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623 - A Very Special Christmas Episode

Scriptnotes Podcast

Release Date: 12/26/2023

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Scriptnotes Podcast

 on Prime Video  or  Craig Mazin on  and  John August on ,  and   by Nica Brooke () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .  

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Scriptnotes Podcast

John welcomes writer and comedian Alex Edelman to look at how he wrote his solo show Just For Us, and dig into the meaning of “write what you know.” They discuss finding your voice as a writer, developing your story with an audience, why Alex doesn’t write his shows down, and the sample that first got him staffed. We also answer listener questions on what to do when your manager doesn’t understand your comedy, and the value of characters speaking to themselves. In our bonus segment for premium members, John asks Alex, how do you set boundaries on material when you’re dating another...

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Scriptnotes Podcast

John and Craig can’t help but look at intrinsic motivations — those specific internal drives that guide characters behavior. They discuss how to structure and expose that internal drive, the importance of an innate irritability, how it can stop your characters from becoming flat, and rewarding that intrinsic motivation with choice. But first, we follow up on AI training, blueprints and “important” movies. We also weigh in on a high-school senior’s college dilemma and answer a listener question on writing with your trailer in mind. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and...

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Scriptnotes Podcast

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 themselves in court? And do judges really bang their gavel like that? In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig invite Ken to imagine traveling somewhere worse than prison — the beach....

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Scriptnotes Podcast

 by Charlotte Cowles for The Cut  by Angela Chen for the NYT  by Matt Novak for Gizmodo  by Emi Nietfeld for the NYT OSR’s  and   and   and   or  Craig Mazin on  and  John August on ,  and   by Tim Brown () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .

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Scriptnotes Podcast

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 YouTube, follow-up on vetting potential co-workers, and answer a listener question on writing animation. In our bonus segment for premium members, Pam shares all her star-studded stories from sitting...

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Scriptnotes Podcast

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. But first, we answer listener questions on giving notes and kids playing D&D. In our bonus segment for premium members, we spill the kool-aid on our fears and fascinations with cults....

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Scriptnotes Podcast

 by Robert Cowley  by Garrett O’Brien for the Saturday Evening Post  on Wikipedia  by Tim Ott for Biography  by Jake Rossen for Mental Floss  by Richard Newby for THR  by Adam Rogers  or  Craig Mazin on  and  John August on ,  and   by Zach Lo () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .  

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Scriptnotes Podcast

John Gatins on  and   for the New Yorker  or  Craig Mazin on  and  John August on ,  and   by Alee Karim () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .  

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Scriptnotes Podcast

 by Aaron Couch and Rebecca Sun for The Hollywood Reporter  by Cynthia Littleton for Variety  by John August  by Will Knight for Wired  by David Sparks  or  Craig Mazin on  and  John August on ,  and   by Eric Pearson () Segments originally produced by Godwin Jabangwe and Megan McDonnell. Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .  

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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, and answer a listener question on the definition of a drafts. But first, we investigate the origin of a very useful word that’s new to John and Craig.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we travel to holidays past to discuss the best presents we ever received — and the gifts that got away.

Links:

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.