Scriptnotes Podcast

Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and related topics in the film and television industry, everything from getting stuff written to the vagaries of copyright and work-for-hire law.

640 - Can You Believe It? 04/23/2024

640 - Can You Believe It? 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 comedian? Links: or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Ali Clifton () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30943673

639 - Intrinsic Motivation 04/16/2024

639 - Intrinsic Motivation 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 Craig parse out their reasons for why humans may – or may not – ever leave the solar system. Links: by by from the New York Times by David Segal for The New York Times by Laurel S. Morris, Mora M. Grehl, Sarah B. Rutter, Marishka Mehta, and Margaret L. Westwater by PJ Vogt or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Ben Singer () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30839068

638 - Lawyer Scenes 04/09/2024

638 - Lawyer Scenes 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. Links: Ken White on , and by Ken White by Hanna Rosin for The New Republic or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Lou Stone Borenstein () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30741638

637 - Love and Money 04/02/2024

637 - Love and Money 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 . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30634818

636 - Whispering Loudly 03/26/2024

636 - Whispering Loudly 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 in the 5th row at this year’s Oscars. Links: on on Netflix by Caroline Bologna for Huffpost from Moana from Moana by Mark Harris for NYT by David Friedman by David Friedman or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Vincent DeVito () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt with help from Chris Csont, and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30540508

635 - Is This Person Going to Ruin Everything? 03/19/2024

635 - Is This Person Going to Ruin Everything? 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. Links: from the New York Times by David Mack for Slate by Ronan Farrow for The New Yorker or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Eric Pearson () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30430638

634 - What If? Hollywood Edition 03/12/2024

634 - What If? Hollywood Edition 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 . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30334313

633 - Reviving a Dormant Project 03/05/2024

633 - Reviving a Dormant Project 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 . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30230793

632 - Mystery and Suspense 02/27/2024

632 - Mystery and Suspense 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 . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30124113

631 - Adapting for Television 02/20/2024

631 - Adapting for Television John welcomes writer and showrunner Francesca Sloane (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Atlanta) to talk about her process of bringing a big-screen property to television. She shares how she and Donald Glover found their way into the story, how it evolved in development, building a room that was all women of color, re-writing on set, and the many lessons she learned as a first time showrunner. We also follow up on writing partners and phonetic alphabets before answering listener questions on writing samples, casting on the page and why some screenplays are free to read. In our bonus segment for premium members, we dig into the benefits (and drawbacks) of film schools and fellowships. Links: on on Amazon Prime Video by Masato Hagiwara, Marius Miron and Jen-Yu Liu or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Eric Pearson () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/30021018

630 - The One with Celine Song 02/13/2024

630 - The One with Celine Song John welcomes Celine Song (Past Lives) to chart her journey from playwright to Oscar-nominated screenwriter. We discuss the intricacies of writing bilingually, the similarities between theater and a writers room, finding the right collaborators and how writing prepared Celine for for the rigors of directing. We also follow up on foreign courts, the Tiffany problem, and answer listener questions on American grad schools and table reads. In our bonus segment for premium members, Celine looks back on her production of The Seagull in The Sims 4 and reflects on the importance of experimenting with form. Links: Celine Song on and vs a and or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Nico Mansy () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29918783

629 - Cork Grease 02/06/2024

629 - Cork Grease John and Craig host another round of the Three Page Challenge, where they give their honest feedback on three listener-submitted scripts. They offer insights into using sound realistically, writing action that can be easily directed, finding subtext in dialogue, and navigating complex points of view. But first, we dig into several tricky listener questions: How does a writing team discuss their individual work with their reps? When is it ok to say no to inclusive casting? And how do you break up with a producer? In our bonus segment for premium members, we delve into tough questions and offer advice to our younger selves. Links: by Colton W. Miller, by Priti Trivedi, and by Eric Hunsley or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Matt Davis () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29813513

628 - The Fandom Menace 01/30/2024

628 - The Fandom Menace by Sarah Viren for the New York Times by David Chapman on Spotify or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Jessica Mazin () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29706668

SC38 - Sidecast: The DGA Deal, part 2 01/26/2024

SC38 - Sidecast: The DGA Deal, part 2 The DGA surprised the town yesterday, announcing an update to their already-signed agreement with the AMPTP. The new deal includes select pay bumps and the streaming bonus gained by WGA and SAG-AFTRA after their lengthy strikes. John and Drew are back to look at what we know about this off-cycle development and ask questions like huh? And how? And why? Links: by Katie Campione for Deadline John on , and Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29668643

627 - Unbelievably Agentic 01/23/2024

627 - Unbelievably Agentic John welcomes back Aline Brosh McKenna to look at how both you and your characters can become more “agentic.” What are the traps and pitfalls of going after what you want? How do you get people to engage with your protagonist, especially when the protagonist is yourself? Then it’s another round of How Would This be a Movie? We look at stories about a harm-reduction hotline, countertop cancer, loyalty testers and a mathematician who exploited the lottery. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Aline talk about their strange new reality of being empty nesters. Links: by Cate Hall by Neel Nanda by Evie Cottrell by Evie Cottrell by Aymann Ismail and Mary Harris for Slate by Emily Alpert Reyes and Cindy Carcamo for the LA Times by Gina Cherelus for the New York Times by Zachary Crockett for The Hustle by Adam Mastroianni or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Larry Douziech () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29603523

626 - Realistic but Distracting 01/16/2024

626 - Realistic but Distracting John and Craig investigate those details that are accurate and authentic, but can pull viewers out of the story. They look for ways to balance what is realistic with what is believable, and how to get rid of distractions and keep your audience focused on what matters. We also discuss popular names, follow up on Icelandic pronunciations and the Mazinga toy, and answer listener questions on period details, defining biopics, writing during production, and whether or not to read the script before watching the movie. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig swallow their pride and ask, how can you tell when someone is just being nice? Links: or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Sudarshan Kadam () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29502733

625 - Back in the FYC 01/09/2024

625 - Back in the FYC John and Craig take a look at the many For Your Consideration scripts suddenly available to read to see what lessons can be learned from movies that were actually made. They find best practices for establishing setting, using “we see” and “we hear,” complicated setups, directing on the page, and how to get right into your story. We also look at the possible sale of Paramount, the International Phonetic Alphabet and setting 2024 goals, before answering listener questions on UK credits and our writing routines. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig chew on a difficult question — would we eat lab-grown human meat? Links: by Alex Weprin for The Hollywood Reporter , story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik 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 . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29393088

624 - Creating Empathy for Your Characters 01/02/2024

624 - Creating Empathy for Your Characters In this compendium episode, John and Craig look at how we can best articulate our characters’ inner lives and get the audience invested in them. They discuss the intricacies of point of view, finding truthful emotional states, and why it’s so important for your characters to be liars. How do you engage an audience’s empathy? What makes an audience cry? What emotional response breaks their trust? Why is point of view important, and how can it be manipulated? How can lies be used to drive a character to emotional authenticity? And what is the best way to reveal your character’s secrets? In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig talk single-use characters and crown the greatest day-player of all time. Links: or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Rajesh Naroth () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29298338

623 - A Very Special Christmas Episode 12/26/2023

623 - A Very Special Christmas Episode by Diksha Madhok by Claire Saffitz or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Matthew Chilelli () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29217933

622 - The One with Christopher Nolan 12/19/2023

622 - The One with Christopher Nolan John welcomes writer and director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception) to discuss experimentation, subjectivity and adaptation as they take an in-depth look at his screenplay, Oppenheimer. They explore Chris’ writing process, how to make non-linear structures work, finding the story in real-life events, being kinetic on the page, the importance of embracing editing, and why theme can be a tricky thing. In our bonus segment for premium members, Chris and John muse about the difficulties of dream sequences — and what makes them work. Links: on . by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin by J. Robert Oppenheimer by Benjamín Labatut or Craig Mazin on and John August on , and by Matthew Chilelli () Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode . /episode/index/show/scriptnotes/id/29136548

Scriptnotes Podcast

TOPICS