Scriptnotes Podcast

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...