Scriptnotes Podcast (.mp3)

John and Craig discuss the WGA election results, and take a look at the issues that dominated the campaigns. What is a paper team? Do screenwriters really retire? And why does it take us so long to get paid? We also dive into the mailbag and take questions on visiting Los Angeles, backend and residuals, and what an unrepped writer should do if there is interest in her project. T-shirts are being f...

Craig and John take an extensive look at best practices when coming in to rewrite an existing script. How do you take the reins when you weren’t the first screenwriter? Whether you’re starting over at page one or executing some surgical fixes, we discuss the psychology and reality of being the subsequent writer. Then it’s a look at how film schedules work. The translation from screenplay to shooti...

John and Craig discuss the PG-13 rating, its effects and what screenwriters have to keep in mind when dealing with it. Then it’s a conversation about healthy and unhealthy relationships between writers and their representatives. Also: are your odds greater of being a professional screenwriter or a professional football player? We have a lot of numbers, but no clear answer. The question points out...

Craig and John tackle another installment of “How would this be a movie?” with a look at the Kentucky clerk, the French train bros, Uber and Deflategate. Who are the heroes and villains, and would there be enough plot to support the running time? We also explore the happy-sad feeling of finishing a screenplay. Only two-weeks left to pre-order a Scriptnotes t-shirt. Don’t miss out! Links: Scriptnot...

Craig and John open the mailbag to answer questions on acronyms in dialogue, off-the-air specs and international WGA jurisdiction. Plus we look at the growing trend of non-disclosure agreements on studio projects, and whether the nature of film requires less complex characters. The big news: we have new Scriptnotes t-shirts! They’re available only by pre-order, and only for a short time. Join us a...

John and Craig sit down with Marielle Heller, the writer and director of the acclaimed feature The Diary of a Teenage Girl, to talk about the journey of getting her movie made, from optioning the novel to the Sundance Labs through production. We discuss sex scenes and ’70s wallpaper, anamorphic lenses and leaving subplots on the cutting room floor. Plus there’s a lot of MacGruber. Heller’s f...

Craig and John look at how movies are translated, including an interview with a guy who does subtitles for a living. Plus, how Pixar and other companies are localizing movies for international audiences, and what happens when China becomes the largest film market. The USB drives are back in the store, and we’re close to announcing our picks for the next Scriptnotes t-shirt. (You can see some of th...

John and Craig discuss why movie heroes — unlike those in novels or musicals — generally don’t profess internally conflicting views. In reality, our feelings on a topic are likely shades of gray. On the big screen, characters tend to articulate a single point firmly. We also discuss the last few things we do when getting ready to submit a script. Then it’s time for three new entries in the T...

Craig and John look at best practices for screenwriters promoting their films, both in traditional media and online. We’re not subtweeting anyone, and neither should you. Also this week: more on reshoots, Stretch Armstrong and selective editing of quotes in movie reviews. Links: Submit your Fall 2015 Scriptnotes shirt design by August 11 Vanity Fair on World War Z reshoots The Hollywood Reporter o...

John and Craig take a deep look at how descriptive audio for the blind works, with clips from Daredevil and an interview with a woman who does it for a living. It’s a fascinating form of writing, with many of the same challenges screenwriters face. Also this week: Capitals, capitalization, the WGA financial numbers, and answers to a bunch of listener questions. If you have a Scriptnotes t-shirt de...

Reshoots used to be a sign that something had gone horribly wrong. But not anymore. John and Craig look at the reasons why Hollywood movies often go back for additional photography, and how the writer is involved. Also this week, arbitration esoterica about the “final shooting script,” descriptive text for the blind, and news about the Austin Film Festival. (We’re going.) It’s been almost a year s...

John and Craig take a deep dive into scene description, looking at how seven produced screenplays arranged the words on the page. With samples from Aliens, Erin Brockovich, Oceans 11, Unforgiven, Wall-E, Wanted and Whip It, we tackle verbs and metaphors, ellipses and underlining. You can look at the show notes to see the exact scenes we’re discussing. Also this week, Paramount has cut a deal with...

Craig sits down with Silicon Valley writer/director Alec Berg to talk about set ups and payoffs, editing comedy and how writing teams get screwed. Also this week: Tess Gerritsen gives up, but that’s not the end of you-stole-my-idea lawsuits. The 200-episode USB drives are in the store, but for how long? If you want one, don’t wait. (Note: In the podcast, I misspoke: the discount code g...

Craig and John look at why certain genres of movies — mid-budget thrillers, adult dramas and romantic comedies — aren’t getting made, and whether there’s any way to get them back. We also look at Apple Music, and what streaming means for screenwriters. Finally, we chart the screenwriter’s job from pitch to premiere, and how few of those steps are actually paid. Big news: we have brand-new USB driv...

John and Craig take an in-depth look at turnaround and reversion, and how screenwriters get their scripts back from a studio. We also look at the latest developments in the Gravity saga, and answer a bunch of leftover questions from the live 200th episode. Links: Scriptnotes 202, in which we discuss FAST Screenplay Scriptnotes 183: The Deal with the Gravity Lawsuit , and follow up from Scriptnotes...

From Wolverine to The Rock, male action heroes have literally gotten bigger over the last decade. Craig and John look at how that impacts story. Is there hope for the the ordinary man in an extraordinary situation? Will we ever get back to Kurt and Keanu? Then it’s time for three new Three Page Challenges, with entries ranging from campus riots to suburban detectives. Links: John jumped off a brid...

John and Craig look at three current news stories from a screenwriter’s perspective, discussing how each lends itself to becoming a movie. Would FIFA’s Stepp Blatter make a better Coen Brothers hero or a Sorkin villain? Could the Large Hadron Collider lend itself to a romantic comedy? Is there even a movie to make about campus sexual politics and academic freedom? Also discussed: the trap of...

Craig, John, and Aline record the 200th episode of Scriptnotes live with a worldwide audience listening in — and chiming in — as they discuss TV showrunning and whether quality really counts at the box office. Then it’s time for listener questions, ranging from presidential plagiarism to locked drafts. Hard to believe it’s been 200 episodes. We wouldn’t and couldn’t have done it without you. Thank...

Craig and John discuss finding your way back to your story — and your enthusiasm — when writing your second draft. Craig has tips and suggestions. John has sympathy and war stories. This week, we also discuss ageism and authenticity in Hollywood, the Mr. Holmes lawsuit, and unsung screenwriter heroes. The 200th episode will be streaming live on the internet! Follow us on Twitter to get...

This week, we time-travel back to our first centennial, a live show in Hollywood with special guests Aline Brosh McKenna and Rawson Thurber. We discuss the rise of the “writer-plus,” the importance of early mentors, and the emails that outline the very origin of Scriptnotes. Through the past 100 episodes, a lot has changed, so John provides updates on some topics, including how the Golden Ticket w...

Craig and John tackle a single topic: bad movies and how they happen. Having experienced the process first-hand, they report on how bad ideas make it to the screen, and how good ideas go wrong. There’s no single answer, but a range of patterns that end in terrible movies. In follow-up, we talk about still-forming plans for the 200th episode, new USB drives, and favorite episodes. John’s game One H...

John and Craig dig into the listener mailbag and take questions on TV producer credits, jealousy over other writers’ success, writing tight vs writing long and plenty of other follow up. It’s a jam packed episode worthy of a long commute. We also have information on the card game we playtested in LA a few weeks back. It’s called One Hit Kill, and you can see some of the artwork a...

Canadian screenwriter Ryan Knighton joins John and Craig to discuss how you sustain a career writing for Hollywood studios while living a flight away. Knighton’s first screenplay was the adaptation of his memoir about going blind. He’s since written for several studios, including a new project for Ridley Scott. We also talk about general meetings, pitching, adapting true stories, and the Sundance...

This week, Craig and John discuss recent events that seem custom-designed to make Craig furious. An anonymous screenwriter promises to tell you the secrets of Hollywood, including the unspoken dress code. A London-based film production company wants to buy your script — but they want you to pay for some notes first. But it’s not all bad news. The WGA East has organized the writers at Gawker, so we...

Craig and John do a deep-dive into the world of screenwriting credits, explaining the entire process from the Notice of Tentative Writing Credits, to arbitration to review boards. The system can be confusing, but most produced screenwriters will find themselves facing it at some point, so it’s important to understand how it works. Links: Scriptnotes, Ep 20: How credit arbitration works Jurassic Wo...