Scriptnotes Podcast (.mp3)

Craig and John spend an entire episode discussing and dissecting 1989’s THE LITTLE MERMAID, looking at both its structure and scene work. The first of Disney’s modern animated musicals, The Little Mermaid established the template for how these films are supposed to work. While it’s not perfect, it’s an ideal film for looking at how heroes and villains articulate their goals...

It’s a week of pondering other people’s opinions. First, Craig and John take a look at the Bechdel Test: is it a useful metric for screenwriters, or just meaningless checkbox-ticking? From there, we dive into David Wong’s analysis of troubling superhero lessons. Are these just updated versions of the classic myths, or do they say something specific about modern times? Finally, we...

As promised, John and Craig answer a bunch of listener questions on everything except screenwriting, on topics ranging from sex to science to sushi. How can the universe be infinite, but expanding? What’s it like being bald? Do spouses need to have common interests? Can someone become a morning person? And what’s the secret to a close, comfortable shave? We start with two things in the...

How you get from one scene to the next can be just as important as the scenes themselves. Craig and John talk techniques and tactics for making those cuts count. But first there’s the issue of the $23 million lawsuit filed by two of the GI Joe writers, claiming that much of the storyline in the 2013 sequel came from their earlier work. Is this the case John and Craig have long predicted, in...

Has a statistician cracked the code on successful screenplay formulas? John and Craig cast a skeptical eye at a New York Times article on Vinny Bruzzese, who claims to have done exactly that. But is the real story Bruzzese’s numbers game, or a general misunderstanding of how the film industry actually operates? From there, we answer several reader questions before diving in on a new batch of...

John and Craig discuss when to stop rewriting a project and accept that it’s just not going to become a movie. Then we go bigger to look at when to give up on the dream of being a screenwriter — which starts with a hard look at why people seek out the career in the first place. Also in this episode, we talk reviews and the virtues of not reading them, plus a look at Zach Braff’s...

Craig leads the discussion on how to survive a notes meeting. As screenwriters, our instinct is to defend, deny and debate — but these are almost always the wrong choice. By reframing the discussion about the movie rather than the script, you can often end up at a better place. From there, John opens the listener mailbag so we can answer questions about cheating scene description and romanti...

John and Craig discuss the odd dislocation writers experience when writing movies in coffeeshops and windowless offices. We’re literally “someplace else” with our characters, but learning how to work in less-than-ideal circumstances is part of the screenwriter’s trade. Then it’s another round of Three Page Challenges, wherein we wrestle with the question of why &#8220...

Craig and John look at two recent court decisions that could have a big impact on how movies get sold and resold — and how writers get paid. First-Sale Doctrine is one of those intractable issues that involves freedom and control, bits and atoms, creators and consumers. From there, we take a look at whether comedy is necessarily funny on the page, and why jokes can work or fail based on tiny...

Writer Derek Haas (Wanted, 3:10 to Yuma) joins John and Craig to discuss gay slurs, refrigerator logic and his TV show, Chicago Fire. In addition to writing for big and small screens, the extraordinarily prolific Haas writes books, including The Right Hand and The Silver Bear. He also created the short story site Popcorn Fiction. LINKS: Derek Haas on IMDb Chicago Fire on NBC Popcorn Fiction The Ri...

Craig is sick and John is in the middle of tech rehearsals, but nothing will stop them from discussing another batch of Three Page Challenges. This week we look at four entries, including one that Craig likes so much he can’t wait to read the whole script. It’s an episode chock full of sex, prayers, early-morning beers and Aztecs. LINKS: How to submit your three pages Three pages by Ju...

Craig and John discuss the big Veronica Mars/Kickstarter news in one of the more contentious podcasts to date. If you like umbrage, this is the show for you. Next up, Highland has finally shipped. The plaintext screenplay editor (and PDF melter) raises questions about the assumption of security-through-laboriousness and the monoculture around Final Draft. Finally, we discuss three of the points in...

John and Craig talk homesickness and daddy issues before diving into a discussion on what Rhythm and Hues’s bankruptcy means for the film industry — and similar scenarios screenwriters might face down the road. Opening the listener mailbag, we answer questions about shop-around agreements, naming minor characters, filmmaker bios, and “being brilliant.” There’s a speci...

Craig and John take a look at an old post that found new life this week when it got picked up on Twitter and Reddit. We go beyond the bullet points to look at the process of writing a scene, from asking the basic questions to getting the words on the page. What needs to happen in this scene? What’s the worst that would happen if this scene were omitted? Who needs to be in the scene? Where could th...

Craig and John take a look at the class-action suit over Hollywood’s unpaid interns, then discuss envy and jealousy and other unproductive emotions. Hollywood interns aren’t essential, but internship has a long tradition in the industry. This lawsuit could change things dramatically — but will it change it for better or worse? Envy is rampant among aspiring writers, but it never...

John and Craig discuss spec scripts, pitches and how it feels when your movie gets brutal reviews. First up, an article by Margaret Heidenry in Vanity Fair tracks the history of spec script sales, going all the way back to Preston Sturges. We talk about the 90s bubble, and what’s changed. Next, we discuss what a screenwriter needs to do in that last few hours before a pitch — including...

Aline Brosh McKenna joins John and Craig for a conversation about what writers mean by a “voice,” and how it develops. For some screenwriters, their voice develops long before their craft, leading people to label them as “promising” even though the scripts themselves are a mess. Other writers get all the technical stuff right from the start, but have a hard time finding som...

John and Craig give heroes the week off and talk bad guys. Not every movie needs a villain, but if you have one, he better be good. Also this week, follow-up on Courier Prime, John’s TV pilot, and most importantly Craig’s movie Identity Thief, which hits theaters this weekend. In our One Cool Things, John talks up Gillian Flynn’s terrific but tough-to-adapt Gone Girl, while Craig...

Craig and John discuss a new report that tallies spec script sales for 2012 — with the reminder that selling a spec isn’t necessarily the most important thing for new writers. After some follow-up on last week’s Raiders episode, we crunch the numbers on our listener survey and discuss the genesis of Courier Prime, the typeface all the best scripts will be sporting in 2013. Finall...

Craig and John spend the entire episode discussing and dissecting RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, looking at both its structure and scene work. This amazing and iconic 1981 film established so much of what we expect of out movie heroes and set pieces — but a lot of what it does would have a hard time getting through modern studio development. Five-minute exposition scenes! Nazi monkeys! Helpless he...

With last week’s news that home video stopped its free-fall and actually grew a little bit in 2012, John and Craig discuss whether studios might ease off on one-step deals and other development austerity measures. But while one bloodbath has been averted, this week’s batch of Three Page Challenges is particularly gruesome — but also pretty good. Craig is too stubborn to admit tha...

John and Craig return from the holidays to look at the WGA nominations, the perennially high costs of movies, scene headers and acceptable fonts for treatments. Two reader questions ask how to get career stuff started before an LA move. Are any of the contests worth the bother? Does a great review on the Black List open doors for a writer living in Jerusalem? Also discussed: resolutions, accepting...

Craig and John start the year with a look back at three very early episodes not currently on iTunes, discussing outlines, agents and the Good Boy Syndrome. Thank you for all the great ratings and reviews on iTunes. If you haven’t already left one, why not let it be the easiest resolution ever? You can leave one here . LINKS: Scriptnotes, Episode 3: Kids, cards, whiteboards and outlines Scrip...

It’s Christmas, so John and Craig are exchanging the gift of answers, tackling listener questions on topics ranging from musical books to punch-up sessions. December is also Black List season, and we’re happy to see some familiar names among the most-liked screenplays this year, including a Three Page Challenge entrant. John’s long-in-the-works Karateka is finally in the App Stor...

Craig and John chat with Lindsay Doran, a producer and former studio exec who’s made terrific movies, ranging from Sense and Sensibility to Stranger than Fiction. Topics include the role of producers, developing scripts with screenwriters, and the importance of good hair. Lindsay Doran on IMDb The New York Times on Lindsay Doran (including a great photo of her hair) Lindsay’s TEDx pres...