602 - Research Isn’t Cheating
Scriptnotes Podcast
John August
4.8 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 13 June 2023
⏱️ 82 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
John and Craig host another round of the Three Page Challenge, selecting three listeners’ scripts for feedback on what’s working and common pitfalls to avoid. They offer insights into the tricky issues when cheating movement, formatting non-English dialogue, and the importance of logic in comedy.
But first, we answer some long-gestating listener questions: What are strategies for writers to option IP on their own? Can you use your smart relative for dialogue? And how do you discuss co-creators of projects when meeting with a potential rep?
In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig gloat about all the things they can get away with never having to do — everything from calculus to remembering their children’s phone numbers.
Links:
- Weekend Read 2
- SKULDUGGERY by Matthew W. Davis (with bonus puzzle map,) SCRAP by Tertius Kapp, and ANOTHER LIFE by Sarah Hu
- The illusion of moral decline by Adam Mastroianni
- No, No, Nanette: Hannah Gadsby, Trauma, and Comedy as Emotional Manipulation by Yasmin Nair
- The Best Podcasts of 2023 (So Far) by Nicholas Quah for Vulture
- Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
- Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
- Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
- Craig Mazin on Instagram
- John August on Twitter
- John on Instagram
- John on Mastodon
- Outro by Jon Spurney (send us yours!)
- Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Halley Lamberson.
Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
You can download the episode here.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome. |
| 0:03.0 | My name is John August. |
| 0:04.6 | Well, my name is Craig Mason. |
| 0:08.2 | And this is episode 602 of Script Gatsys, a podcast about screenwriting and things that |
| 0:13.0 | are interested to screenwriters. |
| 0:14.7 | Today on the show, it's another round of the three page challenge where we look at pages |
| 0:19.0 | written by our listeners and discuss what's working and what could be working better. |
| 0:23.2 | We'll also answer a listener questions on various similitudes and dialogue, POV, writing |
| 0:28.2 | examples and more. |
| 0:30.6 | And in our bonus statement, we're premium members. |
| 0:32.7 | What can we get away with never having to do or learn? |
| 0:35.5 | Podcasting. |
| 0:36.5 | Craig and I will discuss the perks of procrastination. |
| 0:40.3 | And announcement next week will be some sort of repeat the episode because Craig and I are |
| 0:45.7 | both going to be off the grid for a little bit, but it'll be okay. |
| 0:49.3 | Everyone will be fine. |
| 0:50.3 | There will be a fine and great episode from the vault. |
| 0:52.5 | Yeah, we only have 600 of them. |
| 0:56.4 | Yeah, you actually even more when you can't sit or bonus episodes and all things are |
| 0:59.8 | done along the way, there's plenty of good content. |
| 1:02.5 | Spin the big wheel of podcasts and see what you get. |
| 1:06.5 | Or maybe just like listen to this episode extra slow, give it to yourself over to the |
... |
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