Scriptnotes Podcast

John and Craig answer questions from listeners teetering on the precipice of success. What projects do you take after a big win? How can you make the most money in your career? And how do you move forward when your dream project dies? We follow up on vocal fry/linguistic tics, HBO Max’s recent announcements, and the trades. In our bonus segment for premium members, the guys look at whether the sta...

John and Craig welcome VFX supervisor Alex Wang (The Last of Us) and VFX producer/writer Addie Manis (Foundation) to pull back the (green screen) curtain on the visual effects production process. We ask the VFX experts to break down a sample scene, line by line to explain how they’d turn scene description into an actual scene. From their first read to the edit, they describe how the script guides...

John and Craig discuss the confusing phenomenon of post-scriptum depression. They explain why even a good experience can feel like loss and offer tips for how to move on. We also cover the difficulty of balancing timelines in parallel storylines. Follow up this week includes a fuller explanation of the Monty Hall and a passionate defense of short films. In our bonus segment for premium members, we...

John and Craig tackle the third question every development executive asks: “why now?” What makes an idea relevant to the moment? They offer ways writers can think about this early on in their process, including reframing it as “how now?” instead. We then talk about reversals and look at how they work on the page, using a scene from Chernobyl. This week’s follow up includes discussions on abortion...

The original post for this episode can be found here . John August: Hello and welcome. My name is John August, and this is Episode 555 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Today on the show, I’m talking with the Emmy Award-winning writer behind Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the Emmy Award-winning writer of Marvel...

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 502 of Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Today on the show we keep saying it’s important that characters make choices that effect the story, but of course they really...

John and Craig look at visual effects from both a creative and budgetary perspective. From set extensions to blue screens, the guys discuss the hidden costs and tricks of post-production. We also cover the options screenwriters have when optioning books. We cover formal (and less-formal) arrangements, loose adaptations and answer a listener question on making shorts. In our bonus segment for premi...

John and Craig weigh in on writing partner romances, voice-y scripts, character chemistry and end-of-draft treats in this week’s listener questions. We also host a round of How Would This Be A Movie, featuring stories on treasure hunts, jailed activists, and a sports scam. We look at how these news articles would translate to film/television and most importantly, whether they should be adapted at...

John and Craig are back together! They discuss the magnetism that draws viewers into a story, pulls characters together and pushes them through the narrative. We follow up on adulting, gun violence and remote writers rooms. We also look at the new animation writer contract and the CW sale. For our premium members, check out our bonus episode with the creator of Wordle and the author of 50 Years of...

John and Craig take a look at flashbacks: reasons to incorporate them, how to manage nonlinear storylines, and when it’s too late include one. We cover ‘Side Character Summer’ and three words that ruin a screenwriter’s day. We also answer listener questions on writing partner break-ups, managers, and remote rooms. In our bonus segment for premium members, we look at the markers of adulthood. Links...

John and Craig are back together! They chat about the box office (it’s also back!), guns in Hollywood, writing credits, and follow up on what to call the [interstitial] page in a script. We answer listener questions on imperfect story logic, writing authentically in a different language, and when it’s time to be a team player. In our bonus segment for premium members, we talk about penmanship! Cra...

John invites Michael Waldron (Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Loki) to share his origin story and offer advice on how to make the most of film school/internship opportunities. We discuss writing characters that cross the TV/film barrier and answer listener questions on preparing for success, looking for rejection, and how to track ideas. In our bonus segment for premium members, we discu...

John and Craig offer guidance on wrangling groups of characters. This episode features a collection of craft topics that address how to build community on the page. They cover how to introduce relationships, structure features with multiple protagonists, reasons to split up the group, and how to reunite characters. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Megana welcome our summer intern...

John welcomes writer/showrunner Patrick Somerville to explore the development process for Station Eleven. From finding the source material, organizing the writers room, to writing production drafts, they walk through the steps of creating a limited series. Along the way, Patrick explains how he transitioned careers from novelist to television writer, and advises a listener on prepping for staffing...

John and Craig host a round of the Three Page Challenge where they look at listener pages and offer feedback on what’s working and how to avoid common pitfalls. This week we look at time jumps, reveals, and ticker-tape dialogue. We follow up on confusing credits, then answer listener questions on narrative geography, professional development and when it’s okay to take your pitch somewhere else. In...

John welcomes writers John Hoffman (Only Murders in the Building, Looking) and Brittani Nichols (Abbott Elementary, A Black Lady Sketch Show) to bring us behind the scenes of the comedy writers room. They explain ‘alts’ (alternative line jokes), crafting tone, and the process of pitching. We also discuss the sophomore season and different comedic engines. We answer listener questions on whether yo...

John and Craig discuss the mechanics of getting characters in and out of scenes. They cover why writers might show a character’s entrance or exit, both what it accomplishes for the story and the expectations it sets up for the audience. We get an update from ‘Please Convince Me to Drop Out of Film School’ and answer listener questions on mortifying managers, cocktail conversations, and whether or...

John welcomes Willa Paskin on to discuss Sideways Effect, centering on an episode of her podcast Decoder Ring. Willa looks at how dialogue in the 2004 film upended the red wine industry. John and Willa then look at other movie moments that have have shaped cultural behavior, including Clark Gable’s missing t-shirt sales and the scene that inspired the name Madison. Willa shares her research and wr...

John and Aline Brosh McKenna welcome writing team Dan Gregor and Doug Mand (How I Met Your Mother, Most Likely to Murder, Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers) to chat about made-to-stream movies. They discuss the joys of niche IP and how changes in the film landscape have resurrected certain genres. We follow up on ‘Murder House Architecture’ and the economics of shorter seasons. We also answer listener q...

John invites Anna Jane Joyner and Quinn Emmett from Good Energy Stories to discuss climate change on screen. Climate change affects every creature on our planet, so why don’t we see it more on television? They discuss opportunities for writers to inspire change and raise awareness to capture the environmental concerns of our time. We follow up on disability representation in Hollywood with the rel...

John welcomes writer/creators Liz Meriwether (New Girl, The Dropout) and Liz Hannah (The Girl from Plainville, The Post) to discuss the genre/form of “limited series based on actual events.” Meriwether and Hannah explain what compelled them to each project and the process of realizing each story on screen. We also play a lightning round of How Would This Be A Movie, looking at movements like ‘Bird...

John talks with Joan Rohlfing (Nuclear Threat Initiative, U.S. Department of Energy) and author/reporter David E. Hoffman (Washington Post) about nuclear energy, nuclear safety and nuclear war — both the current reality and how these issues are portrayed in Hollywood. Joan and David explain how the nuclear landscape has changed over the decades, the stories Hollywood has missed, and the impo...

Craig answers listener questions ranging from craft to career: how do you find your voice? What questions should you ask before writing a new project? When should silence carry a scene? Craig offers professional advice and gets dangerously close to starting a cult. We follow up on Barton Fink, writer’s block, and keyboards. In our bonus segment for premium members, Craig and Megana discuss millenn...

John answers listener questions on craft and industry. When are you ready to send a script? How do you rewrite scenes during production? Is it cool to take a picture with your celebrity crush on set? John offers professional advice for writers on the page and in real life. We follow up on screenwriter dexterity (typing speed) and ergonomic keyboards. In our bonus segment for premium members, John...

John and Craig investigate backstabs and double-crosses onscreen and share how writers can set up plot twists on the page. We answer listener questions on imposter syndrome, negative feedback, and hear about John’s journey to find the right ergonomic keyboard. We also follow up on meet-cutes, charismatic aspiring writers, and angry costume designers. In our bonus segment for premium members, we di...