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Constructing a great action sequence

June 30, 2025 Formatting, Video, Words on the page

On Scriptnotes, we often explore craft topics, looking at the specific choices writers make on the page. But there’s an obvious challenge when discussing visual storytelling in an audio medium. That’s why for the most recent Scripnotes video, I wanted to revisit my conversation with Christina Hodson on writing action sequences. In this new format, […]

Scriptnotes on YouTube

May 31, 2025 News, Video

After 14 years, we’ve finally added a proper YouTube channel for Scriptnotes. In addition to several of our most-loved episodes, we have shorter weekly videos drawn from past conversations. Here are the first two, focusing on Die Hard and Greta Gerwig’s approach to screenwriting. In the obligatory parlance of YouTube, make sure to hit that […]

Netflix Killed the Video Store

Episode - 364

Go to Archive

August 21, 2018 Film Industry, Follow Up, Indie, Los Angeles, QandA, Resources, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Video

John welcomes Kate Hagen to talk about missing movies and the role that video stores play in archiving film history, preserving access to all movies and creating a sense of community. They discuss some of the barriers to films getting digital distribution, from limited music licenses to struggles with chain-of-title when companies fail. We also […]

The first and last thing you see

March 18, 2015 Directors, Story and Plot, Video

Jacob T. Swinney built a supercut comparing the first and last shots of 55 notable films.

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