John August

Transcribed

Endings Compendium, Part II

Episode - 729

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Scriptnotes, Transcribed

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:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 3-25-26: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Beats to Scenes with Drew Goddard

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

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:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 3-18-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

How do bad movies get made? (Encore)

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

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:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

The transcript of this episode can be found here.

Free Work

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

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:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 3-16-26: The transcript for this episode can be found here.