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

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 [email protected]

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

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 [email protected]

John welcomes Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs to talk about the emotional and logistical process of closing out their five-season series, Hacks.

Paul and Lucia also step up as guest readers for the Three Page Challenge, a segment where we look at the first three pages of a listener-submitted script and give honest feedback.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John, Lucia and Paul talk about cameos. How do they happen? What's the real deal behind the scenes?

Scripts:

• Dying to Love You
• You're Dead to Me
• Monster Law

Links:

• You Can Just Do Things by Cate Hall
• State and Local Election Alliance
• @luciaaniellosetfits
• @paulwdowns
• Cherlato Gelato

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 [email protected]

In today's edition of "How Would This Be a Movie?" John and Craig convert felonies into films. Together, they take a few crime-related news stories and decide how they might be adapted for the screen.

They also discuss paracosms and the importance of daydreaming for budding screenwriters.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig discuss prediction markets. Bet you can guess how that goes.

Episode Links:

• Paracosm
• Jerome Singer's research on Daydreaming
• Bob Ross
• Freud's 1908 essay "Creative Writers and Day-Dreaming"
• Michele Root-Bernstein's study on childhood worldplay
• $500 Million Estate Dispute
• Luggage Tag Scheme
• Uncrewed Narco Subs
• Florida Cop Stalks Woman
• The 40-Year-Old Man-Child by Megan Garber

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 Gloom Canyon (send us yours!).

Email us at [email protected].

Download the full episode here.

Buckle up! John and Craig discuss the elements that make up a classic road movie. They cover the quintessential scenes, common pitfalls, and the economic quandaries you'll find in the genre.

They also answer listener questions about editing novels (versus screenplays) and the aesthetics of outlines and breakdowns.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig talk about their own memorable road trips.

Links:

• Wolf's Belly
• Bronson Watermarker Pro
• Carl Rinsch
• Kathy Bates Scene from Rat Race
• John's Wondery Podcast, "Launch"
• It's 10pm Do You Know Where Your Children Are?
• Prop House Auctions
• Lords of Waterdeep

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 [email protected]

John and Craig invite over Rashida Jones and Will McCormack to chat about their new film The Invite, out in theaters now.

Rashida and Will divulge the origin story and dynamics of their own writing partnership, as well as discuss the process of adapting an adaptation and writing to the truth of relationships.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, the four swap stories about saying goodbye to creative projects that never came to pass.

Links:

• The People Upstairs (Sentimental) by Cesc Gay (Original Spanish version)
• Esther Perel
• Report from Out Making Games
• Simpsley
• The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne
• Worldpeace DMT
• 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 BlueSky, Threads, and Instagram
• Outro by Makeup and Vanity Set (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Lauren Loesberg.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

How do you keep doing creative work when the world is falling apart around you? To sift through the despair and doubt, John welcomes back legendary Scriptnotes guest, writer-turned-psychotherapist Dennis Palumbo. They discuss the many feelings that catastrophic events can bring up in artists, the personal narratives that often inform those feelings, and how to keep moving forward when you feel like the band on the Titanic.

We also follow up on AI, and answer listener questions on competing with brain trusts and how to support a friend embroiled in controversy.

In our bonus segment for premium members, Dennis guides us through the best examples and worst mistakes of portraying therapists on screen.

Links:

• "Am I Just Fiddling While Rome Burns?" by Dennis Palumbo for Psychiatric Times
• Scriptnotes 99 – Psychotherapy for Screenwriters
• ShotDeck
• River Runner Global
• At the Existentialist Café by Sarah Bakewell
• 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 BlueSky, Threads, and Instagram
• Outro by Spencer Lackey (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Lauren Loesberg.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John and Craig sit down with Ryan Condal, showrunner of House of the Dragon, just as its third season airs.

They dive into Ryan's late start in Hollywood, spec scripts, the anatomy of a writers room, and thinking as a product of movement. They also answer a listener question about the mechanics of writing a sequel.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John, Craig and Ryan discuss perhaps the most popular fictional creatures ever: dragons!

Links:

• I Solved My Mystery Fatigue with AI by Amy Deng
• Myst by Cyan, Rand Miller & Robyn Miller
• Dimhaven by Zadbox Entertainment
• NordVPN
• yU+co – Title sequence designers
• Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
• Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
• Follow Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
• John August on Bluesky and Instagram
• Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Lauren Loesberg.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John and Craig welcome Curry Barker, the writer-director behind this summer's surprise blockbuster, Obsession. It's a rom-com, a horror film and a great example of trusting your audience.

We discuss Curry's roots, his writing process, learning from YouTube, as well as the pressure to follow up a hit.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig pose the #1 most important question for all filmmakers to consider: What will the popcorn bucket be?

Links:

• Aaron Sorkin Masterclass
• The Chair by Curry Barker
• Milk & Serial by Curry Barker
• Humans Veer Left by Rachel Nuwer (NY Times)
• The Case of the Golden Idol
• Members Only Jackets
• Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
• Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
• Follow Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
• John August on Bluesky and Instagram
• Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Lauren Loesberg.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

This week, Craig answers listener questions about rewriting on set, AI coverage, when and how to kill off characters, sizing up producers, and more.

There's also an extra-special guest appearance for this week's One Cool Thing.

In the bonus segment for premium subscribers, Craig discusses how to be wrong—something he feels he knows all too well.

Links:

• "Widow's Bay" Games: Daddy's Home & Teeth
• "L.A. Law" Elevator Scene
• Ed Wood (1994)
• Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
• Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
• Follow Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
• John August on Bluesky and Instagram
• Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Lauren Loesberg.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

Why is it so satisfying to watch a highly-skilled character complete their goals? And why can it be equally hilarious to watch an incompetent character bumble through a slew of screw-ups? In this episode, John and Craig discuss how to play with competence in your characters.

We also say goodbye to our producer Drew Marquardt with a thoroughly embarrassing exit interview, and reveal our new producer. However, it's not really goodbye, because Drew will be staying on to work with John on an upcoming project (TBA).

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig deliberate on the question: Should you quit LOUDLY?

Links: * The attack on competence by Iris Meredith * Scott Tenorman Must Die (South Park – Season 5, Episode 4) * Bartosz Ciechanowski's Curves and Surfaces * Rhubarb Breakfast Dessert by Melissa Clark * Easiest Citrus Roasted Rhubarb by "Kate Cooks" * Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book! * Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt! * Check out the Inneresting Newsletter * Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription * Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube * Follow Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok * John August on Bluesky and Instagram * Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!) * Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our intern is Lauren Loesberg.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.