John welcomes back screenwriter Ryan Knighton (In the Dark) to discuss taking out a project as a pitch versus just writing it as a spec. Then we hear from listeners about the ideas they’re considering pitching vs speccing and offer our advice. We also look at the Academy’s new requirements for Best Picture, and whether […]
John and Craig talk about the words we use when referring to people or groups of people — and why those words keep changing. Nic Novicki of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge joins us to discuss writing inclusive storylines and characters. We also discuss single-use characters, WGA elections, and follow up on listener questions. In […]
John and Craig tackle their overflowing mailbag to answer some long-delayed listener questions on subtext, divorce, set decoration, and more! We also follow up on news about management companies and how this affects writers. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members, we’ll talk about headshots and our experiences getting our photos taken. Links: Pete […]
John and Craig skip heroes and villains to examine the villain’s accomplices and how to write them more believably. We also answer listener questions, parcel out some umbrage, and discuss updates between the agencies and the WGA. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members, we talk tips for travel during the pandemic. Links: Scriptnotes […]
John talks with writer-director Lorene Scafaria and costume designer Mitchell Travers about their collaboration on Hustlers, and how to think visually about story. We discuss locations, production design, cinematography, and choreography with a major focus on pre-production. And in our bonus topic for premium members, John catches up with Mitchell seven months after our initial […]
John and Craig talk action! It’s an all-craft episode about how words on the page become high-adrenaline events on the screen. We also follow up on WGA news and agency lay-offs. In our bonus segment for premium members we try to discuss the Emmys but mostly talk about teenage girls’ obsession with Criminal Minds. Links: […]
John and Craig discuss the special purgatory that projects can get lost in and how to navigate your way out. We also follow up on Assistant Pay, the 2020 WGA report, and Craig’s writing process for television. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members we discuss wine! Links: WME, Endeavor Content Increase Assistant Pay […]
John and Craig bring another round of How Would This Be A Movie, with a mix of stories from history and the headlines. In this episode we discuss an unexpected guest at a funeral, a lost Russian submarine and a social influencer murder plot. We also look at the latest WGA developments, including the new […]
John and Craig welcome writer/director Justin Simien (Dear White People, Bad Hair) to talk adapting movies to television, the value of film school and the birth of independent cinema. We follow up on the WGA/AMPTP deal and answer a listener question on writing stories about problematic historical figures. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium […]
John and Aline Brosh-McKenna co-host a special panel with writers Anna Winger (Unorthodox, Deutschland 83), and Tony McNamara (The Great, The Favourite) for the French television festival Serie Series. We cover writing coming of age stories, how to choose the best format for a story, and writing with act breaks. We also discuss the production […]
John and Craig examine how and why it can be necessary to collapse scenes in a rewrite. They also follow-up on returning to production, portrayals of police on screen and assistant pay. We then welcome Michelle Amor, Hilliard Guess, and Bianca Sams — co-chairs of the WGA West’s Committee of Black Writers — to discuss […]
John and Craig welcome writer and performer Ashley Nicole Black (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, A Black Lady Sketch Show) to discuss comedy and variety shows — how they’re written and how to get a job writing them. We also talk about studio diversity programs, why additional training can send the wrong message, and how […]
John and Craig follow up and give updates on the many topics we’ve been talking about the past few weeks, including police on screen, assistant pay, short seasons and restarting production. We also hear from a past Three-Page participant on their experience post-challenge and cover highlights from the WGA’s Inclusion and Equity report. In our […]
John and Craig discuss how police and policing are portrayed on screen, and writers’ responsibilities to thoughtfully reflect society. Then, we answer listener questions about freaking out in meetings, how we deal with feedback, and whether to write books or movies. And in our bonus segment for premium members, we’ll discuss the possibility that Craig […]
John and Craig explore that icky feeling something’s wrong with your script and what to do about it. They also discuss the difference between story and screenplay, both as official WGA categories and how we use those terms everyday. We follow up on French hours, whether you should send editable documents to producers, and offer […]
John and Craig welcome back Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Your Place or Mine) and Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball, We’re the Millers) to share how we’re thinking about the future of film and television production. We talk about possible plans for getting back to set, how movies might change to adapt to the current circumstances, […]
John and Craig welcome back Lawrence Kasdan for a deep dive on The Empire Strikes Back to celebrate this iconic film’s 40th anniversary. We talk about the inspiration behind Yoda, keeping the Skywalker/Darth Vader connection a secret, and balancing competing storylines. We also take a look at Kasdan’s original handwritten script, accompanied by table reads […]
John and Craig offer guidance on how to “flip the script” on tropes without landing on your face. We also answer listener questions about phone numbers, sluglines and short films. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members, we discuss our personal video game histories and the possibility that John was raised in a cult. […]
John and Craig propose a challenge for every screenwriter: only write interesting scenes. They discuss why following this precept is so important and offer tips for implementing it proactively. We also answer listener questions about set pieces, virtual rooms, and juggling multiple projects. In our bonus segment for premium members, we consider whether Covid-19 has […]
John hosts a discussion with writer/director Sam Esmail as a part of the Showrunner Sessions at the WGA. Sam describes his aversion to writing, where his inspiration comes from, and how he learned to run a room. We also dig into craft, talking about parentheticals and mastering the tension between creating mystery versus confusing your […]