TFiOS Movie Casting, New Books, and Groundhog Wars: An Old School Vlogbrothers Video

2013-04-02 · letter vlog · John · 3:24 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing (also: Personal life) · mode: Announcements · tags: self promotion, civic or action cta, community lore

In a five-part 'old school' vlog, John announces a book of Esther Earl's writings, reports Shailene Woodley's casting in the likely Fault in Our Stars film, tells of the office groundhog's feud with a goose, announces his coming paternity leave and relaunches Nerd Factor.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Old-school five-part vlog; Esther inspired TFiOS but Hazel is not Esther; a book of Esther's diaries, fiction and letters comes out January 2014, pre-order now

★★★ John says Esther Earl was a huge inspiration for The Fault in Our Stars and he could never have written it without knowing her. — 00:00:00 · Esther Earl, The Fault in Our Stars
★★★ Answering readers who ask whether Hazel is Esther, John says the novel is not Esther's story; her story belongs to her and her family. — 00:00:00 · Esther Earl, Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault in Our Stars
★★ John tells new Nerdfighters that Esther Earl was a Nerdfighter and friend of his who died of cancer in 2010 at 16. — 00:00:00 · Esther Earl, Nerdfighteria
★★★ John announces a book of Esther's writing (diaries, fiction, letters, material from her parents, his introduction), out January 2014; cover not final. — 00:00:29 · This Star Won't Go Out (book), Esther Earl
★★ John says the book will be Esther's story, he is very happy it will exist, and viewers can pre-order it now via the link. — 00:00:29 · This Star Won't Go Out (book), Esther Earl
★ John apologises for the large hole in his mouth and hopes to have it fixed by next Tuesday (9 April 2013). (hedged) — 00:00:29

00:00:58 — The groundhog called YouTube at the Indianapolis office and its standoff with an aggressive goose

★★ John says the Indianapolis office has a groundhog they call YouTube, joking that it stays inside, is easily distracted and knew the brothers before it was cool. (playful) — 00:00:58 · Indianapolis, YouTube
★★ John says that with the geese back for spring, YouTube has been locked for weeks in a staring standoff with one aggressive goose, which he jokes makes work impossible. (playful) — 00:00:58 · YouTube

00:01:27 — The TFiOS movie: increasingly likely, director Josh Boone, Shailene Woodley cast as Hazel; cautious optimism

★★★ John says a film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars seems increasingly likely, though still not certain. (hedged) — 00:01:27 · The Fault in Our Stars (film), The Fault in Our Stars
★★ John admits the film makes Nerdfighteria and him nervous, but calls director Josh Boone brilliant and deeply understanding of the book; Boone's first film Stuck in Love opens in June. — 00:01:27 · Nerdfighteria
★★★ John announces Shailene Woodley has been cast as Hazel, citing her Golden Globe nomination and Sundance award, and says she is a real fan who wrote him before the film. — 00:01:56 · Hazel Grace Lancaster
★★ John says, in what he calls his most positive statement ever about Hollywood, that people should be cautiously optimistic about the film. (hedged) — 00:01:56 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)

00:02:26 — John is about to become a father; four-to-five-week paternity leave with guest Johns

★★★ John says he is about to have a child, due around May or June (Sarah points out he will not be the one having it, but he will be its father). — 00:02:26 · Sarah Urist Green
★★★ John says he will take a four- or possibly five-week paternity leave from Vlogbrothers and everything else, except probably Tumblr. (hedged) — 00:02:26 · Vlogbrothers, Tumblr
★★ John says guest Johns will fill in during his absence, including Hannah Hart, Grace Helbig and a Nerdfighter now watching. — 00:02:26 · Grace Helbig, Nerdfighteria, John (name)

00:02:55 — Nerd Factor returns: submit one video as a video response; winners featured and one becomes a guest host; sign-off

★★ John announces the return of Nerd Factor, a contest idea he says they stole from Michael Buckley. — 00:02:55
★★★ John asks Nerdfighters to make one favourite video of theirs a video response; winners will be featured on Vlogbrothers and one will be a paternity-leave guest host. — 00:02:55 · Nerdfighteria

Humor (significant)

John explains why the office groundhog is called YouTube: it stays inside and is easily distracted — 00:00:58

“he knew who Hank and John were before it was cool.”
The groundhog and goose have stared each other down for weeks, making work impossible — 00:01:27

“So if my new book doesn't come out till, like, 2018, you know why.”
John warns Hank he is about to say the most positive thing he has ever said about Hollywood — 00:01:56

“I think we should be cautiously optimistic.”
John says he is about to have a human child — 00:02:26

“Sarah just pointed out that in fact I'm not going to have it.”

Threads in this video

announced · This Star Won't Go Out: book of Esther Earl's writings with John's introduction (2013) — John announces a book of Esther Earl's diaries, fiction and letters, with material from her parents and his introduction, out January 2014 and available to pre-order. (00:00:29)
asked · John asks viewers to pre-order This Star Won't Go Out, Esther Earl's book (2013) — John points viewers to pre-order the book of Esther's writing via the link in the description. (00:00:29)
update · John has a tooth surgically removed (2013) — John apologises for the large hole in his mouth and hopes to have it fixed by next Tuesday (9 April 2013). (00:00:29)
told · The Indianapolis office groundhog 'YouTube' versus an aggressive goose ('Groundhog Wars', 2013) — John says the office groundhog YouTube has been in a weeks-long staring standoff with an aggressive goose, so if his new book is late, that's why. (00:00:58)
milestone · The Fault in Our Stars film adaptation (2012) — John reports the TFiOS film is increasingly likely, with Josh Boone directing and Shailene Woodley just cast as Hazel. (00:01:56)
told · Birth of John and Sarah's second child, Alice (2013) — John says he is about to become the father of a child, due around May or June. (00:02:26)
told · John's paternity leave from vlogbrothers, with guest hosts filling in (2013) — John announces a four- or possibly five-week paternity leave from Vlogbrothers, with guest Johns including Hannah Hart, Grace Helbig and a Nerdfighter. (00:02:26)
launched · Nerd Factor 2013 edition — John brings back Nerd Factor: one video response per person; winners featured in a future Vlogbrothers video, and one becomes a paternity-leave guest host. (00:02:55)
asked · John asks Nerdfighters to enter Nerd Factor 2013 by posting one favourite video as a video response (2013) — John asks Nerdfighters to make their favourite video, only one, a video response to enter Nerd Factor. (00:02:55)
retold · Death of Nerdfighter Esther Earl, John's friend (2010) — John tells new Nerdfighters that Esther Earl was a Nerdfighter and friend of his who died of cancer in 2010 at 16. (00:00:00)
predicted · John predicts The Fault in Our Stars movie will be a good movie (2013) — John says, in what he calls his most positive statement ever about Hollywood, that people should be cautiously optimistic about the film. (00:01:56)
repeated · John: the Fault in Our Stars film is actually going to happen (2013) — John says a film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars seems increasingly likely, though still not certain. (00:01:27)

Where the stories that moved here went next

John asks viewers to pre-order This Star Won't Go Out, Esther Earl's book (2013) — promotion (not a request); last: reminder, 2021-08-03
John asks Nerdfighters to enter Nerd Factor 2013 by posting one favourite video as a video response (2013) — reported back; last: result reported, 2013-05-28
John predicts The Fault in Our Stars movie will be a good movie (2013) — came true
This Star Won't Go Out: book of Esther Earl's writings with John's introduction (2013) — completed; last: outcome, 2014-01-28
Nerd Factor 2013 edition — completed; last: looked back, 2013-07-30
The Fault in Our Stars film adaptation (2012) — completed; last: looked back, 2024-02-06
John's paternity leave from vlogbrothers, with guest hosts filling in (2013) — told 2×, last update 2016; last: retold, 2016-11-14
Birth of John and Sarah's second child, Alice (2013) — told 4×, last update 2019; last: retold, 2019-12-17

Mentioned

Central: Esther Earl · Nerd Factor · Shailene Woodley · The Fault in Our Stars · The Fault in Our Stars (film) · This Star Won't Go Out (book)

Also: People: Grace Helbig · Hannah Hart · Josh Boone · Sarah Urist Green

Works: Stuck in Love · The Spectacular Now (film)

Organizations: Tumblr · YouTube

Places: Hollywood · Indianapolis

Events: Golden Globe Awards · Sundance Film Festival

Characters: Hazel Grace Lancaster

animal: Goose (Indianapolis office) · YouTube (groundhog) (“YouTube”)

Only in the description or credits: Michael Buckley

Also centred on Nerd Factor: Outtake Insanity and NERD FACTOR · NERD FACTOR · NERD FACTOR! (...And Why I Fear for Tumblr)

Also centred on Shailene Woodley: Puppies, Pegasi, and TFiOS Casting: It's Question Tuesday · Shailene's Hair, Unfair Monopoly, and the Just World Fallacy

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