ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

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  • #16
    Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

    You might give it another listen; it can be "John and Craig Chatter Hour" at times but they have their moments.

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    • #17
      Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

      Originally posted by ctp View Post
      You might give it another listen; it can be "John and Craig Chatter Hour" at times but they have their moments.
      I'll just read the updates from others.

      I didn't even listen to the one that this thread references. Just checked out the pages when they were linked.

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      • #18
        Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

        I liked them a lot. Best of luck to the writer, hopefully something comes of it.

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        • #19
          Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

          I got around to reading them and liked the first 3 enough to want to read the rest. I think there was a confidence to the writing you don't see with most amateur scripts. It's hard to describe but you get the sense it's in good hands.

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          • #20
            Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

            Originally posted by Chief View Post
            Craig wanted to read it because he used to have a similar idea and wanted to see how Ben was gonna play it out.
            This is true. Craig said that he was writing a similar concept and wanted to see what he [Ben] was doing with it, even joked "don't sue me," (in a kidding sorta ways) but it's clear that Ben's style caught his attention.

            It's a very generous offer by Craig to read Ben's material. I'm not jealous of Ben at all, but I am so happy (for him) that his writing scored him an audience with someone in the industry that could have an impact on his writing.

            What tells us we're in the hands of a good writer is that there isn't a lick of dialogue in these three pages, and it's still entertaining... that was nice.

            I have to say that their comments on these three page challenges are interesting, and once in a while, have brought attention to the front lines in my own writing.

            Very much appreciated,
            FA4
            "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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            • #21
              Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

              Originally posted by Richmond Weems View Post
              I think I may have listened to one August/Mazin podcast, and I probably didn't even get all the way through that one.

              Honestly, 'cause I'm such an ass, I was kinda hoping those three pages weren't good, and I could raise a stink...

              But they are good. And not recognizing that, or implying someone thinks the pages are good to curry favor, or that jealousy is what drives writers indicates a lack of awareness in this craft that you want to be a part of.

              If you really think those three pages aren't good, then there's no hope for you.
              Jealousy as in, when Tyler got signed I put in extra work because I wanted to be where he was, or when Orbit got sold, it drove me even harder.

              The pages are good. No doubt about that. But not craaaaazy good.

              PS: I never listen to the podcast, I wait for the transcript come out.
              http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnot...ses-transcript

              John:

              This read to me like a short film. It read to me like a clever little snapshot. People may not appreciate if they're not actually reading the page, there's no dialogue in any of this. This is all just a series of images, and I thought honestly kind of nicely done images. It was very, very full. I mean, it was kind of a slog to read through some of it, although I will say breaking it, Ben W., you did a nice job of breaking it down into little snippets so that I was never too intimidated to read the next bit of the script.

              So, it either felt like the start of a short film, or it felt like the start of Up, where it's just like one sort of montage that was going to initiate a bigger, different kind of movie, that there's some sort of bigger adventure that's going to happen, but this was just the setup for something else.

              But I enjoyed it. I sort of enjoy that sort of like clockwork Coen brothers setup of things. I mean, it's a heavily stylized world. And even without seeing the outside of this office you got a sense of what this would be.
              Craig:

              Yeah. I really liked it. I mean, before I talk about the way that the writing was done here, let me just talk about the idea. Because this is something - I have to confess - I suspect that this movie is one in which this person realizes that The Answerer actually works. That any question he writes that's a yes or no question, he's going to get a true answer to, including, you know, "Does this woman love me?- "Does she not love me?-

              And so it's this kind of high concept supernatural comedy idea. I actually had - I was going to write a short story to for Derek's site that was very similar, but it wasn't a device. It was that somebody would call in the middle of the night and basically say, "I'll answer any question you have.- And the answer always turned out to be right. And what do you do with certainty?

              It's a really good theme. I like the idea, obviously, because I've been thinking about something similar. I know at this point Ben W. is like, oh god, "Oh god, he's stealing my...!- I'm not going to steal your idea.

              So, I'm kind of curious to see how this would turn out given that both the concept is very high and the world is also quite a bit pushed. But that's okay. I mean, that's the choice here.


              I actually thought this was very well written. The little drama of the tin toy monkey was fascinating to me, actually, that it worked. And I really like that Ben W. has a sense of where the drama is in this little thing. That the monkey surprises us with how complicated it is. Even when it stops a little kickstand comes out. So, my god, this thing is almost perfect.

              And then it's just slightly imperfect. And that, I suspect, is going to be a nice little metaphor for Mr. Snellard's life. Mr. Snellard is the monkey who is almost perfect.

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              • #22
                Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                Originally posted by Chief View Post
                The pages are good. No doubt about that. But not craaaaazy good.
                Have to agree there. I'd be hard pressed to find a first three pages that would make me go nuts with excitement.

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                • #23
                  Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                  Okay, I'll eliminate one "a" and admit that those pages were only craaaaaazy good. But that's as much as I'm willing to backpedal.

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                  • #24
                    Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                    I don't know, I have to call Craig's expertise into question after he took a rather large crap all over my beloved Chicago deep dish pizza in this week's episode. It wasn't just casual dislike. It was rabid hate. And having good taste in pizza is pretty much the cornerstone to having good taste in life.

                    Therefore, those pages suck.

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                    • #25
                      Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                      Originally posted by jboffer View Post
                      I don't know, I have to call Craig's expertise into question after he took a rather large crap all over my beloved Chicago deep dish pizza in this week's episode. It wasn't just casual dislike. It was rabid hate. And having good taste in pizza is pretty much the cornerstone to having good taste in life.

                      Therefore, those pages suck.
                      OMG, I so agree-- I love UNO's original pizza in the financial district. Imagine a three story brownstone in the middle of steel and glass high rises-- it's fantastic.

                      I used to wait 45 minutes just to eat there. And I've had them fedex me pizza before-- it's crazy good.

                      Is Gino's in the Hancock still there? What about Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders? They serve the pizza in a bowl, and "flip it" out when it comes to your table-- never seen anything like it.

                      @ Craig-- I'll be in New York in a few weeks, you tell me what is the best pizza and I'll hit it, and let you know what I think--

                      FA4
                      "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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                      • #26
                        Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                        There was certainly a competence to those linked pages, and had there been more, I'd have continued reading to see where it went, but to be excited by them, or call them "craaaaaazy good" is kind of like licking Mazin's butt.

                        I think the real difference though is that most (not all) pages we see here are clearly flawed - it's evident that the writer isn't up to scratch and still has a long way to go on what is a journey of continuous learning - whereas that writer had all the basics down.

                        But after the basics comes the actual storytelling skill, and that cannot be tested by a 3 page introduction.
                        Still, good luck to all the writers who submit to... was that John August and Craig Mazin's site?
                        Cufk, Tish, Sips.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                          Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                          Is Gino's in the Hancock still there? What about Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders?
                          The original Gino's is still there 3 blocks south of Hancock, if that's what you're referring to. And yes, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders is still here, just went there last month and waited for an hour for a seat when it was 3pm (My favorite is still Lou Malnatis)

                          Originally posted by Grandmaster View Post
                          Still, good luck to all the writers who submit to... was that John August and Craig Mazin's site?
                          Yeah, they do "3 page challenges" for the scriptnotes podcast, which is hosted on johnaugust.com.

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                          • #28
                            Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                            [QUOTE=jboffer;863050]The original Gino's is still there 3 blocks south of Hancock, if that's what you're referring to. And yes, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders is still here, just went there last month and waited for an hour for a seat when it was 3pm (My favorite is still Lou Malnatis)

                            Yes, that's what I meant, it's been a long time since I lived there. I used to love Hamburger Hamlet, too.

                            The Scriptnotes podcast this week was good, too. Always look forward to it.
                            FA4
                            "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                              Originally posted by jboffer View Post
                              (My favorite is still Lou Malnatis)
                              A good friend of mine had two frozen Lou Malnati's pizzas sent to me for my birthday a couple years back and they were off the charts good.

                              I love both styles. Lived in New York for about seven years and could never get enough pizza. I think the Chicago vs New York thing is probably inherent if you're actually from those areas and therefore, there's a certain amount of bias. Or maybe not. Maybe one's just better. But I love both.

                              When I was in Philly, I really got into "tomato pie," which wasn't my wife's thing because it's basically tomato sauce on bread but I was into it.

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                              • #30
                                Re: ScriptNotes - Getting a full script read off of three pages

                                Originally posted by TheConnorNoden View Post
                                I think there was a confidence to the writing you don't see with most amateur scripts. It's hard to describe but you get the sense it's in good hands.
                                Maybe it's hard to describe because saying 'there was a confidence to the writing' makes no sense if you can't describe it.

                                Comment

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