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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations#west) * [Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle – Griffith Observatory Scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF-tPvPAqhQ) * [NDA with Dave Wiskus – What the Writers […]
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](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/wga-strong-rally-labor-leaders-solidarity-amptp-1235520297/) by Katie Kilkenny and Xennia Hamilton for The Hollywood Reporter * [WGA […]
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 […]
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](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/take-action/screenwriters-everywhere-international-day-of-solidarity) * [Pierre Puget](https://pierrepuget.com/) […]
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 […]
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](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/take-action/screenwriters-everywhere-international-day-of-solidarity) * [Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and […]
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](https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-members-approve-strike-authorization-9791-yes-vote) * [DGA Tentative Agreement Press Release](https://www.dga.org/News/PressReleases/2023/230603-DGA-and-AMPTP-Reach-Tentative-Agreement.aspx) * [Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/uploadedfiles/members/member_info/contract-2023/wga_proposals.pdf) * […]
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 […]
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! […]
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 […]
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 […]
John returns from a parking lot in Koreatown to tell Drew all about his experiences picketing productions on location and how other writers can get involved. We also answer listener questions, look at upcoming themed pickets, and celebrate the gains we’ve made at neutral gates. Links: * [WGA Special Pickets](https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/special-pickets) * WGA tip line: tips@wga.org […]
John and Craig work together to look at team movies and what writers need to be thinking about when they have more than one protagonist. From *Charlie’s Angels* to *The Hangover* and every *Ocean* in between, they break down how to create narrative drive and tension with so many characters, and how to bring them […]
The actors union has called for a Strike Authorization Vote ahead of their negotiations with the AMPTP. John and Drew look at what that means, and what impact it may have on the writers strike. Links: * [SAG-AFTRA Strike Authorization Vote](https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-strike-authorization-vote) * [Lukas Gage audition video](https://twitter.com/lukasgage/status/1329891756020695041?s=20) by Lukas Gage on Twitter * [Summary of Negotiations: […]
John and Craig sit down with legendary writer, director and showrunner Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) to discuss his prolific career and how to make great television. Vince leads us through how he develops a premise, balancing creative surprises with rigorous planning, and his advice for up-and-coming showrunners. We also discuss re-writing features […]
John and Megana Rao return from the picket line to ask, what’s the deal with neutral gates? Using the Teamsters as a guide, we look at the rules that govern neutral gates, why we have them, their history, and how they can guide our best practices for picketing as we enter the third week of […]
After a week on the picket line, John and Drew meet up to highlight listeners they’ve met, which productions have been shut down, what to expect from the upcoming DGA negotiations, and what non-WGA members can do to support striking writers. We then answer questions to help listeners navigate the strike rules. Are writers are […]