John August

Transcribed

Movies that Never Were

Episode - 698

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Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig descend into development hell to look at films that almost but never quite existed. Using both widely-publicized and little-known examples, they examine common patterns that keep movies frozen in script form.

We also follow up on solar storms, writer education and genres people should see at least one of. We then answer listener questions on writing empathetically, late-career stamina, non-English dialogue, multi-part movies, and the Scriptnotes theme itself.

In our bonus segment for premium members, if John and Craig were never paid to write in the screenplay format again, would they still do it?

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-19-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

We Wrote a Book!

HWTBAM, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

The Scriptnotes Book is real, and now available for preorder! John and Craig take a look through its 335 pages to explore the topics, guests and deep-dives we’ve assembled from over 1,000 hours of this podcast, creating what is sure to be your favorite bathroom book.

Then it’s another round of How Would This Be a Movie?, where we look at four stories in the news to see whether they’re ripe for adaptation. Stories include a mother taking on the revenge porn industry, a wife navigating her husband’s longtime crush, a government worker who was secretly recorded on a date, and the potential destruction of solar storms. We also answer a listener question on current filmmaking technology.

In our bonus segment for premium members, what is kindness? John and Craig talk through what sets this undervalued quality apart from niceness and other traits we mistake for kind.

Link:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-6-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

A Screenwriter’s Guide to Directors

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

In this compendium episode, John and Craig set their focus on directors — and how to work with them as a screenwriter. They look at the inner-workings of the writer-director relationship, etiquette on set, how to communicate notes from pre-production through post, and outline the qualities of the “perfect” director.

We also offer advice to a first time director, looking at how to prep a project, how to run a set, working with actors, and how to inspire a crew to make the best movie possible.

In our bonus segment for premium members, Drew joins John back in 2025 for advice about casting, and what to do when actors pass on your project.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 8-6-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Advice to a Young Film Student (with Scott Frank)

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig welcome back Scott Frank (The Queen’s Gambit, Dept. Q) to offer their best advice to film students and the people who teach them. They look at ways to improve how we educate writers, and offer advice to an aspiring development executive.

We also look at the intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivations of characters in Scott’s new series, Dept. Q, follow up on the decline of sex in movies, and ask, what genres of movies should people see at least one of?

In our bonus segment for premium members, John, Craig and Scott take a broader view of education in America to see what they’ve learned and what they would change.

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

UPDATE 7-30-25: The transcript for this episode can be found here.