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.
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701 - Connections
08/26/2025
701 - Connections
John and Craig examine how to best use your connections to help yourself and others. They look at ways to identify the strength of a connection, leverage them without being manipulative, the nitty-gritty of approaching others for a favor, and the important ways to be generous in return. We also look at the good news in the WGA’s 2025 Screen Compensation Guide, follow-up on creator pay through streaming services, and answer listener questions on how to tell if you’re improving something, and whether having kids changes our storytelling. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig piece together their feelings on modern LEGO sets. Links: by Cate Hall , or Scriptnotes on John August on and by Spencer Lackey () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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700 - The Live Call-In Show
08/19/2025
700 - The Live Call-In Show
To celebrate our 700th episode, John and Craig open the phone lines for a live late-night call-in show (recorded at 10 a.m. on a Wednesday). Through the power of Zoom (and YouTube), listeners ask questions about rewrites in post, avoiding traps as a production designer, changing characters in a rewrite, and advice on leaving the entertainment industry. We also welcome back familiar faces from Scriptnotes history for a brand-new segment, “People, Places and Things,” where we look at movie stills and ask how we might describe them on the page. Also for debate, what is the boundary between “spoiler” and “what’s happening in culture”? In our bonus segment for premium members, we keep the videophone lines open for more listener questions on juggling multiple projects, preparing alt lines for production, and whether studios option projects just to kill them. You can (and should!) watch the entire episode on our YouTube channel. Just search for Scriptnotes Podcast. While you’re there, give us a Like and a Follow. Links: , , and on Netflix on Play along with People, Places and Things: , , , , , , and . , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Matthew Chilelli () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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699 - How to Talk About Yourself
08/12/2025
699 - How to Talk About Yourself
Every writer has to pitch themselves, but how do you do it without sounding like a tool? John welcomes back Pamela Ribon (Nimona, My Year of Dicks) for a big talk about small talk and general meetings. They offer practical tips on what to expect, how to get people to open up, navigating NDAs, staying true to yourself, and organically moving the conversation away from the weather and towards your work. We also look at a pernicious effect of underemployment (starting with a prompt from Ryan Knighton,) and answer listener questions on alternating POV, reusing adjectives, and giving your story beats cause and effect. In our bonus segment for premium members, we get meta as we discuss the modern podcast landscape and next era of Scriptnotes. Links: by Elif Batuman for The New Yorker by Adam Mastroianni by Joseph Bernstein for NYT , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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698 - Movies that Never Were
08/05/2025
698 - Movies that Never Were
John and Craig descend into development hell to look at films that almost but never quite existed. Using both widely-publicized and little-known examples, they examine common patterns that keep movies frozen in script form. We also follow up on solar storms, writer education and genres people should see at least one of. We then answer listener questions on writing empathetically, late-career stamina, non-English dialogue, multi-part movies, and the Scriptnotes theme itself. In our bonus segment for premium members, if John and Craig were never paid to write in the screenplay format again, would they still do it? Links: on Steam , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Steve Pietrowski () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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697 - We Wrote a Book!
07/29/2025
697 - We Wrote a Book!
The Scriptnotes Book is real, and now available for preorder! John and Craig take a look through its 335 pages to explore the topics, guests and deep-dives we’ve assembled from over 1,000 hours of this podcast, creating what is sure to be your favorite bathroom book. Then it’s another round of How Would This Be a Movie?, where we look at four stories in the news to see whether they’re ripe for adaptation. Stories include a mother taking on the revenge porn industry, a wife navigating her husband’s longtime crush, a government worker who was secretly recorded on a date, and the potential destruction of solar storms. We also answer a listener question on current filmmaking technology. In our bonus segment for premium members, what is kindness? John and Craig talk through what sets this undervalued quality apart from niceness and other traits we mistake for kind. Link: Send your pre-order receipt to Drew at [email protected] as told to Christina Cauterucci for SLATE by Carole Cadwalladr for The Guardian , Dear Prudence column for SLATE SNL’s by Lisa Friedman for NYTimes by Henry Wismayer for Noema , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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696 - A Screenwriter’s Guide to Directors
07/22/2025
696 - A Screenwriter’s Guide to Directors
In this compendium episode, John and Craig set their focus on directors — and how to work with them as a screenwriter. They look at the inner-workings of the writer-director relationship, etiquette on set, how to communicate notes from pre-production through post, and outline the qualities of the “perfect” director. We also offer advice to a first time director, looking at how to prep a project, how to run a set, working with actors, and how to inspire a crew to make the best movie possible. In our bonus segment for premium members, Drew joins John back in 2025 for advice about casting, and what to do when actors pass on your project. Links: John’s shorts and , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Nick Moore () Segments produced by . Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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695 - Advice to a Young Film Student (with Scott Frank)
07/15/2025
695 - Advice to a Young Film Student (with Scott Frank)
John and Craig welcome back Scott Frank (The Queen’s Gambit, Dept. Q) to offer their best advice to film students and the people who teach them. They look at ways to improve how we educate writers, and offer advice to an aspiring development executive. We also look at the intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivations of characters in Scott’s new series, Dept. Q, follow up on the decline of sex in movies, and ask, what genres of movies should people see at least one of? In our bonus segment for premium members, John, Craig and Scott take a broader view of education in America to see what they’ve learned and what they would change. Links: on Netflix Scott’s last time on Scriptnotes, by RS Benedict for Blood Knife by Nadia Asparouhova by Anthony Lane for The New Yorker by Kevin Lozano for The New Yorker by Andy Greenberg for Wired , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Nico Mansy () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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694 - Reviving the Spoof Movie
07/08/2025
694 - Reviving the Spoof Movie
in theaters August 1st! and Doug and Dan’s last time on the show, and Melodramas: , , Sexual thrillers: , , (Bonus: , ) by Larry McMurtry Adult Romantic Dramas: , , , Mid-Budget Adventure Films: , by Hatty Willmoth for BBC Science Focus by Erika Edwards for NBC News by Joel Schectman and Aruna Viswanatha for WSJ from The Sun UK , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Ryan Gerberding () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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693 - Setups That Don’t Feel Like Setups
07/01/2025
693 - Setups That Don’t Feel Like Setups
John and Craig plant the idea for setups that have the most satisfying payoffs. Different from exposition, setups introduce ideas and concepts to an audience, priming them for a later revelation. They look at the sleight of hand required to have your setups deftly planted, take root in your audience’s mind, and grow into something delightful. But first, we look at the new California tax credits, the 2025 WGA annual report, follow up on AI and VFX, postmodernism, and verticals. We also answer listener questions on music videos and outing yourself to potential employers. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig look at the New York Times’ new list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century. We all know Craig loves pitting movies against each other, so there’s definitely no umbrage here. Links: by NY Times by Samantha Masunaga for LA Times – , by Chad De Guzman for Time Magazine by Alvin Chang for The Pudding , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Spencer Lackey () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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692 - Crafting the Perfect Villain
06/24/2025
692 - Crafting the Perfect Villain
In this craft compendium, John and Craig take a look at everything you need to make your bad guys compelling, memorable, and the perfect antagonist for your story. Using some favorite villains as examples, they look at the importance of understanding their motivations and offer seven tips for making a villain unforgettable. We also take a look at lackeys, henchmen and making sure your evil organizations are believable. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig shift their focus to monsters, and why even though those scary creatures are dangerous, they’re not always the villain. Links: Scriptnotes Scriptnotes Scriptnotes Scriptnotes by T.B.D. by Daniel Effron by Catherine A. Sanderson The Monsters Know What They’re Doing and on our YouTube! , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Matthew Chilelli () Segments produced by , , and Drew Marquardt. Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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691 - Collaborative Storytelling and RPGs
06/17/2025
691 - Collaborative Storytelling and RPGs
John and Craig welcome author Stu Horvath to look at the rich history of tabletop role playing games. From Stu’s collection of over 2300 RPGs, they look at the evolution of collaborative storytelling, interactive narrative design, and the communities of players they inspire. We also discuss the complicated influences of J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft on the world of D&D, and how the need to escape their derivative influences pushed RPGs to new heights of world-building and storytelling. In our bonus segment for premium members, Stu leads us down down down to discuss a surprisingly recent narrative staple: dungeons. Links: by Stu Horvath by Stu Horvath by Gary Gygax & Jeff Perren and , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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690 - Living and Writing in Sci-Fi Times
06/10/2025
690 - Living and Writing in Sci-Fi Times
How do you write science fiction when technology is moving so quickly? John and Craig welcome back journalist and screenwriter Max Read to look at the trickiness of predicting the future, how our imagined futures can affect our reality, and ways that writers can protect their work from becoming dated before it’s even released. We also follow up on the new Dogma manifesto, words we don’t have in English, questioning ChatGPT, and answer listener questions on hosting your scripts on your website, offline writing software and how to find the time to goof around. In our bonus segment for premium members, Max walks us through his Letterboxd lists and proposes a new, niche film genre. Links: Max Read’s and by Annika Pham, Marta Balaga for Variety and by Gayoung Lee for Scientific American by Jessica Mazin , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Spencer Lackey () Scriptnotes is produced by with help from Sam Shapson. It’s edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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689 - The Old New Video Problem
06/03/2025
689 - The Old New Video Problem
New forms of video creation are coming to disrupt the entertainment industry, but will they succeed? John and Craig look at verticals and Veo 3 to see where we might be heading, and what our industry’s past innovations might tell us about about the future. We also look at Memorial Day’s banner box office, and answer listener questions on bereavement during production, momentum, scene geography and how to fight motion smoothing. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig travel back in time to find which moments in history they wish they could see in person. Links: and on Reel Short on GoodShort by EJ Dickson for Rolling Stone by Alejandra Caraballo on Bluesky by Promptastic on Bluesky , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Steve Pietrowski () Scriptnotes is produced by with help from Sam Shapson. It’s edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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688 - Writing Jokes with Mike Birbiglia
05/27/2025
688 - Writing Jokes with Mike Birbiglia
John and Craig welcome back writer, director, and comedian Mike Birbiglia (Don’t Think Twice, Sleepwalk with Me) to take a look at several true news stories and ask, how would this be a joke? Stories include run-club haters, a conflicted bone marrow donor, and the coyotes roaming San Francisco. We also look at how Mike developed his new Netflix special, The Good Life, and answer listener questions on taking an idea from a podcast and knowing when you’ve broken a story. In our bonus segment for premium members, Mike walks us through how he’s able to market his work without it feel like marketing. Links: on Netflix Mike’s previous episodes: , , , , , and by Melissa Dahl for Curbed from Slate’s Care and Feeding by Heather Knight and Loren Elliot for NY Times , or Craig Mazin on John August on and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by with help from Sam Shapson. It’s edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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687 - How to Not Ruin Your First Film
05/20/2025
687 - How to Not Ruin Your First Film
by Forrest Wickman on Twitch by Fireproof Games , or Craig Mazin on John August on , , and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by with help from Sam Shapson. It’s edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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686 - Problem Solving
05/13/2025
686 - Problem Solving
John and Craig look at how writers and their characters handle the obstacles they encounter. They outline proven techniques for solving problems both in life and on the page, why it’s important to see characters solving problems in a story, and how taking big swings can open up exciting possibilities. We also follow up on episodes that focus on a single character, long takes, making your phone less interesting, words we don’t have in English, present the definitive guide to the lunch run, and look into this stupid movie tariff thing. In our bonus segment for premium members, John is back from Egypt and Jordan, and ready to answer all of our questions about tombs and travel in the Middle East. Links: by Aidan Moretti and by Hannah Ritchie by Rusty Lake or Craig Mazin on John August on , , and by Spencer Lackey () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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685 - Page and Stage with Leslye Headland
05/06/2025
685 - Page and Stage with Leslye Headland
John welcomes writer, director and playwright Leslye Headland (The Acolyte, Russian Doll) to ask, why are stage plays so challenging for screenwriters? Using her recent Broadway play Cult of Love, they look at different approaches to scene description, heightened and simultaneous dialogue, and strategies for adapting stage plays to film. We also chart Leslye’s career from theater kid to auteur filmmaker, her approach to time loops (because how could we not?), and answer listener questions about music cues and long scripts. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Leslye compare notes on how to keep up with what’s on stage, and what to do if you missed a production. Links: Bachelorette and by Annie Baker by Todd Field or Craig Mazin on John August on , , and by Alicia Jo Rabins () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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684 - Landing a Series with Eric Kripke
04/29/2025
684 - Landing a Series with Eric Kripke
John welcomes writer and showrunner Eric Kripke (The Boys, Supernatural) to look at planning out a multi-season series. They chart Eric’s early career from shorts to showrunner, how he developed Supernatural, his process for structuring seasons of The Boys, and how great TV shows stick the landing. We also answer listener questions on lone character episodes and emulating comic panels on screen. In our bonus segment for premium members, Eric spills on everything blood, guts and gore. Links: Eric Kripke on and short film or Craig Mazin on John August on , , and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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417 - Idea Management (Encore)
04/22/2025
417 - Idea Management (Encore)
John and Craig welcome back Aline Brosh McKenna to tackle the issue of idea management. What do you do with all those half-formed ideas and how do you decide which ones to pursue? They share best practices and their approach to middle-of-the-night inspiration. We also discuss how screenwriters’ quotes are determined and answer some listener questions on alternatives to D&D, crediting improv and rain in the second act. In our bonus segment for premium members, DVDs hang in the balance as John and Drew sit down back in 2025 to ask, should Drew get rid of his physical media? Links: Massage App or Craig Mazin on John August on , , and by Victor Krause () This episode was originally produced by Megana Rao. Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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683 - Our Take on Long Takes
04/15/2025
683 - Our Take on Long Takes
John and Craig break out of coverage to look at oners and long shots, cutting through any directorial showboating to compare the pros and cons and cons and cons of those unbroken takes, offering ways to decide when they are necessary or purposeful, and how to recognize when it’s better to cut. We also look at changes to Sundance and the Nicholl Fellowship, answer listener questions on house lights in movie theaters, Oscar voting, improv movies, and share a few horror stories from John and Craig’s early career. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig look at their relationship with their phones and consider dumbing down. Links: | by Free League by Casey Johnston or Craig Mazin on John August on , , and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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