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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712 - Something Wicked This Way Comes
11/18/2025
712 - Something Wicked This Way Comes
John and Craig welcome back Dana Fox (Wicked, The Lost City) for a magical flight through everything that went into adapting Wicked and its upcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good. They look at the history of the project, why it was split into two movies, the process for writing when you’re shooting two movies at the same time, and the exhausting effort it takes for big movies to defy gravity. We also chat with Graham Rowat, the narrator of the Scriptnotes audiobook, follow up on weird movies and cuck chairs, answer listener questions on the limits of torturing your heroes and ask, did the 90’s really have the best actions movies? In our bonus segment for premium members, Dana sticks around to take us behind the scenes of a big movie’s promo circuit, and how to stay sane (and even popular!) throughout the world tour. Links: Dana Fox on and Wicked and Owl Labs’ podcast , or (now with fewer emails!) Scriptnotes on John August on and by Spencer Lackey () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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711 - The State of Pitching
11/11/2025
711 - The State of Pitching
John welcomes back Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Devil Wears Prada) to ask, what do executives expect from a pitch these days? They look at the typical structure of a pitch deck, how that differs from lookbooks, how pitches have evolved over the years, and best practices for pitching on Zoom. Also, what happened to single-lady sitcoms? If you remember Monday nights in the 90’s, you know what we’re talking about. We reflect on what they did for the culture and how social media and reality TV may be taking their place. In our bonus segment for premium members, Aline tells us what it was like being back on the set for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Gird your loins, people! Links: by Etan Vlessing for The Hollywood Reporter on HBO Max on Netflix by Borys Kit for The Hollywood Reporter on YouTube , or (now with fewer emails!) Scriptnotes on John August on and by Aline Brosh McKenna () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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710 - What Happened To Weird?
11/04/2025
710 - What Happened To Weird?
John and Craig look at all the pleasant, normal people around them and ask, what happened to the weirdos? They root out the causes of cultural stagnation, offer potential solutions, and explore the entertainment that still finds a way to be weird. We also look at the tipping point between “wanting to write” and “actually writing,” follow up on printer prices and billboard queens, and answer listener questions on soundtracks, adapting a podcast and feeling ownership over your ideas. In our bonus segment for premium members, we try to remember how we construct our personal narratives, and the pros and cons of remembering our past. Our LIVE book release show will be at Dynasty Typewriter in LA on November 30th — get your tickets now! Links: at Dynasty Typewriter in LA by Cameron Crowe by Mickey Rapkin for The Hollywood Reporter by Adam Mastroianni on Prime Video by Larissa MacFarquhar for The New Yorker , or (now with fewer emails!) Scriptnotes on John August on and by Jim Bond () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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709 - Live at the Austin Film Festival 2025
10/28/2025
709 - Live at the Austin Film Festival 2025
John and Craig return to Texas for their 11th show at the Austin Film Festival. They welcome writer Pamela Ribon (Nimona, My Year of Dicks) and showrunner Anthony Sparks (Queen Sugar, Bel-Air) to look at what makes character relationships compelling, and how to build a writing career later in life. We also answer lister questions on getting un-stuck in a script, how podcasting has made us better writers, the limits of exposition, using AI for sizzle reels, and where we get the cajones selling a screenwriting book after slagging-off screenwriting books for fourteen years. In our bonus segment for premium members, we invite two Scriptnotes super-fans up to the stage to compete for the ultimate prize: an early, signed copy of the Scriptnotes book. Links: and by Chris Csont , or (now with fewer emails!) Scriptnotes on John August on and by Matthew Chilelli () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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708 - Ambition Meets Fabrication
10/21/2025
708 - Ambition Meets Fabrication
John and Craig look at three tales of lies, betrayal and deceit and ask, How Would This be a Movie? Stories include a flamboyant show-business grifter, a sibling rivalry between two LA billboard queens, and American students tricked into attending a fake Oxford college. We also follow up on audio dramas, last looks, and answer listener questions on a suspicious AI story and what do do with producers that are too keen. In our bonus segment for premium members, how do you watch TV when you’re away from home, particularly overseas? We share the joys and frustrations of tuning in while you’re on the road. Links: Preorder a by Jake Kanter for Deadline Trailer for Marco Robinson’s TV show by Mickey Rapkin for The Hollywood Reporter on YouTube by Josh Levin for Slate and by Erik Barmack for The Ankler , or (now with fewer emails!) Scriptnotes on John August on and by Jeff Ross () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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707 - After the Hunt
10/14/2025
707 - After the Hunt
by Jessica DeFino , or Scriptnotes on John August on and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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161 - A Cheap Cut of Meat Soaked in Butter (Encore)
10/07/2025
161 - A Cheap Cut of Meat Soaked in Butter (Encore)
John and Craig invite Aline Brosh McKenna back to celebrate the third anniversary of Scriptnotes. It’s a jam-packed, glass-and-a-half of wine, listener-favorite episode. They look at ways to breathe new life into scenes and characters that aren’t working, box office journalism and how Hollywood is always dying, scene geography, and the role of emotional intelligence (or EQ) in a writer’s career. In our bonus segment for premium members, we have original outtakes from the episode where we look at what changed in the world in our first three years on air, make predictions for what’s to come, re-invent Spanx, and of course talk about D&D. Links: Going to the 2025 Austin Film Festival? and its Aline Brosh McKenna on and from How Stuff Works From 2014: by Brooks Barnes Mimeographs on and on Everything is Terrible! Filthy Scriptnotes episodes and by C. W. Neill , or Scriptnotes on John August on and by Robert Hutchison () This episode was originally produced by . Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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706 - Is TV Better Now?
09/30/2025
706 - Is TV Better Now?
John and Craig wonder, how has TV changed in the last ten years? They compare what’s better and worse, the tradeoffs between quality and quantity, how curation is changing, the pros and cons of shorter seasons, and what this all means for writers and viewers. We also look forward to our time at the Austin Film Festival, offer paths for writers to keep their health insurance, follow up on Three Page Challenge selections that actually got made, and answer listener questions on adapting a screenplay into an audio drama and payment for work after a script is turned in. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig looks at what makes a damn fine cup of coffee. Links: Going to the Austin Film Festival this year? audio drama , or Scriptnotes on John August on and by Nick Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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705 - Short Films and Existential Threats
09/23/2025
705 - Short Films and Existential Threats
John and Craig discuss short films: what makes a great short, when should you make one, and what should you realistically expect out of it? We also update our predictions on whether the career of “screenwriter” can survive potential global catastrophes. We then answer listener questions on staff writer wages and using URLs in a script. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig talk intermissions and why more movies should have them. Links: John’s post on Megana Rao on and , or Scriptnotes on John August on and by Luke Davis () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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704 - Places, Everyone
09/16/2025
704 - Places, Everyone
John welcomes back Liz Hannah (The Post, The Girl from Plainville) to discuss how to construct and communicate setting in a script. They talk about the balance between establishing a sense of space while avoiding the beginner’s mistake of over-blocking. We also follow up on accountability groups, last looks, and French composers. Then, we answer listener questions on revisions and getting your Hollywood Card revoked. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Liz consider how to explain screenwriting to your kids (and others). LINKS: Interested in being our new UI/UX designer? , or Scriptnotes on John August on and Liz Hannah on by Spencer Lackey () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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703 - Getting Period Right
09/09/2025
703 - Getting Period Right
Interested in being our new UI/UX designer? by Ben Child for The Guardian Marielle Heller’s and () by Jason Barlow for Wired , or Scriptnotes on John August on and by Whit Morliss () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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702 - Last Looks
09/02/2025
702 - Last Looks
by Katie Seward, by Holden Potter, and by Sylvia-Anne Parker Megana Rao on and by Hollis Robbins , or Scriptnotes on John August on and by NIck Moore () Scriptnotes is produced by and edited by . Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com 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 ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode .
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