Legibility Over Cleverness in Comps

John and Craig ask, what makes a useful comp? Writers often use comparisons when pitching or discussing projects, but what separates good comps from bad comps, why do we use them, and when do comps hurt more than they help? Basically, it's The Studio meets My Dinner with Andre.

We also follow up on orality and "film by" credits, answer listener questions on getting AI feedback and attaching an actor to a microbudget feature, plus bring you another installment of John Recently Learned.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig are having weird issues with their email servers and need your help!

Links:

• The Sheep Detectives trailer
• The Great Gazoo
• Ben Turpin
• The Party (1968)
• Fulla Regrets on Instagram
• Kitty Carlisle
• Bobbie Wygant interviews Jodie Foster by Jack Plotnick on Instagram
• Catherine O'Hara dies via Variety
• Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
• Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
• Scriptnotes on Instagram
• John August on Bluesky and Instagram
• Outro by Pete White (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.