20 episodes

Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and related topics in the film and television industry, everything from getting stuff written to the vagaries of copyright and work-for-hire law.

Scriptnotes Podcast John August and Craig Mazin

    • TV & Film
    • 4.8 • 2.3K Ratings

Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and related topics in the film and television industry, everything from getting stuff written to the vagaries of copyright and work-for-hire law.

    SC34 - Sidecast: What’s in the Deal

    SC34 - Sidecast: What’s in the Deal

    John, Drew and Megana read through the details of the WGA’s Tentative Agreement to see what was initially proposed and what was ultimately won.
    Links:
    WGA Tentative Agreement Summary 2023 MBA Tentative Agreement Megana Rao on Twitter John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
    You can download the episode here.

    • 35 min
    433 - The One with Greta Gerwig (Encore)

    433 - The One with Greta Gerwig (Encore)

    John and Greta Gerwig (Barbie, Little Women and Lady Bird) discuss adaptation, ambition and authorship. With the screenplay in front of them, they look at specific scenes in Little Women and explore how its non-linear timeline changed how the movie works.
    We also answer listener questions on writing for the page and starting a family as an aspiring writer.
    In our bonus segment for premium members, Craig shares what it was like winning a Golden Globe for Chernobyl.
    Links:
    The Original Episode: 433 – The One with Greta Gerwig Follow along with the Little Women script in Weekend Read 2 Little Women Script Greta Gerwig Hollywood Assistants Are Fed Up by Rachel Abrams for the New York Times Mothers: An Essay on Love and Cruelty by Jacqueline Rose New York in Color Jigsaw Puzzle Behave by Robert Sapolsky Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt! Check out the Inneresting Newsletter Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription! Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter John on Mastodon Outro by Jemma Moran (send us yours!) This episode was originally produced by Megana Rao. Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and is edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
    You can download the episode here.

    • 1 hr 9 min
    SC33 - Sidecast: There’s a Deal!

    SC33 - Sidecast: There’s a Deal!

    After 146 days on the picket line, the WGA has reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP. John walks through the very exciting email that was sent out to members, outlining what it means, what happens next, and reflects on how far we’ve come.
    Links:
    Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses SAG-AFTRA Picket Schedule and Locations Strike Rules FAQ Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
    You can download the episode here.

    • 9 min
    612 - The Wizard of Splash

    612 - The Wizard of Splash

    John and Craig test out a dreamy thesis: that all fish out of water stories are either The Wizard of Oz or Splash. What are the differences? Are Splash movies funnier? And what are the hidden pitfalls of placing our characters in unfamiliar worlds?
    We also look at how Rotten Tomatoes works (and how it’s manipulated). But first, we follow up on physical media and lining up in size order before answering a listener question on writing gibberish.
    In our bonus segment for premium members, Craig shares a personal diagnosis in an effort to help other adults with diabetes.
    Links:
    The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes by Lane Brown for Vulture Read the Frankenweenie script here and on Weekend Read 2 Starfield Manhattan Bus Map by MTA Highland 2 Writer Emergency Pack XL Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt! Check out the Inneresting Newsletter Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription! Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter John on Mastodon Outro by Nico Mansy (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and is edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
    You can download the episode here.

    • 54 min
    SC32 - Sidecast: Writers Who Read

    SC32 - Sidecast: Writers Who Read

    John and Drew talk about one of the best things writers can do to keep their skills sharp during the strike: reading.
    They discuss where to find scripts, what you can learn from other people’s writing, and what they’ve been working on while pencils are down.
    Links:
    Weekend Read 2 on the App Store Scriptslug.com Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses 2023 WGA Strike Rules Strike Rules FAQ Picket Schedules and Locations Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
    You can download the episode here.

    • 9 min
    463 - Writing Action (Encore)

    463 - Writing Action (Encore)

    John and Craig talk action! It’s an all-craft episode about how words on the page become high-adrenaline events on the screen.
    Using a variety of different scripts, we look at how different styles of action sequences can be used to clearly communicate what is meant to happen in a scene and how it’s supposed to feel.
    In our bonus segment for premium members we try to discuss the Emmys but mostly talk about teenage girls’ obsession with Criminal Minds.
    Links:
    Action Scenes PDF Scriptnotes Episode 463: Writing Action Entertainment Community Fund – Emergency Financial Assistance CAA Lays Off Agents and Employees From 2020: WGA East and West members voted to approve the new contract Good Sudoku Good Sudoku App Ghosts of Tsushima Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt! Check out the Inneresting Newsletter Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription! Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter John on Mastodon Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!) This episode was originally produced by Megana Rao. Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and is edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
    You can download the episode here.

    • 1 hr 19 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
2.3K Ratings

2.3K Ratings

Nickname Creater ,

You don’t need to be a screenwriter to love this show!

John and Craig share very practical advice about screenwriting in such an entertaining way that even non-screenwriters (like me) can enjoy it. Thanks, gents!

davesbu ,

Informative but...

I can't understand John August’s voice. It's fast and has some kind of weird accent. Or maybe it's a lisp? Which is rough and I'm sorry if that's insulting but I cannot understand it. So if the content seems interesting I just go read the transcript and not even listen to the podcast.

7437-lock ,

AMAZING

The episode with Craig Mazin explaining his theory of how to write a movie + the ongoing coverage of the WGA strike = pure gold

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