Scriptnotes Podcast

In this compendium episode, John and Craig demystify the the relationship between writers and the people who represent them, looking at how to acquire, work with and (if necessary) fire your agents and managers. How do you get an agent or a manager? What are they looking for in a potential client? What frustrates them? How do you position yourself for success? And what should you be looking for in an agent? How should they treat their clients? What is in their job description? How do you navigate disagreements, and what are best practices for when you have to part ways? In our bonus segment for premium members, John discusses how and why he changed his mind and signed with his first-ever manager just a few weeks ago. Links: Episode 2 – How to get an agent and/or manager Episode 172 – Franz Kafka’s brother, and the perfect agent Episode 7 – Firing a manager, and trying new software How ‘Go,’ the Wildest, Druggiest, Horniest Cult Movie of 1999 Got Made (And Almost Didn’t)Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Stuart FriedelMatthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

Why are things so rough in Hollywood right now? John and Craig look at the industry’s current contraction, its historical analogues, and offer suggestions for what might fix it. We also follow up on streaming ad breaks and New York accents, before answering listener questions on being paralyzed, whether it’s by your second draft or writing professional emails. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig wonder what to do with their digital lives once they’ve shuffled off this mortal coil, and how do you keep it from getting creepy? Links: The Life and Death of Hollywood One weird trick for fixing HollywoodMoloch TrapLola DupreCodenames Duet2 Kings 2:23-24Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig investigate what characters know and how we know they know what they know. It’s something that can be as confusing as that last sentence was, but they offer clear guidance on building informed characters, audience expectations, and how to get everybody on the same page. We also look at how ad breaks in streaming are interrupting established act breaks. But first we follow up on AI transcription and character voice, and answer listener questions on authentic depictions and how to ask for a WGA contract. In our bonus segment for premium members, how should you act when you meet a famous person? John and Craig have big (but well-concealed) feelings. Links: Do I Sound Gay? DocumentaryInternational Dialects of English ArchiveAccent Tag on YouTubeChilean beer ads in Star WarsLetter JamTacticalMap FalloutGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes writer and comedian Alex Edelman to look at how he wrote his solo show Just For Us, and dig into the meaning of “write what you know.” They discuss finding your voice as a writer, developing your story with an audience, why Alex doesn’t write his shows down, and the sample that first got him staffed. We also answer listener questions on what to do when your manager doesn’t understand your comedy, and the value of characters speaking to themselves. In our bonus segment for premium members, John asks Alex, how do you set boundaries on material when you’re dating another comedian? Links: Alex EdelmanJust For Us on HBOReplay by Jordan MechnerReplay by Ken GrimwoodGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig can’t help but look at intrinsic motivations — those specific internal drives that guide characters behavior. They discuss how to structure and expose that internal drive, the importance of an innate irritability, how it can stop your characters from becoming flat, and rewarding that intrinsic motivation with choice. But first, we follow up on AI training, blueprints and “important” movies. We also weigh in on a high-school senior’s college dilemma and answer a listener question on writing with your trailer in mind. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig parse out their reasons for why humans may – or may not – ever leave the solar system. Links: My Pal Foot FootThe ShaggsBraidJonathan BlowConnections Q: Who Found a Way to Crack the U.K.’s Premier Quiz Show?On what motivates us: a detailed review of intrinsic v. extrinsic motivationWhy are there so many illegal weed stores in New York City?Shōgun on FXGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig lawyer up with criminal defense attorney Ken White (aka Popehat) to look at legal scenes in movies and TV, and separate the tropes from the truth. How do lawyers actually prepare a case? Will they meet a client in jail? Do they need to gather evidence themselves? And what happens when they go to trial? What are the rules for examining witnesses? How often do people represent themselves in court? And do judges really bang their gavel like that? In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig invite Ken to imagine traveling somewhere worse than prison — the beach. Links: BlueSkyFacebookThreadsSerious Trouble podcastThe Popehat Report Hello, My Name Is Stephen Glass, and I’m SorryLibreOfficeSovereign Citizens Getting OwnedThe Rest is History podcastGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig look at four unbelievable stories in the news and ask, How Would This Be a Movie? Stories include a finance journalist who was scammed out of her savings, men who offer dating bounties, a franken-sheep made of cloned animal parts, and how standardized tests changed one woman’s life. We also reveal which modern classics we’ve never seen (We meant to! We’re sorry!) to decide which – if any – we need to watch. But first, we follow up on D&D for kids, ESL, AI in reality TV, and Tiffany problems before answering listener questions on formats and recommending your spouse. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig look at new guidelines for AI and how they might affect our future. Links: Weekend Read 2“Creep” post by @davo_arid on TwitterFull list of movies we haven’t seen The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger Wanted: True Love. Reward: $100,000 Montana Man Pleads Guilty to Creating Massive Franken-Sheep With Cloned Animal Parts How the SAT Changed My LifeD.C. – What It IsFighting Fantasy booksLA Hero WorkshopSodalitasOzNeverlandQuestlingsColor My QuestWyrdScoutsThe ExcellentsNancy Druid Hero KidsTTRPGkids Hide’n’TreatSnuffle MatJaina Grey’s reviews for WIREDGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes back Pamela Ribon (Nimona, My Year of Dicks) to quietly ask: what’s with all the whispering in movies these days? They discuss trends and techniques in voice and volume, picking the right moment to whisper, and the value of voices across decibel levels. We also revisit Pamela’s work on Moana to look at what you can learn from reading early drafts, ponder the threat of TikTok and YouTube, follow-up on vetting potential co-workers, and answer a listener question on writing animation. In our bonus segment for premium members, Pam shares all her star-studded stories from sitting in the 5th row at this year’s Oscars. Links: Pamela RibonInstagramListen to SassyMy Year of DicksNimonaHire Survivors HollywoodDune: Part Two Clip ‘Fundie Baby Voice’ Seems To Be Everywhere Now. Here’s What You Should KnowIn a World – SmoothieNatural Born Killers 1990 Draft Natural Born Killers 1993 DraftLin-Manuel Miranda on ‘I Want’ Songs, Going Method for ‘Moana’ and Fearing David BowieMore (Outtake)How Far I’ll Go How Bad Can It Get for Hollywood?This Sitcom Got WEIRD When Nobody Watched ItResearching An Old Sitcom With AICoucou French classesGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig wring their hands and ask, how do you make sure the person you’re hiring isn’t a monster? They look at best practices for vetting colleagues, sussing out problematic people, and managing your own emotions when you’re the person with power. We also discuss writing for non-native English speakers, using three examples to illustrate the importance of syntax, musicality and authenticity. But first, we answer listener questions on giving notes and kids playing D&D. In our bonus segment for premium members, we spill the kool-aid on our fears and fascinations with cults. Links: StrandsAnatomy of a Fall – Clip Past Lives by Celine SongIrma Vep – Clip Is This Hollywood’s #MeanToo Moment? How to play Dungeons and Dragons for kids RuPaul Doesn’t See How That’s Any of Your BusinessRecursion – Glitch GamesGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig explore the counterfactuals of Hollywood history — the relatively small moments that, if the coin toss had gone the other way, would have massive ramifications on the world as we know it. What if Edison was allowed to keep his monopoly on motion pictures? What does our industry look like without the Paramount Consent Decree? What if George Lucas died in his car accident? Would superhero movies have dominated our culture if Iron Man had bombed? What studios would have gone down if Titanic had sunk? And what if Netflix had stayed with its DVD-only model? In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig talk capitalism and solve its problems once and for all. Links: What If? Thomas Edison: The Unintentional Founder of Hollywood United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. George Lucas: The Car Wreck That Changed His Life and Led Him to ‘Star Wars’ When ‘Titanic’ Was Expected to Be a Huge Flop ‘John Carter’ Changed Hollywood, but Not in the Way Disney Hoped Financial Interest and Syndication RulesPost-Quantum Cryptography S’more! S’more! His artisanal marshmallows were the greatest. Then he tried to scale them.Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes back John Gatins (Flight, Coach Carter) to talk about reviving a dormant project and actually getting it made – like he just did with his new film Little Wing. They look at how films die, what brings them back to life, and go deep into the mechanics of sports movies. We also follow up on flu tests, the Tiffany problem and pet names before answering listener questions on professionalism, mid-credit scenes, and work ethic. In our bonus segment for premium members, John Gatins talks abut transitioning into a writing team and reveals his process of negotiating credits. Links: Little Wing – On Paramount+ March 13thWikipediaIMDbLittle Wing by Susan OrleanLUCIRA by Pfizer COVID-19 & Flu Home TestMerlin Bird ID The Facts of Life – Attempted Spin-offsGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John has the flu (or does he?) and Craig is missing, so we’re going back through the vaults to look at the mechanics of mystery and suspense. How do writers exploit the audience’s curiosity? What builds and breaks their trust? How do you use suspense across genres? And what do these techniques look like on the page? But first, we look at the current agency shakeups and share our thoughts on OpenAI’s new engine, Sora. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Drew talk about their experience with the Apple Vision Pro. Links: Scriptnotes 269 – Mystery vs. ConfusionScriptnotes 332 – Wait for It A3 Artists Agency Shuts Down Verve CEO and Co-Founder Bill Weinstein Leaves Agency After 14 YearsA few thoughts on SoraGOODY-2 Meet the Pranksters Behind Goody-2, the World’s ‘Most Responsible’ AI ChatbotClaire Keegan Contextual computing with Vision Pro: My Writing CabinGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes writer and showrunner Francesca Sloane (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Atlanta) to talk about her process of bringing a big-screen property to television. She shares how she and Donald Glover found their way into the story, how it evolved in development, building a room that was all women of color, re-writing on set, and the many lessons she learned as a first time showrunner. We also follow up on writing partners and phonetic alphabets before answering listener questions on writing samples, casting on the page and why some screenplays are free to read. In our bonus segment for premium members, we dig into the benefits (and drawbacks) of film schools and fellowships. Links: Francesca SloaneInstagram Mr. & Mrs. SmithISPA: Inter-Species Phonetic Alphabet for Transcribing Animal SoundsBluets by Maggie NelsonA Unified Theory of F-cks by Mandy BrownGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes Celine Song (Past Lives) to chart her journey from playwright to Oscar-nominated screenwriter. We discuss the intricacies of writing bilingually, the similarities between theater and a writers room, finding the right collaborators and how writing prepared Celine for for the rigors of directing. We also follow up on foreign courts, the Tiffany problem, and answer listener questions on American grad schools and table reads. In our bonus segment for premium members, Celine looks back on her production of The Seagull in The Sims 4 and reflects on the importance of experimenting with form. Links: IMDbInstagramPast LivesThe Seagull on The Sims 4The Wheel of TimeA real bald eagle callred-tailed hawkDeadwoodThe American PresidentShottrBaldur’s Gate 3Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig host another round of the Three Page Challenge, where they give their honest feedback on three listener-submitted scripts. They offer insights into using sound realistically, writing action that can be easily directed, finding subtext in dialogue, and navigating complex points of view. But first, we dig into several tricky listener questions: How does a writing team discuss their individual work with their reps? When is it ok to say no to inclusive casting? And how do you break up with a producer? In our bonus segment for premium members, we delve into tough questions and offer advice to our younger selves. Links: Weekend Read 2 ROUTESMEGHA GENESISTHOUGHTS AND PRAYERSDelve DeckZarak by Afghan Kitchen – VancouverGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig discuss the dynamics of fandom, attempting to chart how things get cool, then hot, then terrible. But how are fandoms organized? Where do subcultures start? And how should you engage with the community that forms around your work? We also look at an alternative screenplay format from one of last year’s best screenplays, and follow up on bake-offs, distracting accuracies in fiction, and UK writing credits. We then answer questions on original songs, packaging your script, and what you can do when you suspect you’ve been ripped off. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig look at the many various fandoms and do their best to enrage them. Links: The Tiffany Problem ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series Zeroes In On Premise As Selected Writers Pitch Their Ideas To Max WGGB Screenwriting Credits AgreementIg Nobel Prize – “Please stop, I’m Bored” Anatomy of a Fall – Screenplay Podcasters Took Up Her Sister’s Murder Investigation. Then They Turned on HerGeeks, MOPs, and sociopaths in subculture evolution Going Zero by Anthony McCarten The Devil by Jessica MazinGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

The DGA surprised the town yesterday, announcing an update to their already-signed agreement with the AMPTP. The new deal includes select pay bumps and the streaming bonus gained by WGA and SAG-AFTRA after their lengthy strikes. John and Drew are back to look at what we know about this off-cycle development and ask questions like huh? And how? And why? Links: DGA Announces Revisions To Film & TV Contract, Including Addition Of Streaming Bonus To Match WGA’sTwitterInstagramMastodon Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John welcomes back Aline Brosh McKenna to look at how both you and your characters can become more “agentic.” What are the traps and pitfalls of going after what you want? How do you get people to engage with your protagonist, especially when the protagonist is yourself? Then it’s another round of How Would This be a Movie? We look at stories about a harm-reduction hotline, countertop cancer, loyalty testers and a mathematician who exploited the lottery. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Aline talk about their strange new reality of being empty nesters. Links: How to be More AgenticWhat’s Stopping You? Seven ways to become unstoppably agentic “Agency” needs nuance The Woman on the Line California workers who cut countertops are dying of an incurable disease Would Your Partner Cheat? These ‘Testers’ Will Give You an AnswerThe man who won the lottery 14 timesMusely So you wanna de-bog yourselfAline Brosh McKennaGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig investigate those details that are accurate and authentic, but can pull viewers out of the story. They look for ways to balance what is realistic with what is believable, and how to get rid of distractions and keep your audience focused on what matters. We also discuss popular names, follow up on Icelandic pronunciations and the Mazinga toy, and answer listener questions on period details, defining biopics, writing during production, and whether or not to read the script before watching the movie. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig swallow their pride and ask, how can you tell when someone is just being nice? Links: First baby of the new year arrives at Dublin’s Rotunda HospitalMazinger ZRegicideThe Last of Us Comes in First at Saturday Creative Arts EmmysGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

John and Craig take a look at the many For Your Consideration scripts suddenly available to read to see what lessons can be learned from movies that were actually made. They find best practices for establishing setting, using “we see” and “we hear,” complicated setups, directing on the page, and how to get right into your story. We also look at the possible sale of Paramount, the International Phonetic Alphabet and setting 2024 goals, before answering listener questions on UK credits and our writing routines. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig chew on a difficult question — would we eat lab-grown human meat? Links: The Vultures Are Circling: Who Will Walk Away With Paramount? The Holdovers by David Hemingson All of Us Strangers by Andrew Haigh May December by Samy Burch Saltburn by Emerald Fennell Killers of the Flower Moon by Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese Barbie by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach Across the Spider-Verse by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller & Dave Callaham Oppenheimer by Christopher Nolan American Fiction by Cord JeffersonWeekend Read 2Gartic Phone Dungeons & Dragons – Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad MageGet a Scriptnotes T-shirt!Check out the Inneresting NewsletterGift a Scriptnotes Subscriptiontreat yourself to a premium subscription!ThreadsInstagramThreadsInstagramTwitterJohn on MastodonOutrosend us yours!Matthew Chilelli Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.