20 Questions with John and Craig

John and Craig open the listener mailbag and sprint through twenty questions in just under an hour. ➤ 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. UPDATE 5-24-12: The transcript of this episode can be found here. The post 20 Questions with John and Craig first appeared on John August.