Scriptnotes Podcast

The original post for this episode can be found here . John August: Hey, this is John. Heads up that today’s episode has just a little bit of swearing in it. Hello and welcome. My name is John August, and this is Episode 633 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Any screenwriter who’s been working for a few years likely has projects that ha...

John and Craig lawyer up with criminal defense attorney Ken White (aka Popehat) to look at legal scenes in movies and TV, and separate the tropes from the truth. How do lawyers actually prepare a case? Will they meet a client in jail? Do they need to gather evidence themselves? And what happens when they go to trial? What are the rules for examining witnesses? How often do people represent themsel...

John and Craig look at four unbelievable stories in the news and ask, How Would This Be a Movie? Stories include a finance journalist who was scammed out of her savings, men who offer dating bounties, a franken-sheep made of cloned animal parts, and how standardized tests changed one woman’s life. We also reveal which modern classics we’ve never seen (We meant to! We’re sorry!) to decide which &#8...

John welcomes back Pamela Ribon (Nimona, My Year of Dicks) to quietly ask: what’s with all the whispering in movies these days? They discuss trends and techniques in voice and volume, picking the right moment to whisper, and the value of voices across decibel levels. We also revisit Pamela’s work on Moana to look at what you can learn from reading early drafts, ponder the threat of TikTok and YouT...

John and Craig wring their hands and ask, how do you make sure the person you’re hiring isn’t a monster? They look at best practices for vetting colleagues, sussing out problematic people, and managing your own emotions when you’re the person with power. We also discuss writing for non-native English speakers, using three examples to illustrate the importance of syntax, musicality and authenticity...

The original post for this episode can be found here . John August: Hello and welcome. My name is John August, and this is Episode 624 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Craig and I were both traveling through the holidays, so we asked producer Drew Marquardt to dig through the archives and compile a character compendium. So Drew, what h...

John and Craig discuss the dynamics of fandom, attempting to chart how things get cool, then hot, then terrible. But how are fandoms organized? Where do subcultures start? And how should you engage with the community that forms around your work? We also look at an alternative screenplay format from one of last year’s best screenplays, and follow up on bake-offs, distracting accuracies in fiction,...

John welcomes back Aline Brosh McKenna to look at how both you and your characters can become more “agentic.” What are the traps and pitfalls of going after what you want? How do you get people to engage with your protagonist, especially when the protagonist is yourself? Then it’s another round of How Would This be a Movie? We look at stories about a harm-reduction hotline, countertop cancer, loya...

John and Craig investigate those details that are accurate and authentic, but can pull viewers out of the story. They look for ways to balance what is realistic with what is believable, and how to get rid of distractions and keep your audience focused on what matters. We also discuss popular names, follow up on Icelandic pronunciations and the Mazinga toy, and answer listener questions on period d...

John and Craig take a look at the many For Your Consideration scripts suddenly available to read to see what lessons can be learned from movies that were actually made. They find best practices for establishing setting, using “we see” and “we hear,” complicated setups, directing on the page, and how to get right into your story. We also look at the possible sale of Paramount, the International Pho...

In this compendium episode, John and Craig look at how we can best articulate our characters’ inner lives and get the audience invested in them. They discuss the intricacies of point of view, finding truthful emotional states, and why it’s so important for your characters to be liars. How do you engage an audience’s empathy? What makes an audience cry? What emotional response breaks their trust? W...

John and Craig are joined by the ghosts of Scriptnotes past and present (Megana and Drew) for a festive competition: discussing the perils of studio bake-offs — pitting writer against writer for one coveted job — while simultaneously judging three of LA’s finest holiday cookies. We also look at Netflix’s recently released viewership data, follow up on homonyms, AI coverage and voting,...

John welcomes writer and director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception) to discuss experimentation, subjectivity and adaptation as they take an in-depth look at his screenplay, Oppenheimer. They explore Chris’ writing process, how to make non-linear structures work, finding the story in real-life events, being kinetic on the page, the importance of embracing editing, and why theme can be...

The original post for this episode can be found here . John August: Hello and welcome. My name is John August. Craig Mazin: My name is Craig Mazin. John: It is Episode 621 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. The past few weeks have offered up a lot of big personalities in the news, with some of these individuals dying or being fired or re...

John and Craig look at several notable figures in the news and ask, How Would This Be a Biopic? They examine the lives of Henry Kissinger, Sandra Day O’Connor, George Santos, Rosalynn Carter, and Sam Altman to see which are best suited for the big screen, and declare once-and-for-all the proper way to pronounce “biopic.” We also follow up on VFX and AI, the two-column format, inner monologues, and...

John offers a host of career-focused insights as he tackles our overflowing mailbag to answer as many listener questions as he can. What’s the best way to keep track of shower thoughts? How do you build a good creative workplace? How do you disclose your past wrongs to a future employer? What is Appendix A? And who picks up the tab at a coffee meeting? In our bonus segment for premium members, bel...

After 118 days on strike, SAG-AFTRA has a tentative deal with the AMPTP. John and Drew look through the details of the agreement to see what gains the actors union was able to make on streaming, self-tapes, performance capture, AI protections, and residuals. What are the current effects of this agreement? And what’s next for organized labor in Hollywood? Links: SAG-AFTRA Summary of 2023 Tentative...

John and Craig host an in-depth look at the 1987 classic, The Princess Bride, recorded live at the WGA Theatre in 2019. They discuss how the “abridged” structure brings us only the best parts of the story and what this means for the characters and world. From the frame story to the myth of the Dread Pirate Roberts, The Princess Bride shaped decades of screenwriters but would be inconceivable to pr...

Mad scientists John and Craig dissect monsters and how they function in the stories we tell. How do monsters differ from the average villain? What makes them tick? And how do you make them fascinating? We also discuss how narratives are applied to real-life news, follow up on aphantasia and diabetes, and answer a listener question on characters in cosplay. In our bonus segment for premium members,...

John and Craig welcome Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Good Omens) to discuss the serialized storytelling of comics and screenwriting. Using Neil’s script for issue 24 of The Sandman, they look at how comics are written, communicating with other artists, using the medium to your advantage, and finding unique ways to deliver your story. Neil also shares how he developed his voice as a writer, from the or...

John and Craig talk about the importance of visualization for screenwriters, and the fact that some very successful writers can’t do it. They share what’s going on inside their brains as they write, their processes for imagining a scene, and what writing is like across the spectrum of aphantasia. But first, we look at Marvel’s new approach to TV and follow-up on diabetes, studio distribution, and...

It’s official – the WGA has ratified its contract with the AMPTP. John and Drew look at how the votes were distributed, what happens next, and what to keep in mind as SAG-AFTRA moves forward in their negotiations. Links: 2023 MBA Ratified – WGA SAG-AFTRA on Strike! WGA Solidarity with SAG-AFTRA John on Twitter , Instagram and Mastodon Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt Email us...

John sits down with WGA Negotiating Committee co-chair Chris Keyser to look at how writers crafted the narrative of the strike. From establishing the premise and themes, identifying characters, and all the way down to specific word choices, we dissect the choices, revisions, and tactics used to guide the MBA negotiations to a successful conclusion. We also answer listener questions on foreign levi...

John and Craig take an in-depth look at the deal points of the WGA’s tentative agreement with the AMPTP, which ended the 2023 WGA strike after 148 days. Together they break down what gains were made, how they work, and why they are important for writers everywhere. We also open a time-capsule email from 2018, follow up on five year old predictions, and send our predictions for 2028 off into the fu...

John, Drew and Megana read through the details of the WGA’s Tentative Agreement to see what was initially proposed and what was ultimately won. Links: WGA Tentative Agreement Summary 2023 MBA Tentative Agreement Megana Rao on Twitter John on Twitter , Instagram and Mastodon Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here . The post Sidecas...