Scriptnotes Podcast

John and Craig wade into the murky ethical challenges screenwriters face in Hollywood: When do you speak out against a peer? How do you claim an idea? Should you accept money from shady sources? They share their own experiences navigating these questions. We also follow up on female redemption arcs, NFTs, and joining the WGA. We answer listener questions on topics from ‘the director’s pass’ to cre...

John and Craig talk about writer deals of various types, including a deep dive into new data published by the WGA on feature writer pay. We also follow up on female redemption arcs and John shares his theory with Craig on how Disney will make its next trillion dollars. Finally in our bonus segment for premium members, we wade into the discourse on writers tweeting about writing, and whether it’s o...

John and Craig investigate the cyclical relationship between secrets and lies. They discuss character motivations for lying and how the tension of a secret can hold a story together. To illustrate the discussion, John invites Craig to solve our first-ever How Would This Be a Movie mystery, the Case of the Fatherless Child. We also talk about the dreaded “why now?” note, the questionable wisdom of...

John and Craig tackle the growing mailbag to answer listener questions on writing uncomfortable scenes, options vs. sales, and portraying internet stories on screen. We also follow up on screenwriting structure and address what’s missing in text messages on television. Finally in our bonus segment for premium members, we offer advice on living in small towns versus big cities. Links: TV Characters...

John and Craig take a look back at the WGA-Agency campaign, revisiting the initial assumptions, what went right, what went wrong, and what lessons were learned. Then they finally decode the encrypted USB drive John handed Craig a year ago. We also follow up on social media and answer listener questions on cold feet and how screenwriters take vacations. In our bonus segment for premium members, we...

John and Craig debate best practices for writers looking to staff for television rooms–including whether you should be on social media and how to approach a showrunner meeting. We also take a look at the GameStop story and discuss whether and how this should be a movie. Then Liz Alper and Jamarah Hayner join us to discuss the impact of covid shutdowns on assistants. Finally in our bonus segm...

John and Craig discuss how screenwriters use irony to build tension and texture, and why the term should be freed from its pedantic literary shackles. Then it’s another round of the Three Page Challenge, where we look at the first three pages of listener-submitted scripts ranging from multidimensional ghost stories to erotic pleasure principles. We also follow up on ethical female characters and w...

John and Craig explain Hollywood’s guilds and unions. They cover the history, the challenges, and their hopes for the future. We also look at character alignments and whether it’s helpful for writers to chart out their character’s traits. We follow up on eight sequence structure and mockable IP. Throughout the episode, Craig tries to solve the mystery of John’s sweet fingers. Finally, in our bonus...

John and Craig look at how writers manipulate time on macro and micro levels, and the impact of these choices on narrative. We then share our strategies for compressing, twisting, and trimming time in scripts. We also discuss continuous dialogue, subtext and which kinds of stories are best suited for animation. Finally in our bonus segment for premium members, we explore which moments in time we’d...

John and Craig discuss their personal philosophies and how writers can approach philosophical questions in terms of theme (central dramatic question) and character (moral codes and motivation). Then we cover virtual pitches and listener questions on eight-sequence structure and how to read a script. We also follow up on the agency campaign, failed insurrections, and bad IP. Finally in our bonus se...

John and Craig explore Batman’s strange and unique position as a fantasy of American frontier justice and how filmmakers have approached this IP. Then they invite author Maria Dahvana Headley to discuss the original Dark Knight — Beowulf — and why these odd heroes continue to resonate with modern audiences. We also answer listener questions on using pen names, whether the coolest plot can save a w...

John and Craig welcome back writer/producer Nichelle Tramble (Truth Be Told, The Good Wife) to share wisdom on listener questions that are interesting but unrelated to screenwriting. We discuss how to know if you’re marrying the right person, open relationships, and how to deal with being the ‘starter’ girlfriend. We also cover jealousy, laughter, the ethics of lying to the Red Cross, and disappoi...

Craig and John talk movie weddings with special guest Aline Brosh McKenna. We look at the tropes, the challenges and the unique opportunities wedding scenes provide. We also look at the agreement between the WGA and CAA, and answer listener questions about writing the weather and bombing a pitch. And in our bonus segment for premium members, we discuss our post-vaccination hopes and plans. Links:...

John and Craig talk about losing a parent on screen and in real life, with a look at the emotional journey and some practical advice for navigating the experience. We also discuss updates to the Warner Bros announcement, tips for managing idea scraps, and answer listener questions about when to discuss paid versus spec writing and slow-to-respond producers. In our bonus segment for premium subscri...

John welcomes writer-producers Dailyn Rodriguez (Queen of the South, Ugly Betty) and Chad Gomez Creasey (NCIS: New Orleans, Castle) to talk about writing network dramas and production during a pandemic. We answer listener questions on act breaks, politics on tv, and sustainable story engines. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members we discuss ‘ambient television’ and our favorite comfort...

John and Craig host another round of the Three Page Challenge. This week they cover how to use voice over, build suspense, and write alter egos for the screen. In follow up, we look at the day-and-date release of Wonder Woman 1984, updates in the WGA agency negotiations and of course the newly announced Uno game show. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members we discuss autobiographies and...

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: And this is Episode 475 of Scriptnotes. A podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Today on the show I’ll be talking with legendary screenwriter Eric Roth about his writing process and his very long career whi...

The original post for this episode is available here . John August: Hello and welcome. My name is John August. Craig Mazin: My name is Craig Mazin. John: And this is Episode 476 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Today on the show we welcome back a writer whose credits include Get Shorty. Craig: Never heard of it. John: Out of Sight. Cra...

John and Craig welcome back writer-director Scott Frank (Out of Sight, Minority Report, Godless) to discuss his new series The Queen’s Gambit and writing scenes that use senses beyond just sight and sound. We also answer listener questions on Voice Over narration and researching versus writing for a period piece. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members we discuss Thanksgiving and a few t...

John welcomes legendary screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, A Star is Born, Dune) to discuss his writing practice and how he gets in the head of his characters. We answer audience questions on how to trust your voice and approach adaptations. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members John and Craig discuss election night and the days after. Like we did after the 2016 election, we’re incl...

The original post for this episode can now be found here . John August: Hello and welcome. My name is John August. Craig Mazin: My name is Craig Mazin. John: And this is Episode 474 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. This episode is coming out Tuesday, November 3, 2020. So if you’re listening to this while standing in line to vote, thank...

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: And this is Episode 473 of Scriptnotes. It’s a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Today on the show short-form video company Quibi becomes short-lived video company Quibi. We’ll talk about what happened...

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: And this is Episode 469 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Today on the show when two screenwriters uncover provocative research on loglines they must confront an industry determined to...

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: And this is Episode 472 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Today on the show we’re getting emotional. We’re going to look at characters’ inner emotional states, why they matter, and how...

Craig and John discuss conflict — why it’s bad in real life but essential in screenwriting. We define six forms of conflict common in movies, then look at ways to sustain conflict within a scene and throughout a story. We also look briefly at Whiplash, both the conflict between its two main characters and the controversy over whether it should be considered an original or an adapted screenpl...