This was a live Scriptnotes for the immensely fun and useful podcast, so if you listen to it, you will be able to hear me screaming with laughter. The guests were amazing writer/director Rian Johnson and writer Kelly Marcel.
Since you will be able to listen to the whole thing, I won’t go into deep detail, but here are some high points.
One Cool Thing:
Rian: Timecrimes – see it at once, not one more word about it.
Kelly: Letters of Note. When you need to read to inspire yourself but don’t have time for a book.
John: A knife. Specifically a Victorinox wavy edged utility knife for the kitchen. Or, killing someone in self defense.
Craig: Mashing up Fade In software (which he uses) and WriterDuet.
You can follow these panelists on Twitter:
John August (also on tumblr: johnaugust)
Always asked at every panel, do you do outlines and character bios?
John: Yes, if I’m working with other people, for communication. And when I do it, I love it. But no bios, I write scenes of characters just talking to each other that have nothing to do with the movie, to get their voices.
Craig: I do, if there are a lot of people involved, so we know what we all agreed to. But I prefer notecards. I like to know the beginning, middle, end and the change the character goes through. Bios, no. That’s like Dungeons and Dragons. I don’t like to have a lot of information I’m never going to impart to the audience.
Kelly: No. And I end up with long, shitty first drafts! So you should do them.
Rian: Yes. 80% of my first draft is outlining. Then I sit down to write. But I end up with long, shitty first drafts. So you shouldn’t do them.
Listen to the podcast to find out about what Disney thought of Kelly Marcel writing a Disney film (Saving Mr. Banks) and then being announced as the writer of 50 Shades of Gray, how the panelists entertain themselves with everything there is to choose from, how they treat notes from executives, how to talk someone out of a terrible idea, why Kelly Marcel left Terra Nova, how to get your movie made and a lot more.
I haven’t even had a shower yet. Coming up: bar, movies, bar, pitch party, wrap party, bar. Walked all the way down 6th St eating a piece of folded up pizza and ignoring the walk signs. Feels just like New York.