Scriptnotes Podcast

Scriptnotes Podcast

John August and Craig Mazin

Episodes 20
Avg. Duration 58m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.8 (2,432)
Since Feb 2026
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
91%
Hosting
rss.libsyn.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

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.

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Recent Episodes

S15E739 739 - The One with David E. Kelley

Jun 09, 2026 57m

John and Craig welcome writer and showrunner David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Ally McBeal) to look at his process for adapting books to TV, particularly with his latest series Margo's Got Money…

S15E738 738 - Building Your Audience with Courtney Kemp

Jun 02, 2026 57m

John welcomes writer and showrunner Courtney Kemp (Power, Nemesis) to ask, how do you find an audience and build momentum on television? They look at how writers can match their voice to an…

S15E737 737 - Studio-Adjacent

May 26, 2026 1h

John welcomes back Phil Hay (Destroyer, The Invitation) to ask, how do you get a movie made with independent financing? They look at how indie movies get made, where you get the money, deciding when…

S15E736 736 - The Devil You Know

May 19, 2026 1h 19m

John and Craig welcome back Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) to explore the timely questions about art and human labor posed by her long-awaited sequel, The Devil…

S15E735 735 - The Flashforward Fallback

May 12, 2026 1h 3m

John and Craig go back to the beginning to examine the mechanics of the flash-forward opening — or as it's known on this podcast, the "Stuart Special." They look at what makes a strong flash-forward,…

S15E734 734 - A Box Full of Teeth

May 05, 2026 1h 1m

John and Craig welcome back Katie Dippold (Widow's Bay, Ghostbusters) to ask, what advice would you give to your younger self? They revisit the writers they used to be, offer specific guidance to…

S15E733 733 - Learning Comedy

Apr 28, 2026 1h 1m

John welcomes five-time Emmy-winning writer Ali Barthwell (Last Week Tonight) to ask, can writers learn to be funny? Drawing from her time as a teacher at The Second City, they look at what writers…

S15E732 732 - Something Very Bad is Going to Happen

Apr 21, 2026 45m

John welcomes writer/showrunner Haley Z. Boston for a post-mortem on her terrifying new series, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen. They look at how the series evolved from initial idea through…

S15E731 731 - Avoidance and Other Anti-Quests

Apr 14, 2026 52m

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,…

S15 SC39 - Sidecast: The 2026 MBA

Apr 10, 2026 17m Bonus

There's a brand new agreement between the WGA and the AMPTP! And since John was the co-chair of the negotiating committee, he's excited to share all the details of the 2026 MBA. Links: The 2026 MBA…

S15E89 89 - Writing effective transitions (Encore)

Apr 07, 2026 58m

John and Craig connect the dots on transitions and how they can be just as important as the scenes themselves. They look at how to get your scenes flowing into one another, the many different types…

S15E730 730 - A Frank Conversation About Screenwriting

Mar 31, 2026 49m

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,…

S15E729 729 - Endings Compendium, Part II

Mar 24, 2026 1h 4m

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…

S15E728 728 - Beats to Scenes with Drew Goddard

Mar 17, 2026 58m

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…

S15E197 197 - How do bad movies get made? (Encore)

Mar 10, 2026 1h 5m

John and Craig revisit a favorite episode focused on a single topic: bad movies and how they happen. Using first-hand experience, they look at how bad ideas make it to the screen, how good ideas go…

S15E727 727 - Free Work

Mar 03, 2026 56m

John and Craig tackle the scourge of free work and offer strategies to avoid it. They look at established norms, potential remedies, the things that should work but often don't, and how writers…

S15E726 726 - So you've been nominated for an Oscar

Feb 24, 2026 1h 4m

John welcomes writer-directors Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh (Two People Exchanging Saliva) to ask, what happens when your short film is nominated for an Oscar? They look at each step from…

S15E725 725 - Torn from the pages of Squash Magazine

Feb 17, 2026 56m

John and Craig gather our listeners' favorite news articles and ask, How Would This Be a Movie? Stories include an underground network delivering menstrual supplies in Minneapolis, a millennial…

S15E724 724 - Introductions with Joachim Trier

Feb 10, 2026 50m

John welcomes writer and director Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value, The Worst Person in the World) to ask, how do you introduce your characters and their world to the audience? Using the screenplay…

S15E723 723 - Blank Meets Blank

Feb 03, 2026 1h 3m

John and Craig ask, what makes a useful comp? Writers often use comparisons when pitching or discussing projects, but what separates good comps from bad comps, why do we use them, and when do comps…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Scriptnotes Podcast have?

Scriptnotes Podcast has published 20 episodes since February 2026.

Is Scriptnotes Podcast still active?

Scriptnotes Podcast is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 58m.

How do I contact Scriptnotes Podcast for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Scriptnotes Podcast, including email and social media links.

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