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.

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!)

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Think of this as a crash course in general meetings.

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!)

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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.

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 [email protected]

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.

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 [email protected]

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.