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Scriptnotes

  • Character and Story Fit
    Episode – 606 | Jul 25, 2023
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    John welcomes back Pamela Ribon (My Year of Dicks, Moana) to talk about how to fit the right characters to your story. We know story comes from characters, but often an idea starts with a world, so how do writers find the right characters to build their story around? We also talk about writing for […]

  • Sidecast: Different Guilds, Different Needs
    Episode – SC23 | Jul 18, 2023
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    John and Drew take a look at SAG-AFTRA’s summary of negotiations to see what was asked for, what was offered, and what writers need to know. They also share insights on SAG-AFTRA’s new captain system. Links: SAG-AFTRA Summary of Negotiations SAG-AFTRA Strike Information Portal kate bond’s thread on Twitter Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and […]

  • Medicine and Mayhem
    Episode – 605 | Jul 18, 2023
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    John and Craig look at four tales of science, medicine and mayhem and ask, how would this be a movie? Stories include a catatonic woman who woke up after 20 years, a white supremacist transformed by MDMA, a drugged crypto lawyer, and an in-depth account of alien biology. But first we have a very special […]

  • Sidecast: The Double Strike, Day One
    Episode – SC22 | Jul 14, 2023
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    On the first day of the the SAG-AFTRA strike, actors and writers on the picket lines tell us why this strike is so important to them and what advice they have for first-time picketers. Featuring Jim Rash and SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee members Nicole Cyrille and Joseph Melendez. Thanks to everyone who talked to us! Links: […]

  • Sidecast: SAG-AFTRA on Strike
    Episode – SC21 | Jul 13, 2023
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    SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents all the film and television actors in the US, has announced that their members are going on strike. John and Drew look at what that means, what to expect, and how it will impact the ongoing writers strike. Links: SAG-AFTRA Strike Notice to Members A Message from the SAG-AFTRA President […]

  • Advice for a New Staff Writer (Encore)
    Episode – 368 | Jul 11, 2023
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    John welcomes Alison McDonald (Russian Doll, #BlackAF) and Ryan Knighton (In the Dark, Billions) to reveal the fundamentals and unspoken rules of working in a TV writers room. How did they get the job? How much should new writers talk? What should you wear? How much money do you make? And what’s for lunch? Our […]

  • Sidecast: Heroes and Villains (of the Strike)
    Episode – SC20 | Jul 6, 2023
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    A lot of people have been singled out as either heroes or villains of this writer’s strike, but does any individual deserve that title? John and Drew look at these narratives, the motivations behind them, and celebrate their own personal heroes of the strike. Links: David Zaslav Article Taken Down By GQ After Warner Bros. […]

  • That’s a Good Question
    Episode – 604 | Jul 4, 2023
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    John and Craig question questions themselves. What’s really happening when a character asks a question? How many types of questions can be asked? What can questions tell us about our characters and the power dynamics within a scene? Are these leading questions or rhetorical questions? And will John and Craig answer them all? We also […]

  • Billion Dollar Advice
    Episode – 603 | Jun 27, 2023
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    John and Craig welcome Akela Cooper (M3GAN, Malignant) to help offer guidance to billionaires looking to put their money in the safest place they can: the film and television industry. The trio looks at the upsides of investing in productions, which business models already exist and what we can learn from the independent television studios […]

  • Sidecast: Summer Schedule
    Episode – SC19 | Jun 23, 2023
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    With that hot summer sun comes new picketing hours from the WGA. John and Drew take a look at the new schedule and answer a listener question about YouTube content. Links: Updated picket hours and information Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle – Griffith Observatory Scene NDA with Dave Wiskus – What the Writers Strike Means For […]

  • Sidecast: March and Rally for a Fair Contract
    Episode – SC18 | Jun 22, 2023
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    Live from the WGA STRONG: March and Rally for a Fair Contract in Los Angeles. Featuring Adam Conover, Boots Riley and Lindsay Dougherty. Thanks to everyone who talked to us! Links: 5,000-Plus Demonstrators Rally in L.A. to Support Writers Strike, Pressure Studios by Katie Kilkenny and Xennia Hamilton for The Hollywood Reporter WGA Strike Rally […]

  • The Rocky Shoals (pages 70-90), Encore
    Episode – 152 | Jun 20, 2023
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    John and Craig welcome Aline Brosh McKenna to talk about the difficult journey through pages 70-90 of your feature. The end of the second act can drive even the most seasoned writers into an existential crisis, but together they offer their tips and tricks to navigating this difficult passage. We then talk about the importance […]

  • Sidecast: Screenwriters Everywhere – Cologne and Copenhagen
    Episode – SC17 | Jun 15, 2023
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    Scriptnotes listeners Anton Breum in Copenhagen, Denmark and Pierre Puget in Cologne, Germany interview writers picketing in support of the WGA during the International Day of Solidarity, organized by Screenwriters Everywhere. Thank you to everyone who was interviewed and thank you Anton and Pierre! Links: Screenwriters Everywhere: International Day of Solidarity Pierre Puget is the […]

  • Research Isn’t Cheating
    Episode – 602 | Jun 13, 2023
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    John and Craig host another round of the Three Page Challenge, selecting three listeners’ scripts for feedback on what’s working and common pitfalls to avoid. They offer insights into the tricky issues when cheating movement, formatting non-English dialogue, and the importance of logic in comedy. But first, we answer some long-gestating listener questions: What are […]

  • Sidecast: International Day of Picketing
    Episode – SC16 | Jun 9, 2023
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    The WGA’s international sister unions are coming together Wednesday, June 14 for international picketing, and John and Drew are excited. We discuss where these pickets are taking place and how to RSVP, then answer a listener question about FYC events. Links: Screenwriters Everywhere: International Day of Solidarity Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses […]

  • Sidecast: SAG-AFTRA, DGA and What Comes Next
    Episode – SC15 | Jun 6, 2023
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    John and Drew look at the results of SAG-AFTRA’s Strike Authorization Vote and the DGA’s tentative deal with the AMPTP, and what they mean for writers on strike. Links: SAG-AFTRA Members Approve Strike Authorization with 97.91% Yes Vote DGA Tentative Agreement Press Release Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses 2023 WGA Strike Rules […]

  • Side Quests
    Episode – 601 | Jun 6, 2023
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    John and Craig take a detour to discuss side quests: those smaller tasks that can serve as the building blocks of a character’s journey. How do side quests differ from your hero’s primary goal? What’s the best way to use them? And how can writers make them meaningful? We then discuss the importance of failure […]

  • Sidecast: How to Talk to Your Parents About the Strike
    Episode – SC14 | Jun 2, 2023
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    Megana, Drew and John discuss the best ways to talk about the WGA strike with family and non-industry friends. How much context do you need to give? How do you properly frame the AI issues? How do you calm down a nervous parent without setting unrealistic expectations? In other news, Weekend Read 2 is out! […]

  • McQuarrie Returns
    Episode – 600 | May 30, 2023
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    As we reach our 600th episode, John and Craig welcome back writer and director Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Top Gun: Maverick, The Usual Suspects) to continue their decades-long argument on the future of the movies and the forces that power the entertainment industry. Together they lead a wide-ranging debate on the corporate […]

  • Sidecast: Animation Picket
    Episode – SC13 | May 24, 2023
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    Live from the picket line, John talks to members of The Animation Guild (TAG, IATSE local 839) marching in solidarity with with members of the WGA. They explain the issues writers in animation are facing, and why it’s so important for the the two unions to support one another. Guests include Stuart Friedel, Bill Wolkoff […]

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