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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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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68 - Talking Austen in Austin (Encore)
04/08/2025
68 - Talking Austen in Austin (Encore)
In this episode from 2012, John and Craig sit down with producer and former studio executive Lindsay Doran (Sense and Sensibility, Stranger than Fiction) at the Austin Film Festival to explore the producer’s relationship with the screenplay. The look at how the role of producer has changed, the ideal development process, how she developed Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson, and staying true to your values in a fickle business. In our bonus segment for premium members, Drew joins John back in 2025 to consider the value of a good alumni program, and how an alma mater that under-delivers can be the pits. Links: on IMDb by Carrie Rickey for the New York Times (including a great photo of Lindsay’s hair) Lindsay’s TEDx presentation: Scriptnotes, Episode 17: or Craig Mazin on John August on , , and by Matthew Chilelli () This episode was originally produced by Stuart Friedel. Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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682 - The Second Season with Tony Gilroy
04/01/2025
682 - The Second Season with Tony Gilroy
John and Craig welcome writer and showrunner Tony Gilroy (Andor, Michael Clayton) for an in-depth look at crafting a second season of a hit TV show. They look at ways to find your season’s structure, setting your production up for success, controlling the energy your audience spends on information, and how to wrap up your story before the show eats you alive. They also answer listener questions on what to do when a movie that’s similar to yours is wildly successful, and whether being a movie critic could hurt your writing career. In our bonus segment for premium members, Tony sticks around to ponder which words we wish existed in English, and how we’d use them in our scripts. Links: Andor Season 2: | | with Christina Hodson short by Victoria Warmerdam short by Jason Speir 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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681 - The Waiting Game
03/25/2025
681 - The Waiting Game
John and Craig sit in project purgatory and ask, what do you do when the only answer you’re getting is “maybe”? They share advice on how to gently check in without annoying people, recognizing the soft pass, the unexpected benefits of patience, and what to do when you’re the person holding up the gears. Then it’s another round of the Three Page Challenge, where John and Craig give their honest feedback on three listener-submitted scripts. We also follow up on script supervisors and the encroaching perils of AI production. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig spill the telltale signs that a movie or TV show has had reshoots. Links: Follow along with our Three Page Challenge Selections! by Tania Luna, by Leah Newsom, and by J. Bryan Dick on Prime 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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680 - Writing Action Set Pieces
03/18/2025
680 - Writing Action Set Pieces
John welcomes back Christina Hodson (The Flash, Bumblebee) to ask, how do you to construct a great action sequence? Using examples from three different movies, they discuss what good action looks like on the page, how to keep your reader from getting bored or confused, and why production can sometimes blow your plans to smithereens. Then it’s a round of How Would This be a Movie?, where we take four stories from the news and pitch how we might adapt them for the screen. Stories include a mysterious painting, a train trapped in a blizzard, a teen who sued his parents, and zombie colleges. We also follow up on director’s chairs and mammograms, and answer listener questions on side characters and creating a healthy work/life balance. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Christina examine the do’s and don’ts of introducing yourself to a stranger through email. Links: on Steam Action samples: , and David Koepp’s David Benioff’s by Fara Dabhoiwala by Robert Klara by Lynsey Chutel by Chris Quintana Padraic Murphy’s or Craig Mazin on and John August on , , and by Vance Kotrla () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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679 - The Driver’s Seat
03/11/2025
679 - The Driver’s Seat
John welcomes back Liz Hannah (The Girl From Plainville, The Post) to ask, how do you know if a character can carry a story? They look at ways of identifying your protagonist, defining privileged storytelling power, and the choices to make when figuring out which characters can hold narrative point of view. We also look a the phenomenon of the “Stranger in the Room,” follow up on writing during crazy times, brain trusts, plays vs movies, the phrase “begs the question,” and the usefulness of sharing your pronouns. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Liz explain the difference between East LA, West LA, and why the valley might beat them both. Links: Liz Hannah on and | on Disney+ on Hulu on Hulu by @toddalcott on Threads by Daniel Benmergui by Naomi Watts or Craig Mazin on and 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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678 - The On-Set Producer
03/04/2025
678 - The On-Set Producer
John and Craig welcome producer Dan Etheridge (iZombie, High Potential, Party Down) to look at how non-writing producers develop projects, coordinate across departments, and maintain the tone of the show as directors come and go. We offer practical tips for making the most of video village, regardless of your role, and solutions for the scourge of directors chairs. Highland Pro, John’s next generation screenwriting app is now available now for Mac, iPad and iPhone! We discuss what’s new and what’s coming next. We also answer listener questions pitching multiple projects, writing on tablets and how to launch an app. In our bonus segment for premium members, John, Craig and Dan look back on their experience officiating weddings, and offer advice for those about to marry people. Dan even officiated John’s wedding! Links: | on IMDb [The Tom Thumb locomotive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Thumb_(locomotive) and from Curtains , , and on Steam or Craig Mazin on and John August on , , and by Richard Barrett () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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677 - Puzzle Box Storytelling
02/25/2025
677 - Puzzle Box Storytelling
on Steam and on Playbill.com or Craig Mazin on and 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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676 - Writing while the World is on Fire
02/18/2025
676 - Writing while the World is on Fire
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 members, Dennis guides us through the best examples and worst mistakes of portraying therapists on screen. Links: by Dennis Palumbo for Psychiatric Times by Sarah Bakewell or Craig Mazin on and 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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675 - Say Nothing with Joshua Zetumer
02/11/2025
675 - Say Nothing with Joshua Zetumer
Craig welcomes writer and showrunner Joshua Zetumer, creator of the limited series Say Nothing, to explore the process of dramatizing real events — particularly when the subject matter can be volatile. They discuss how to keep a sprawling historical epic from feeling like a lecture, keeping a consistent tone, humanizing complicated people, and how not to get sued by the people who were really involved. They also answer listener questions on following up with people after the fires, charting the emotional journey of the audience, and whether writers need to cite their sources when writing about real events. In our bonus segment for premium members, Craig and Joshua pretend to be civil engineers and ask, how can we make Los Angeles function better? Links: by Patrick Radden Keefe by Brett Martin or Craig Mazin on and 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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674 - The One vvith Robert Eggers
02/04/2025
674 - The One vvith Robert Eggers
Hearken well! John sitteth in discourse with the learned Robert Eggers, weaver of dreadsome visions (The Witch, The Lighthouse), whose latest labour bringeth forth Nosferatu from the mistes of antiquity. Together, they dost unravel the craft of breathing newe life into the ghastly count of olde, how Robert didst hone his vision through toil and cunning in his firste labours, and the summoning of terror moste unholy upon the silver’d screen. We do also taketh to hand the queries of our faithful listeners on the perils of o’ermuch detail in one’s scribings, on what may be done when one doth feel oneself a dullard, and whether those who spin tales be ill-fitted for matters of courtship and love. In our boon segment for those of premium patronage, Robert doth speak of his fervent love for the wheeled steed and pursuits beyond the shaping of moving pictures. Links: | Robert Eggers’ shorts and or Craig Mazin on and John August on , , , and by Guy Fee () Scriptnotes is produced by with help this week from , and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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673 - Structure, and How to Enjoy a Movie
01/28/2025
673 - Structure, and How to Enjoy a Movie
on the App Store IVF Mixup movies: , , , by Ali Hazelwood by Sasha Chapin by Maggie Appleton or Craig Mazin on and John August on , , , and by Guy Fee () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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672 - Navigating Loss with Jesse Eisenberg
01/21/2025
672 - Navigating Loss with Jesse Eisenberg
After a difficult few weeks in Los Angeles, John welcomes writer, director and actor Jesse Eisenberg to peel apart the complicated human reactions to grief and loss. They look at how both collective and personal grief inform the characters of Jesse’s latest film, A Real Pain, and reflect on the ongoing LA fires and the loss of David Lynch. They also explore Jesse’s evolution as a writer, directing himself as an actor, and answer listener questions on artistic signatures and simultaneous perspectives in action. In our bonus segment for premium members, Jesse and John look at the creative opportunities and frustrating restrictions of making radio dramas and audiobooks. Links: | by Jesse Eisenberg, Tablet Magazine Jesse’s plays and or Craig Mazin on and 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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547 - The Fires, and Good Energy (Encore)
01/14/2025
547 - The Fires, and Good Energy (Encore)
After a week of devastating fires in Los Angeles, we’re revisiting John’s conversation with Anna Jane Joyner and Quinn Emmett from Good Energy Stories on how to talk about climate change on screen. They discuss opportunities for writers to inspire change, raise awareness, and capture the environmental concerns of our time. We follow up on disability representation in Hollywood with the release of the Cost of Accommodations report from the Inevitable Foundation. In our bonus segment for premium members, we talk about asking people for money, whether it’s to finance a movie or launch a campaign to save the planet. Links: and its Documentary by Abbey White for The Hollywood Reporter and and on Instagram on Instagram or Craig Mazin on and John August on , , , and by Jade Carda () This episode was originally produced by . Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by . Email us at [email protected] You can download the episode .
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671 - The Best/Worst it Will Ever Be
01/07/2025
671 - The Best/Worst it Will Ever Be
John and Craig look at three extraordinary news stories and ask, How Would this be a Movie? Stories include the United Healthcare CEO assassination, a small town’s process for licensing fortune tellers, and a harrowing I.V.F. mixup. We also follow up on AI, Flightplan’s source material, Craig’s Belfast accent, and answer a listener question on the order of surnames for writing partners. In our bonus segment for premium members: Hey Alexa, play John and Craig’s conversation about home automation. I don’t think she heard– HEY ALEXA, PLAY JOHN AND CRAIG’S CONVERSATION ABOUT HOME AUTOMATION. Links: by Ethel Lina White by Rudyard Kipling by Wendy Lee for LA Times by Jason Koehler by Michael R. Sisal and Cedar Attanasio for Associated Press by Paul Debole by Susan Dominus for NYT Magazine by Stu Horvath by Manasee Wagh for Popular Mechanics 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 .
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