Scriptnotes Podcast

Afleveringen

1. 757 - Nerding Out on Story with Andrew Stanton

   20 oktober 2026 · 54 min

   Afspelen
   John and Craig welcome a long-awaited guest: Andrew Stanton, writer-director behind many beloved Pixar films including Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., WALL-E, and the Toy Story franchise. Lees meer

   They talk about making sequels, Andrew's approach to storytelling, and the ways that Pixar shook up the typical Disney formula. (For example, Pixar's take on villains.)

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, the three discuss directing other people's writing, as well as working in TV versus features.

   Links:

   Andrew Stanton's 2012 TED Talk

   Cool Hand Luke

   How many shots are in the average movie today? by Stephen Follows

   Download the episode here!

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!)

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

2. 756 - Archetypes

   13 oktober 2026 · 54 min

   Afspelen
   Since the dawn of storytelling, there have been archetypes. What aspects of archetypes are actually useful for writers? And how do we move beyond tropes to create complex characters? Lees meer

   Pick a card, any card! John and Craig play around with the upcoming Creator Character Kit. They draw archetype cards and imagine multifaceted characters that embody those qualities.

   In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig talk home cinema hardware: screens and projectors.

   Links:

   Character Creator Kit

   L.A. World's "The One Street that Explains LA"

   Download the episode here!

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!)

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

3. 755 - Directing Your Writing

   6 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 28 min

   Afspelen
   What changes when you take off your writer hat and put on your director hat? In this compendium episode, John, Craig, and Scriptnotes coordinator Lauren Loesberg review directing advice previously given on the podcast. Lees meer

   John and Craig offer Lauren pointers on directing her next project. They also answer a listener question about directing actors "on the page."

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, we discuss film festivals. Why would writers go? And what can you expect to get out of the experience?

   Links:

   Three Page Challenge

   Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

   Mailbox Toluca Lake

   Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

   Download the episode here!

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!)

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

4. 754 - East of Eden with Zoe Kazan

   29 september 2026 · 54 min

   Afspelen
   John welcomes writer and actress Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks, The Big Sick, She Said) to talk about her sweeping and thorough reimagining of East of Eden, releasing on Netflix on October 1st. They discuss her approach to period piece dialogue, the process of adapting such an expansive novel, and the family history behind this particular project. Lees meer

   Rich with biblical parallels, East of Eden is a perfect story for a discussion of archetypes. John invites Zoe to pull cards from the upcoming Character Creator Kit in a conversation about the iconic East of Eden antagonist, Cathy.

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John asks Zoe about her experience growing up with two screenwriter parents.

   Links:

   Writer Emergency Pack: Character Creator Kit

   why I can't stop thinking about Papua New Guinea by Daniel Frank

   Download the episode here!

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Adam Pineless (send us yours!)

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

5. 753 - The One with Aaron Sorkin

   22 september 2026 · 1 uur 7 min

   Afspelen
   Today, we welcome longtime fantasy guest, Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, The West Wing, The Social Network) to talk through his writing process and tease his upcoming film, The Social Reckoning. Lees meer

   Does Aaron Sorkin use outlines? Where does he begin? And does he have any more ideas? All these questions and more will be answered. John also presents a couple of Sorkin's own scenes as a case study on writing conflict.

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, we discuss Sorkin's projects that never got produced. Now you see it… now you don't.

   Links:

   The West Wing – Donna & Josh Conversation

   The Social Network – Do I have your full attention?

   Surf Dracula

   Download the episode here!

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

6. 752 - General Meetings

   15 september 2026 · 1 uur 13 min

   Afspelen
   Think of this as a crash course in general meetings. Lees meer

   In this compendium, John, Craig and Scriptnotes intern, Lauren, mine previous episodes for advice on the bewildering "general." They aim to answer every question you've had about general meetings, over the years: What are they? What's discussed? And how do you get one?

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig swap stories about their best, worst, and first general meetings.

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!)

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

7. 751 - Assembling a Career with Erin Gibson

   8 september 2026 · 1 uur

   Afspelen
   What if you zigged when you thought you should have zagged? As an actress, a writer, a showrunner, and a host, Erin Gibson's career has been unpredictable. But look closer and you see it's driven by consistent values, smart timing, and the universal currency of comedy. John seeks her insight on going with the flow. Lees meer

   John and Erin answer listener questions about connecting with reps, sorting through your idea bank, and managing your emotions while writing. They also encourage listeners to praise colleagues and strangers. Just send the email!

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John talks to Erin about moving out of LA "before it was cool."

   Links:

   Attitudes! Podcast

   Gay of Thrones

   Feminasty

   Zach Cregger's "Elf Draft" Concept (11:43)

   Tuffy's Tug-O-War Dog Toy

   Agnes Pelton

   The Wax Child by Olga Ravn

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Matt Gillespie (send us yours!).

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

8. 750 - Quinceañera

   1 september 2026 · 45 min

   Afspelen
   The year was 2011. We had Occupy Wall Street, Hangover II, 50 Shades of Grey… and a podcast named Scriptnotes. On this episode, John and Craig celebrate their podcast Quinceañera, marking fifteen years together on mic. Lees meer

   They reflect on their very first episode, the content and cultural moments that marked 2011, and everything that's changed since.

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig look forward fifteen years to make predictions on the year 2041.

   Links:

   Walgreens with Mom Playlist by Danny Carney

   First Blossom in the Orchard by John Stokes

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!).

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

9. 749 - Famous People with Taffy Brodesser-Akner

   25 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 4 min

   Afspelen
   John and Taffy sit down for a candid conversation surrounding fame, interacting with famous people, and the depiction of fame on screen. Lees meer

   They also answer a listener question about cold email etiquette and the delicate art of asking for favors.

   In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, Taffy discusses the subject of her most recent "celebrity" profile: the controversial AI actress, Tilly Norwood.

   Links:

   Why on Earth Have I Seen the Same Broadway Show 13 Times? An Investigation. by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

   Joe Allen

   I Profile Celebrities for a Living. Nothing Prepared Me for Tilly Norwood. by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

   Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

   Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.

   Outro by Timothy Lenko (send us yours!).

   Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

10. 748 - One Room Movies

    18 augustus 2026 · 1 uur

    Afspelen
    John and Craig lock in on one-room movies. How does confinement change character behavior? What opportunities can a single location give you? Lees meer

    Plus, they consider how much dithering a character should indulge. They also answer listener questions about "hyperlink cinema" and writing phone calls.

    In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig discuss outgrowing their own tastes.

    Links:

    Reddit thread about faster kettles

    Police Stalkers

    Ben Affleck/Matt Damon FIFA Project based on Houses of Deceit

    United Passions (FIFA movie)

    Dithering

    WhatIsIt Reddit

    Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters.

    Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg.
    Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!).

    Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

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