Scriptnotes Podcast

There's a brand new agreement between the WGA and the AMPTP! And since John was the co-chair of the negotiating committee, he's excited to share all the details of the 2026 MBA. Links: The 2026 MBA agreement memorandumInstagramBlueskyInstagramTikTok Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig connect the dots on transitions and how they can be just as important as the scenes themselves. They look at how to get your scenes flowing into one another, the many different types of transitions, when to use "CUT TO," and how to use your cuts to tell your story. We also discuss those shots we no longer need to see in movies, and use a lawsuit filed by two GI Joe writers to examine some common issues created by prewriting. In our bonus segment for premium members, the Olympics are coming to Los Angeles and we have conflicting feelings! Links: Episode 89 – TranscriptThe 100th episodeThe Inebriati Paramount & MGM Sued By 'G.I. Joe' Writers Twenty Shots to Be Henceforth Retired from Film VocabularyGood Times | Florida Breaks Down Studios donating film set materials to Habitat for Humanity Scandal Revealed, Episode 221MistressesWe're the MillersLA28 Design Guidetorched.laGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Stuart FriedelDrew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John sits down with the Northwest Screenwriters Guild at an event to promote the Scriptnotes book, and ends up having a poignant conversation about how the career of screenwriting has changed, missteps John made throughout his career, and how his approach to screenwriting has evolved over time. He also answers questions on kicking bad writing habits, screenwriting careers outside of Hollywood, what to look for in the projects you choose, whether age matters in a screenwriting career, writing your calling card movie, the sidekick problem, and the real story behind the Prince of Persia movie. In our bonus segment for premium members, John has been hanging out with sketch writers for the last few weeks and is excited to share what he's learned about writing sketch comedy. Links: Northwest Screenwriters GuildSex Lies and Videotape bookOur episode with KPop Demon Hunters writers Danya Jimenez & Hannah McMechanNotes on NotesJohn's screenplay library99 – Psychotherapy for screenwriters676 – Writing while the World is on FireLA MaterialGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

In our first sequel compendium, John and Craig revisit four of their best segments dedicated to crafting a satisfying and emotional ending to your story. They look at rooting your ending in character, the function of the denouement, what makes a memorable farewell, how and why our endings can change, and how to bring everything full-circle. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and producer Drew continue a discussion that Drew Goddard started on character sides and the process of casting minor characters. Links: Episode 524 – The Home StretchA video essay of our farewell scenes discussion44 – Endings for beginners366 – Tying Things Up648 – Farewell Scenes392 – The Final Moment Dan Harmon story circleGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Stuart FriedelMegan McDonnellMegana RaoDrew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes back Drew Goddard (Project Hail Mary, High Potential) to ask, how do you turn the beats of your story into full scenes? Using Drew's script for The Martian, we look at how he translates moments in a book into scenes in a movie, the freedom Drew finds in a beat sheet, how beats are approached in a TV writers room, and his advice to a staff writer struggling with a draft. We also dig into Drew's process for adapting Project Hail Mary, choosing what to cut, and his eloquent defense of double-spacing in a screenplay. He's even kind enough to help answer listener questions on how to recharge your brain and how to indicate you wrote the most on a co-written script. In our bonus segment for premium members, Drew shares his outlook on the current TV landscape, including the big mistake he sees young writers make in their spec pilots. Links: Project Hail MaryTrailerIMDb The Martian screenplay Twin Peaks: The Return – Part 8YouTubeSubstack A Manual for Cleaning WomenGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig revisit a favorite episode focused on a single topic: bad movies and how they happen. Using first-hand experience, they look at how bad ideas make it to the screen, how good ideas go wrong, and the range of patterns that end in terrible movies. We also make a list of our then-dream guests for the podcast (many of whom have now been on the show). And fast-forwarding to 2026, we announce an exciting new feature for Highland Pro. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Drew ditch the texts and emails and to pick up the phone and make a call. Links: Highland FlingSee it in action here CW Picks Up 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' As Hourlong Series Scriptnotes, Ep 179: The Conflict EpisodeEntering a sceneWriting better actionWriting better scene descriptionFirst Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing GuyRob Schneider Is A CarrotCopyright, Exceptions, and Fair Use: Crash Course Intellectual PropertyFallout 4Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here. The transcript of this episode can be found here.

John and Craig tackle the scourge of free work and offer strategies to avoid it. They look at established norms, potential remedies, the things that should work but often don't, and how writers should think about the time and effort they're putting in before getting paid. We also follow up on useful comps, AI coverage, what to do with our DVDs, and answer listener questions on pitching at an internship and a sensitive situation when naming an award. In our bonus segment for premium members, how do we write American law enforcement officers now that their jobs don't function the way they used to? Links: Birdigo is now on iOS!Weekend Read 2ZathuraScarecrow Video donationsH.R. Pufnstuf Disney Axed 'Star Wars' Sequel 'The Hunt for Ben Solo' Without Ever Asking About the Budget or Other Details FlipBelt Classic Running Belt The Wedding PartyGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes writer-directors Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh (Two People Exchanging Saliva) to ask, what happens when your short film is nominated for an Oscar? They look at each step from their initial idea to awards season to see how they positioned their short to be considered for an Academy Award. We also reflect on the lessons learned from short films, and answer listener questions on how to give actors your script and finding representation after your Oscar heat has cooled. In our bonus segment for premium members, we turn up the contrast on the many reasons for shooting in black and white. Links: Two People Exchanging SalivaTwo Cars One NightWaspSix ShooterWhiplash short filmThunder Road short filmLights Out shortTroy The New York Public Library's Picture CollectionReMarkable tabletGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew ChilelliJonathan Pope Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig gather our listeners' favorite news articles and ask, How Would This Be a Movie? Stories include an underground network delivering menstrual supplies in Minneapolis, a millennial travel group, how the US hacked ISIS, and a fake college squash team. But first we follow up on modern comps, email issues, teaching screenwriting, and what it means to be undeniable. We also answer listener questions on querying reps with a published book and whether writers really need to repeat the plot for a second-screen audience. In our bonus segment for premium members, what do we do with all our old CDs and DVDs? We weigh the pros and cons of physical media. Links: How an errand for a 12-year-old immigrant in Minneapolis became an underground operation I Went on a Package Trip for Millennials Who Travel Alone. Help Me.How the US hacked ISIS Whitman College: The Best College Squash Team in HistoryShipping OutEmail deliverability testerDisempowerment patterns in real-world AI usageThe world's greatest song that simply shouldn't existGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramTikTokBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes writer and director Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value, The Worst Person in the World) to ask, how do you introduce your characters and their world to the audience? Using the screenplay for Sentimental Value, Joachim lays out how he sets up his themes, characters, conflicts and narrative authority in the first few pages. We also look at Joachim's process of developing stories with his co-writer Eskil Vogt, and answer listener questions on endings, casting, and work-life balance. In our bonus segment for premium members, Joachim and John flip through how we present screenplays on screen, why Joachim translates his scripts in pre-production, and the one little detail you might not have noticed in Sentimental Value. Links: Sentimental ValueScreenplayJoachim TrierNotorious (1946)The Lindy Effect Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on EarthGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig ask, what makes a useful comp? Writers often use comparisons when pitching or discussing projects, but what separates good comps from bad comps, why do we use them, and when do comps hurt more than they help? Basically, it's The Studio meets My Dinner with Andre. We also follow up on orality and "film by" credits, answer listener questions on getting AI feedback and attaching an actor to a microbudget feature, plus bring you another installment of John Recently Learned. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig are having weird issues with their email servers and need your help! Links: The Sheep Detectives trailerThe Great GazooBen TurpinThe Party (1968)Fulla Regrets on InstagramKitty Carlisle Bobbie Wygant interviews Jodie Foster Catherine O'Hara diesGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig ask, are screenwriters just oral storytellers who happen to write things down? They compare the literate and oral markers of the medium, how it separates screenplays from other literary forms, and consider whether screenplays are just one long pitch. We also look at the upcoming WGA member meetings, follow up on having enough time in the edit bay, Steve Jobs, Eva Victor, justifiable Dad pride, and answer listener questions on deliverables and what makes a script "undeniable." In our bonus segment for premium members, we look at the incredible slate of upcoming movies and make predictions for the 2026 box office. Links: Steve Jobs' email to himselfHow Will the Miracle Happen Today?Havelock's orality testerQuantum computing for lawyersSwoop Inhibiting a master regulator of aging regenerates joint cartilage in miceThe Sheep DetectivesGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig welcome the actor-writer-director of the acclaimed indie Sorry, Baby to discuss preparing to direct your first feature. Eva Victor's year-long bootcamp included reverse-shotlisting movies, shadowing other directors, and lots of visual development. It earned them Best Directorial Debut by the National Board of Review. We also examine how Eva chose which scenes to cut, answer a listener question on how to talk to actors, and follow up on some excellent reviews of the Scriptnotes Book. In our bonus segment for premium members (like Eva!), Eva revisits their early career to think about how short-form video intersects with Hollywood. Links: Sorry, BabyRead the Sorry, Baby screenplay Eva vs. Anxietystraight pride parade videoDemetri Papadimitropoulos's review of the Scriptnotes BookCertain WomenI Saw the TV Glow Girl on GirlVancouver SkyTrain Nutella mini jarsrainymood.comGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes back Susanna Fogel and David Iserson (The Spy Who Dumped Me) to steal their secrets on creating an original tone in their new series PONIES. They look at how the writers room was built to match their sensibilities, using characters to anchor the audience, and what it takes to sell and produce an original period TV series in 2026. We also talk about the pros and cons of filming in Budapest, and answer listener questions on trusting your judgement, recognizing your talent, differentiating character voices, and whether spec pilots are out of fashion. In our bonus segment for premium members, Susanna and David look at how our taste develops, including what we can learn about taste from The Beatles. Links: PONIES TrailerSusanna FogelDavid IsersonThe last time Susanna and David were on the show (Episode 361) The Work of Art So You Want to De-Bog YourselfTrue GritRetro Supply Co.character resolution 2026The Plague (2025)The Taste GapGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig consider all the words they have to write and ask, how do you know when something deserves your best effort? They offer a useful rubric for deciding when something is worth perfecting, and when over-optimization is a waste of time. We also follow up on compulsive writing habits, industry euphemisms, back issues, and the impact and legacy of the WGA's 2019 agency negotiations. In our bonus segment for premium members, it's a new year! John looks back at things he accomplished in 2025 and his goals for 2026, while Craig sighs and gestures in the direction of The Last of Us. Links: Jamie Lee Curtis says "Trauma" Concept Creep: Psychology's Expanding Concepts of Harm and PathologyYoung Connor Storrie on YouTubeSteve Jobs introduces the iPhoneElon Musk announces the CybertruckTikTokInstagramBirthWhat I Did in 2025Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig circle back on all the euphemisms and stock phrases that float around Hollywood. Using some favorite examples, they attempt to define and demystify the current industry-speak so everyone is looped in when we come up for air after the holidays. We also wrap-up 2025 with a look at Scriptnotes by the numbers, check-in on Disney's deal with OpenAI, follow up on that director who scammed Netflix out of $11 million, and answer listener questions on the guilds' involvement in video podcasts and reps who won't send out co-written scripts. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig navigate how to deal with difficult collaborators. Links: How Disney's OpenAI Deal Changes Everything Guilty! Director Who Scammed Netflix Out Of Millions Faces Decades Behind Bars Writing Movies for Fun and Profit: How We Made a Billion Dollars at the Box Office and You Can, Too! Down to Puck: Why Women Are Going Wild for 'Heated Rivalry' Search Engine annual meeting Order a signed copy of the Scriptnotes Book!Charli XCX's SubstackTrailer for DivinityGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here. (46:41) Scriptnotes: A Book About Screenwriting and Things That Are Interesting to Screenwriters (Unabridged)

In a Christmas crossover event, John and Craig join Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) and Lorien McKenna (Tab Time) on their podcast, The Screenwriting Life. We talk about why rigid structure can miss the point, how theme emerges from character, what fear and denial really look like on the page, and how writers can survive rejection without letting it define them. In our bonus segment for premium members, John breaks Drew's heart with his lovely memories of Rob & Michele Reiner. Links: The Screenwriting LifeGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here. (20:00) Scriptnotes: A Book About Screenwriting and Things That Are Interesting to Screenwriters (Unabridged)

John and Craig welcome back screenwriter Mike Makowsky (Death by Lightning, Bad Education) to ask, how do you dramatize a historical event that no one's heard of? They look at the dramatic engine behind the Garfield assassination, the long journey Death by Lightning had to getting made, and the importance of finding great stories in obscure history. We investigate the peculiar habits and compulsions of our own writing practices, and see how personality typologies can help figure out what makes our characters tick. We also follow up on a certain orange book, breaking into Hollywood in your 30's, and offer our thoughts on the impending sale of Warner Bros. In our bonus segment for premium members, which TV shows had the best "coaching trees"? We marvel at the writers' rooms that launched the most successful writers today. Links: Death by LightningIMDbInstagram Episode 448 Which TV Show Has the Best Coaching Tree?Size matters: a single representation underlies our perceptions of heaviness in the size-weight illusionNew evidence for the sensorimotor mismatch theory of weight perception and the size-weight illusionFriedman Personnel Agency Destiny of the RepublicThe Ballad of GuiteauThe Four Tendencies Writer's Guide to Character Traits A Fentanyl Vaccine Is About to Get Its First Major Test Heated RivalryThe Good Lord BirdGet your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here. (9:00) Scriptnotes: A Book About Screenwriting and Things That Are Interesting to Screenwriters (Unabridged)

John and Craig celebrate the release of the Scriptnotes Book with a sold-out show full of arguments, games and holiday cheer at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Slate's Julia Turner returns to interview John and Craig about the fifteen year journey towards creating the book, and challenges Craig's dismissal of critics. We also welcome back Ashley Nicole Black (Shrinking, Ted Lasso) to help us get through a fridgeful of leftover questions, and invite three lucky audience members to play our new game: "Somewhat strange lines from Christmas movies." In our bonus segment for premium members, we invite our audience to ask us questions in a live Q&A. Links: Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!Julia TurnerInstagramArlo Finch seriesSlate Culture GabfestEpisode 516 – 10 Year AnniversaryDynasty Typewriter Bad Monkey The Tom Cruise coconut cakeDoan's BakeryLetters to Santa@simonsits Day of the TentacleChevalier's BooksGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here. (2:18) Scriptnotes: A Book About Screenwriting and Things That Are Interesting to Screenwriters (Unabridged)

John and Craig gather a congregation of writers in St. David's Episcopal Church for a live round of the Three Page Challenge. They look at three listener-submitted scripts to offer them their honest feedback, face-to-face. They offer suggestions on world building in the apocalypse, making military characters specific, building mystery and suspense, and crafting con-artist logic. In our bonus segment for premium members, we answer questions from our audience on how to know if a script looks correct, what we want to see in the first three pages, using actor names in character descriptions, what comedy requires, and how to direct a reader's attention on the page. Links: ANCIENT GRAINSHIGH NORTHTALL POPPIESAustin Film FestivalThe Scriptnotes Book is here!Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterBecome a Scriptnotes Premium membergift a subscriptionSubscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTubeInstagramBlueskyInstagramOutrosend us yours!Drew MarquardtMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.