745 - Road Trip
Scriptnotes Podcast
Buckle up! John and Craig discuss the elements that make up a classic road movie. They cover the quintessential scenes, common pitfalls, and the economic quandaries you’ll find in the genre. They also answer listener questions about editing novels (versus screenplays) and the aesthetics of outlines and breakdowns. In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig talk about their own memorable road trips. Links: John’s Wondery Podcast, “” Get your copy of and become a today! For more content on the craft of...
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744 - The Invite with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack
Scriptnotes Podcast
John and Craig invite over Rashida Jones and Will McCormack to chat about their new film The Invite, out in theaters now. Rashida and Will divulge the origin story and dynamics of their own writing partnership, as well as discuss the process of adapting an adaptation and writing to the truth of relationships. In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, the four swap stories about saying goodbye to creative projects that never came to pass. Links: by Cesc Gay (Original Spanish version) by Griffin Dunne or Craig Mazin on and John August...
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676 - Writing while the World is on Fire (Encore)
Scriptnotes Podcast
How do you keep doing creative work when the world is falling apart around you? To sift through the despair and doubt, John welcomes back legendary Scriptnotes guest, writer-turned-psychotherapist Dennis Palumbo. They discuss the many feelings that catastrophic events can bring up in artists, the personal narratives that often inform those feelings, and how to keep moving forward when you feel like the band on the Titanic. We also follow up on AI, and answer listener questions on competing with brain trusts and how to support a friend embroiled in controversy. In our bonus segment for premium...
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743 - Thinking on Your Feet with Ryan Condal
Scriptnotes Podcast
John and Craig sit down with Ryan Condal, showrunner of House of the Dragon, just as its third season airs. They dive into Ryan’s late start in Hollywood, spec scripts, the anatomy of a writers room, and thinking as a product of movement. They also answer a listener question about the mechanics of writing a sequel. In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John, Craig and Ryan discuss perhaps the most popular fictional creatures ever: dragons! Links: by Amy Deng by Cyan, Rand Miller & Robyn Miller by Zadbox Entertainment – Title sequence...
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742 - Obsession with Curry Barker
Scriptnotes Podcast
John and Craig welcome Curry Barker, the writer-director behind this summer’s surprise blockbuster, Obsession. It’s a rom-com, a horror film and a great example of trusting your audience. We discuss Curry’s roots, his writing process, learning from YouTube, as well as the pressure to follow up a hit. In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig pose the #1 most important question for all filmmakers to consider: What will the popcorn bucket be? Links: by Curry Barker by Curry Barker by Rachel Nuwer (NY Times) , or Subscribe to Scriptnotes...
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741 – Craig Takes Questions
Scriptnotes Podcast
This week, Craig answers listener questions about rewriting on set, AI coverage, when and how to kill off characters, sizing up producers, and more. There’s also an extra-special guest appearance for this week’s One Cool Thing. In the bonus segment for premium subscribers, Craig discusses how to be wrong—something he feels he knows all too well. Links: “Widow’s Bay” Games: “L.A. Law” , or Subscribe to Scriptnotes on Follow Scriptnotes on and John August on and Outro by Matthew Chilelli () Scriptnotes is produced by...
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740 - On Competence
Scriptnotes Podcast
Why is it so satisfying to watch a highly-skilled character complete their goals? And why can it be equally hilarious to watch an incompetent character bumble through a slew of screw-ups? In this episode, John and Craig discuss how to play with competence in your characters. We also say goodbye to our producer Drew Marquardt with a thoroughly embarrassing exit interview, and reveal our new producer. However, it’s not really goodbye, because Drew will be staying on to work with John on an upcoming project (TBA). In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig deliberate on the...
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739 - The One with David E. Kelley
Scriptnotes Podcast
John and Craig welcome writer and showrunner David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Ally McBeal) to look at his process for adapting books to TV, particularly with his latest series Margo’s Got Money Troubles. They explore where to find your act breaks, crafting complicated tones, and when to trust the writer of the book. We also look at how TV has changed over David’s storied career, how he runs a writers room, creating story engines, the difference between writing for broadcast TV and streaming, and the one thing a TV show should never be. In our bonus segment for premium members, David...
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738 - Building Your Audience with Courtney Kemp
Scriptnotes Podcast
John welcomes writer and showrunner Courtney Kemp (Power, Nemesis) to ask, how do you find an audience and build momentum on television? They look at how writers can match their voice to an underserved audience, the pitfalls of being boxed in by a niche, and what new writers can do to get people excited about their work. We also chart how Courtney built her career from magazine writer to creating the television franchise Power, look at the exciting success of Obsession and Backrooms, and answer listener questions on talking to your reps about financial struggles, and how to find your...
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737 - Studio-Adjacent
Scriptnotes Podcast
John welcomes back Phil Hay (Destroyer, The Invitation) to ask, how do you get a movie made with independent financing? They look at how indie movies get made, where you get the money, deciding when to go indie, and whether streamers complicate the picture. We also follow up on testing movies with focus groups and answer listener questions on how to navigate the editing room, daily routines, and what to do when your story has too many themes. In our bonus segment for premium members, we look back on what Phil learned about D&D from his documentary The Dungeon Masters. Links: ...
info_outlineThis week, Craig answers listener questions about rewriting on set, AI coverage, when and how to kill off characters, sizing up producers, and more.
There’s also an extra-special guest appearance for this week’s One Cool Thing.
In the bonus segment for premium subscribers, Craig discusses how to be wrong—something he feels he knows all too well.
Links:
- “Widow’s Bay” Games: Daddy’s Home & Teeth
- “L.A. Law” Elevator Scene
- Ed Wood (1994)
- Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
- Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
- Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
- Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
- Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
- Follow Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
- John August on Bluesky and Instagram
- Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)
- Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Lauren Loesberg.
Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
You can download the episode here.