John and Craig celebrate the holidays by releasing a special premium episode on the 1988 Christmas classic: DIE HARD. Die Hard created a new template for action movies, heroes, and villains, establishing tropes still seen in theaters. They discuss both structure and story to examine what screenwriters can take away from this film and why […]
John invites some favorite guests on to answer a single question about their current projects. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay explain how they moved the second season of The Mysterious Benedict Society from Canada to California. Aline Brosh McKenna talks about the challenges of directing a feature versus running a TV series. Data scientist Stephen […]
John and Craig invite investigative reporter Zeke Faux (Bloomberg) for a new round of How Would This Be A Movie. They cover stories ranging from the secret history of sushi to fake Scottish rappers. Zeke shares what it’s like to option an article to Hollywood and tricks for getting noticed by producers. In follow-up, we […]
John and Craig coach writers through the final laps of a screenplay. They revisit conversations on how to plan for a successful conclusion, navigate the second half of Act Two (joined by Aline!), and cross the finish line with the perfect final moment. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Megana talk about […]
John and Craig offer guidance on how to navigate an industry built on embellishment, vamping, and saving face. Did you really love that movie? Have you even started that rewrite? In many cases, the truth matters less than your confident delivery. We also answer listener questions on story consultants, how to describe a puffin call, […]
John and Craig check character blindspots, looking at how ‘over-security’ drives characters to humor and heartbreak. We also discuss natural structure: how certain events (weddings, sports, school) can create narrative scaffolding. The death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust has the industry talking about safety. Craig explains the protocols for guns on […]
John and Craig talk action! They examine iconic scenes in classic movies to illustrate the relationship between intensity and density on the page. We also host a Three Page Challenge: Spooky Edition, our segment that invites listeners to submit writing samples for critique. This week we’re specifically looking at thrilling and chilling scenes. We follow […]
John and Craig discuss how the screenplay guides production — not just in what happens, but how it feels. They look at how the words on the page steer and inspire other departments, starting with the very first hires. We also cover getting in over your head and what it’s like to have no visual […]
John and Craig discuss the art of planning and forgetting. How do you stay present in a scene when you know where the story is going? The guys offer tips for making sure your characters are driving the story — but on roads you built. We answer listener questions on setting the mood, manager requests, […]
John and Craig brainstorm How Would This Be A Movie, looking at articles featuring kangaroo feuds in Australia, squatters in the Hamptons, and ghost historians in Palestine. Plus a romance between the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. We also cover the potential IATSE strike, Tudum Day, and managing money. In our bonus segment for […]
This week, we revisit some of our favorite conversations with TV writers, including Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), Alison McDonald (American Dad!), Ryan Knighton (In the Dark), Aline Brosh McKenna and Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). They share their philosophies and practical advice for writing television. We talk about getting staffed, the first day in a […]
Editor and critic Julia Turner puts John and Craig in the hot seat to review the past ten years of Scriptnotes. They cover the original mission, behind scenes fights, notable guests, and their biggest regrets. We also predict what we think the next ten years will bring and share a Scriptnotes love story. In our […]
John welcomes back writer/performer Ashley Nicole Black (A Black Lady Sketch Show, Ted Lasso, The Amber Ruffin Show) to prove good things come in twos. They dive into her two Emmy nominations, joining a show in its second season, and the opportunities of both writing and acting in a series. We follow up on the […]
John and Craig take a look at the WGA East elections, specifically the debate over who the WGA should represent and how to prepare for new trends in digital media. We revisit predictions we made about superhero movies and break down logical fallacies in a follow up to our conspiracy discussion. We also answer listener […]
John welcomes back writer/producer Kelly Marcel (Venom, Cruella) for an action-packed episode. They break down a scene on the page, and then Kelly walks John through how she adapts and rewrites scenes in real time on set. We also discuss writing scripts with a star and why you should always cast your movies before writing […]
John and Craig host another round of the Three Page Challenge, analyzing a range of listener submissions from scripts set in rural Japan to Manhattan strip clubs. They discuss establishing setting, grounding big characters, and introducing narration. We also take a look at the lecture scene: how it can fall flat and tips for making […]
John and Craig examine why and how writers need to make bad things happen to their characters, and the ways in which hero suffering differs between features and television. We also answer listener questions about WGA jurisdiction, becoming a signatory, timing a script for television, and why all scripts aren’t available online. Then in our […]
John and Craig zoom out to analyze how the cultural context affects the perception of a movie, and the choices writers have to make. We look at vaccine mandates for productions and answer listener questions about cheesy writing, zombie references, and diversity fellowships. Finally in our bonus segment for premium members, we discuss the Black […]
John and Craig curate a collection of craft topics: character wants and needs, point of view, and letting your heroes drive scenes. From internal struggles to the external obstacles, they share how to design a story that best serves a character’s journey. We wrap up our clip show with a discussion on what we are […]
John and Craig hint at the best ways to tease expectations in their discussion of foreshadowing. They take a look at popular examples, the difference between foreshadow and symbolism, and techniques for executing it well. We answer listener questions on bad premieres, bad bosses, and good home theatre set-ups. We also double-down on on our […]