John August

Transcribed

Avoidance and Other Anti-Quests

Episode - 731

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Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig flip the idea of motivation on its head and ask, what are your characters running from? Using examples across film and TV, they look at the psychological underpinnings of discomfort, and how to use avoidance as a driving force of character and story.

We’ve also been away for a minute, so there’s a lot to catch up on! We follow-up on where the heck we’ve been, locked pages, a Scottish rap duo, and a new scientific answer for whether one page of script really equals one minute of movie. We also answer listener questions on the afterlife of residuals and writing with a significant other.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we go through their feedback on our first ever video podcast and announce our plans for the future of the show.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 4-23-26: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

A Frank Conversation About Screenwriting

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John sits down with the Northwest Screenwriters Guild at an event to promote the Scriptnotes book, and ends up having a poignant conversation about how the career of screenwriting has changed, missteps John made throughout his career, and how his approach to screenwriting has evolved over time.

He also answers questions on kicking bad writing habits, screenwriting careers outside of Hollywood, what to look for in the projects you choose, whether age matters in a screenwriting career, writing your calling card movie, the sidekick problem, and the real story behind the Prince of Persia movie.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John has been hanging out with sketch writers for the last few weeks and is excited to share what he’s learned about writing sketch comedy.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 4-23-26: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Endings Compendium, Part II

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.