or if men and women can be friends. (Nora Ephron’s Bourne Identity.)

Also discussed: John’s love for OmniFocus + Siri, braindead tasks, and cancer — but only briefly, because this will be a happy show, god help us.

Links:

• Getting Things Done
• OmniFocus
• Craig’s endless thread on Done Deal Pro
• John’s post on Writing from Theme
• Danny Rubin’s How to Write Groundhog Day
• INTRO: Sunshine Day
• OUTRO: Victory Celebration (the Ewok Song)
• Original Ewok celebration song

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 2-9-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

High-class problems? Sure. Not many aspiring screenwriters will reach that level of success, or sustain it. But in our experience, it’s shortly after having “made it” that many writers find themselves flailing financially, because it’s such a different experience than living paycheck-to-paycheck.

At what should point should you form a loan-out corporation? Should you pay off your student loans? Do you need disability insurance? How about a 401K? And how do you set up a line of credit at a Las Vegas casino?

Esoteric topics to be sure, but if you gather together a group of working screenwriters, this is what they’ll eventually be talking about — the career rather than the craft. Ultimately, a lot of what we discuss this week applies to anyone working for themselves.

Also touched on this week: the difference between casting TV and features, and The Cinema School in the Bronx.

LINKS:

• Dana Fox’s pilot for Fox
• The Cinema School
• Five figure advice
• INTRO: Big Blue Marble intro
• OUTRO: Mo Money, Mo Problems

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 2-1-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Doran argues (persuasively) that successful movies are often less about whether the hero wins or loses, but rather how his achievements are measured. For example, a character’s victory is much more satisfying when there is someone to share it with — the real moment isn’t the game-winning touchdown, but when the quarterback kisses his wife afterwards.

She’s not pitching happy endings, but rather positive outcomes. It’s an interesting way to look not just at how we tell stories, but also which stories we tell.

We also touch on the advantages of mentally casting your movie as you write, writing (or rewriting) for the cast you are given, and the delicate art of making someone think he came up with an idea on his own after you plant it in his head.

This and more mind-control tips on the 21st episode of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Go casting sides for Mannie
• The Remnants casting sides
• The New York Times on Lindsay Doran
• Martin Seligman on Wikipedia
• INTRO: Wild Wild West theme
• OUTRO: Pizzicato Five – Sweet Soul Revue

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 1-26-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Ideally, you’re the first, last and only writer employed on a movie. For Go and The Nines, that was the case. In situations where more than one writer works on a movie, figuring out who deserves credit can become an ordeal.

Most non-animated Hollywood features are written under a WGA contract. Part of that contract specifies that the WGA ultimately determines who receives screenplay and story credit (which collapses into “written by” credit if the same writer receives both). This week, we take a look at the rules, principles and guidelines, and offer advice for writers who find themselves facing a credit arbitration.

Plus, a quick visit to CES.

LINKS:

• Mat Honan’s sad-and-accurate portral of CES
• WGA’s screen credits manual
• Craig’s guide to writing an effective arbitration statement
• INTRO: CHiPs opening titles
• OUTRO: Stereophonics: You Sexy Thing

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 1-18-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Along the way, we discuss Hoda Kotb, Marcus Bachman, and how great HBO Go is. (Really, it’s great, and other studios should follow its lead.)

All this and more in episode 19 of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• SNL’s Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee sketches
• Marcus Bachman bought sunglasses for their dog
• WGA nominations
• Warners moves to a 56-day window
• HBO Go
• SOPA, explained
• Bronson Watermarker
• INTRO: WFIL news theme
• OUTRO: OK Go’s Last Leaf as covered by Allison Dole. (Original is available on iTunes.)

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 1-11-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

The bulk of the episode is a discussion of Charlie Kaufman’s BAFTA speech about screenwriting and screenwriters, artistry and artifice. Which of us comes down on the side of self-examination and the purity of intentions? The answer may surprise you!

LINKS:

• Austrian wines
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
• Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel
• Zen Driving by K. T. Berger
• BAFTA: British Academy of Film and Television Arts
• Charlie Kaufman speech at BAFTA
• Transcript of his speech as a .pdf
• Craig’s short story Lightning in a Bottle
• John’s short story The Variant
• John’s short story Snake People on Kindle
• INTRO: HBO 1983 intro
• OUTRO: Man in the Mirror (Acoustic) by James Morrison

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 1-9-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Meanwhile, Craig is busy with holiday-related travel — and he’s got really fancy luggage.

If you’re missing your podcast fix, I strongly recommend checking out one of these fine programs:

• Nerdist Writer’s Panel
• Erin Gibson and Bryan Safi’s Throwing Shade
• All of Dan Benjamin’s 5by5 shows

We’ll be back next week with way too much to talk about. Happy New Year!

Which is the more impressive credit — producer or executive producer? In film, it’s the former. In TV, it’s the latter. But whatever the title, producers are integral to getting a movie or TV show made.

Craig feels producers can be either anxiety buffers or anxiety conductors. John breaks down four essential roles you find producers filling:

1. The general. This producer keeps things moving forward and protects the production. She forces you to make decisions.
2. The diplomat. This producer makes sure crazy people feel respected, even when they’re being giant pains-in-the-ass. He talks the actress out of her trailer.
3. The creative. This producer reminds everyone what kind of movie they’re trying to make. She performs quality control for the production.
4. The bulldozer. This producer will smash down a phone booth to help the director get his shot. (This actually happened.)

Some producers can fill multiple roles (like diplomat-creative), but you’ll often find these qualities spread out among several people on a production, regardless of the size.

Who’s that fat cat, and how did he afford such a fancy cigar? Find out on episode seventeen of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Producer credits and what they mean
• Producers Guild of America
• Kelly Manners on IMDb
• INTRO: The Weebles
• OUTRO: What More Can I Say (Falsettoland) performed by the San Francisco’s Gay Men’s Chorus

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 1-4-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

We’ve established that the “written by” gets 100% of the residual, the “screenplay or teleplay by” gets 75% of the residual and “story by” gets 25% of the residual. But what happens when multiple writers are attached to a single credit?

For instance The Hangover Part 2 has three writers with the “written by” credit. How is that 100% residual divided between you three? Is it always equal, or is there some attempt made to compensate for varying levels of involvement in the project?

If two writers share a credit slot (like screenplay), that portion of residuals is split squarely between them. For example, let’s look at Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. I got sole story credit; I shared screenplay credit with The Wibberleys (a team, so they count as one writer).

My share of residuals equals 25% (story) + half of 75% (screenplay) for a total of 62.5%.

The Wibbs get half of 75% (screenplay), which gives them 37.5%.

If you add that up, 62.5 plus 37.5 equals 100 percent of residuals. Yay, math!

They’re residual questions about residuals, which seems very meta:

• Do TV show creators get compensated for every rerun?
• How do residuals differ from profit participations and foreign levies?
• And where does new media fall in all of this?

Thirteen conversations about a few things, on episode sixteen of Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Dark Men by Derek Haas on Amazon
• Popcorn Fiction short stories by screenwriters
• UltraViolet the studios’ digital locker platform
• Follies (New Broadway Cast Recording) on iTunes
• Jane Epenson’s Husbands
• Lisa Kudrow’s Web Therapy
• INTRO: Riptide main theme
• OUTRO: What More Can I Say by Jay-Z

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 12-15-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

It’s a rare podcast in which I sway Craig’s opinion whatsoever, but if you listen really carefully, I think he leaves the show just slightly less negative about screenwriting books than he started. It’s all about degrees with Craig.

Plus, we get a visit from the LAPD, follow-up on residuals, and a bit more about unionizing videogame writers.

LINKS:

• Crime rates in Los Angeles (Wolfram-Alpha)
• Syd Field’s classic book Screenplay.
• Christopher Volger’s The Writer’s Journey
• Stuart’s review of Vogler’s book
• Linda Seger’s Making a Good Script Great

(Note that none of the books listed above are actually recommended. But we talk about them, so it feels fair to provide links.)

• Intro: Jem and the Holograms
• Outro: Exquisite Corpse by Casey Spooner

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 12-13-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Plus, a visit from Craig’s cleaning lady, who thinks he’s insane.

Near the end of our discussion on residuals, I give some actual numbers on an actual movie. Percentages are abstract; money is money.

I chose Go because I had the most data on it, going back to 1999. It’s also useful because the movie was only moderately successful at the box office.

As you can see in the charts below, residuals taper off over the years — but that long tail still adds up:

Keep in mind, there’s a possibility that residuals could spike if another home video medium takes off — digital downloads or rentals, for example.

I went into the podcast thinking I could easily reverse the math to figure out how much the studio has made off the movie, but as Craig points out, it’s more complicated than it appears at first. Most home video is calculated as 1.5% of 20% of gross earnings, so in order to get an accurate number I would need to sort out how much of Go’s residuals are coming from home video (and not television licensing).

But we can still get a sense of minimums: Go brought in at least $30 million in the aftermarket, and likely much, much more.

LINKS:

• Downton Abbey, Season One on Netflix
• Father Ted on Netflix
• Security theater as defined on Wikipedia
• The WGA’s Residuals Survival Guide
• Intro: Tree Top Apple Juice commercial
• Outro: Country Lane by Telekinesis

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-30-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

They also explain the fallacy of equating effort in with value out, discuss why the WGA should address sweepstake pitches and coverage for videogame writers, and offer a Kentucky-born 21+ cure for the common cold.

This and more on the thirteenth Scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Director Todd Strauss-Schulson
• Sweepstakes Pitching on screenwriting.io
• Michael Mohan’s One Too Many Mornings
• Kevin Smith’s Red State
• Edward Burns’s Nice Guy Johnny
• The Polish Brothers’ For Lovers Only
• The Remnants on Vimeo
• The domestic/international box office split for Talladega Nights
• Scribblenauts for iOS
• Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on Amazon
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on Amazon
• Uncharted 3 on Amazon
• Intro: Pac-Man: The Animated Series
• Outro: The Elder Scrolls V: SKYRIM Official Trailer

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-27-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

How does your inner-screenwriter affect how you see plays? Why is writing the second act of a screenplay such a slog? And is hearing voices in your head an asset as a writer? All this and more in the twelfth episode of Scriptnotes.

We spend a good chunk of time talking about the iconic musical Follies, and while there are some good screenwriting lessons to learn, no one will judge you if you skip forward to our discussion of brain books (17:30) or second-act malaise (20:30).

If you haven’t Liked us and you like us, consider Liking us: facebook.com/scriptnotes.

LINKS:

• Herman Miller Embody chair (the one John couldn’t remember)
• Reprise! at UCLA
• Follies at the Marquis
• Follies (Wikipedia)
• Yvonne De Carlo
• Kindle
• Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), by Mindy Kaling
• Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman
• The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, by Julian Jaynes
• Intro: Thundercats
• Outro: Losing My Mind sung by Dorothy Collins

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-18-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

After listening to the Scriptnotes podcast on movie money, he had some additional figures to share.

Film rentals depend on various factors including length of run (the storied 90/10 split in opening week, but perhaps 30/70 in week 15) and location (“showcase” locations like Hollywood may have average film rentals around 35-40% due to studios’ eagerness to have the film at the most-visited or most-visible locations).

When I left exhibition in 2001, our average ticket price was about $6. Our film rental cost percentage was usually in the mid-50s. Assuming 55%, we paid the distributor $3.30 out of that $6 average ticket and kept $2.70.

Meanwhile, our average concession revenues were about $5 per transaction. However, only about 40% of customers bought something at concession, so the concession “per head” (analog to the average ticket price) was $2. So, revenue-wise, ticket sales were 75% of total revenues while our concession revenues were 25%.

However, concession cost of goods was about 15%, so out of the $2 concession sale per head, we paid 30¢ in expenses and kept $1.70. Given that, concession profits were 39% of the combined ticket and concession net.

Expenses are enormous, so even with super-high concession profits, exhibition was (and still is) always strapped for cash. You have a lot to pay out:

• Facility costs. This includes rent for the building, plus maintaining and upgrading furniture, fixtures, equipment.

• Staff and management payroll. Around 80% of employees were making within $1.50 of minimum wage, but you also have salaried management at both the theater and national level.

• Utilities and supplies, all the way down to soap and toilet paper.

One expense mentioned in the podcast was co-op ads. Co-ops were always a line item on our theatre P&L, and I was told that the studios placed the ad, but then charged every theatre whose name was listed in the theatre-list box below its proportional amount for the cost of that ad.

In LA, there are “showcase” theatres in the most important parts of the market (Santa Monica, Century City, Hollywood, Westwood) whose names appear larger in the co-ops, and for which actual show times are listed. Accordingly, the co-op cost to those locations is higher than for others.

It’s a big and complicated topic. You could easily spend a semester studying it — John did — but this overview should give you a sense of how it all works.

The most important thing to understand is that each film is accounted for separately. Studios charge distribution fees that earn money for the company without paying down the investment in each movie. That’s how Theoretical Pictures can turn a profit even when each of the last 20 films it has released shows a loss.

Because we’re throwing a lot of terms around this episode, here’s a handy cheat sheet:

John couldn’t remember the name of it (The Paramount Decree) but it’s worth reading up on the 1948 court decision barring studios from owning movie theaters. Not only is it a fascinating anti-trust case, but it greatly influenced how the modern film industry works.

LINKS:

• Intro: Mister T cartoon intro
• Outro: Fatback Band – (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

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

All this, plus discussion of Halloween, Screenwriting.io and dressing up dogs.

We have a Facebook fan page: facebook.com/scriptnotes. Like us, follow us and force your interests into your friends’ feeds.

LINKS:

• Halloween pop-ups’ key to turning profit is no trick
• Jack Chick tracts
• American Horror Story
• I Am Wonder Woman by Nina Jaffe
• Intro: Wonder Woman Spins, season two
• Outro: Songs that Answer Questions by the Gaither Vocal Band

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 11-7-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Once you’ve been hired for your first paid screenwriting job, the temptation is to pop the champagne corks and ditch that studio apartment in Koreatown. While every success is worth celebrating, the transition from “aspiring screenwriter” to “working screenwriter” can be unexpectedly brutal.

Checks come late, notes come often and opportunities can lead you astray.

Back when you were an aspiring screenwriter, anything seemed possible, because it was all make-believe anyway. Why not write a 14th-century comedy about strudel-makers?

Now screenwriting is your job, and that means making choices about what kind of career you want, what you’ll write, and how you’ll keep a roof over your head.

LINKS:

• Austin Film Festival
• Nashville Screenwriters Conference
• Intro: The Six Million Dollar Man TV intro
• Outro: Yellow Rose of Texas, performed by Wayne Shrubsall

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 10-27-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

We frame our film school discussion around John’s generic list of why people choose to go to college or graduate school:

1. The information
2. Certificate/degree
3. Access to special equipment
4. Structure
5. Professors/instructors/experts
6. Peers
7. Alumni
8. Enjoyment

That last point led to our alternate title for this podcast: Film school: An expensive way to get laid.

Craig got a new microphone, which seems like cause for celebration, but it picked up a tremendous amount of room noise. We’ll be working on that for next time.

Thank you to all the listeners who lavished stars and praise upon us in iTunes. Being classic Good Boys, that kind of validation is like mana to us.

LINKS:

• Cruft definition
• The human back is a compromise
• The fourth trimester
• Out of This World/Another World for iOS
• Life and Death, the Mac operating game
• Intro: Atom, Filmation intro
• Outro: Swiss Top Secret Drum Corps at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2009

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 10-25-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Other topics include Lion’s reversed scrolling, stalking strangers on Google, and why there will likely never be a Final Draft Pro.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, you might consider giving us a hefty number of stars over on iTunes. I suspect most subscribers are coming to us through johnaugust.com, but a few more reader testimonials on iTunes might convince a few more potential listeners to tune in.

If you have a question you’d like me and Craig to tackle, drop us an email.

Links:

• Final Draft
• Movie Magic Screenwriter
• Scrivener
• Fade In
• Intro: Dark Castle intro
• Outro: Veronica Maggio – Mitt Hjärta Blöder

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 10-19-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

For this installment, I wanted to focus on how people become screenwriters. Not “how to” — there are countless terrible books on that. Rather, what is it that calls people to such an atypical career, one that you can’t necessarily practice as a child or learn all at once in college?

Links:

• ABC’s Once Upon a Time
• NBC’s Grimm
• CW’s Ringer and its non-credible boat scene
• Fox’s New Girl
• Dungeons and Dragons, 4th Edition
• John Rogers’s great D&D comics
• The Marvel Super Heroes RPG
• Daisy wheel printers
• Intro: NBC Fall Promo, 1980
• Outro: Russian Unicorn by BLS

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 10-11-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Most installments of the podcast are very back-and-forth, but this is a case where Craig simply knows a lot more than I do, and can explain it better, so I shut up and let Professor Mazin do the talking.

The truth is, most screenwriters never need to worry about the vagaries of copyright and labor law that make our professions possible — the same way cinematographers don’t need to know the exact chemical formulations of developing baths, and gaffers don’t worry about the overall power grid for Southern California.

But it’s still good to be aware of the issues affecting your part of the industry, because small disruptions can ultimately have big consequences. In particular, I’m worried that a string of copyright-infringement cases could lead to situations analogous to the patent warfare happening in technology.

Links:

• WGA election results
• Facts about the flu shot
• Jessica Bendinger and Bring It On (LA Times)
• Harlan Ellison and In Time
• Harlan Ellison’s filed complaint on Scribd
• Intro: Opening titles to Voyagers
• Outro: If You’ve Got the Money I’ve Got the Time as performed by Willie Nelson (on iTunes)

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 9-28-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Screenwriters and directors often come at a project from different directions. The writer is trying to explain the movie he’s already written; the director is trying to explore the movie he’s planning to make.

By understanding what a director wants and needs, you stand the best chance of getting your movie on screen in a way that satisfies both of you.

Links:

• The wikipedia article on migraines
• What you need to know about kidney stones
• My post on zombie-class situations
• Words that Always Look Wrong
• Intro: ABC Sunday Night Movie intro to Superman, 1982
• Outro: “All Alone” by John the Conqueror

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 9-24-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Along the way, we discuss Curious George, Torchwood and V.

Some links:

• My Dad Lives in a Downtown Hotel. Beau Bridges!
• Curious George Goes to the Hospital
• Torchwood: Miracle Day
• Elizabeth Mitchell boiling water, perhaps.
• V theme cover by Bottin.

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

We’re now listed in iTunes. You can subscribe here. Ratings and raves are welcome. Questions and feedback are much better posted below, since we can answer back.

We are also listed in Sticher and several other podcast directories. If you are using a third-party player, you can find the podcast feed here.

UPDATE 9-21-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

It’s an intractable question because while most working screenwriters have representation, no two of them got it the same way. If you ask a panel of writers, you’ll hear a series of anecdotes, but you won’t get a better sense of what next steps you should take.

Craig compares it to losing your virginity, which seems fair. I opted to flip the question to ask, “How do I get the right agent or manager to notice me?”

We won’t typically devote an entire episode to one issue, but this one seemed to require it.

In related podcast news:

• We’re now listed in iTunes. The first episode is up, and the rest will begin posting automatically. You can subscribe here.

• Transcripts. Several days after an episode airs, you’ll find the text of the podcast appended to the post (c.f. episode one).

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

Using a non-iTunes podcast reader? You can find the podcast feed here here.

UPDATE 9-7-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Topics in episode one:

• Pitching a take. When screenwriters are asked to come in and meet with the studio (or producers) about a project, what do both sides expect? How much work do you do in advance? How different is it from pitching an original idea?

• The WGA elections. It’s time to pick new officers and new board members. We talk about issues and priorities, and what the WGA Board actually does.

You can listen to the episode here:

Down the road, we plan to have the podcast up in the usual places (like iTunes), so you can subscribe and get episodes automatically delivered. I’ll post details when they’re available.

UPDATE 9-4-11: The transcript of this episode can be found here.