Scriptnotes Podcast

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 wrong, and the range of patterns that end in terrible movies.
We also make a list of our then-dream guests for the podcast (many of whom have now been on the show). And fast-forwarding to 2026, we announce an exciting new feature for Highland Pro.
In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Drew ditch the texts and emails and to pick up the phone and make a call.
Links:
Highland Fling has arrived! See it in action here
CW Picks Up 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' As Hourlong Series by Nellie Andreeva for Deadline
Scriptnotes, Ep 179: The Conflict Episode
John's Screencasts on Entering a scene, Writing better action, and Writing better scene description
First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy
Rob Schneider Is A Carrot
Copyright, Exceptions, and Fair Use: Crash Course Intellectual Property
Fallout 4
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Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Rajesh Naroth (send us yours!)
This episode was originally produced by Stuart Friedel. Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.
Email us at [email protected]
You can download the episode here.
The transcript of this episode can be found here.

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 should think about the time and effort they're putting in before getting paid.
We also follow up on useful comps, AI coverage, what to do with our DVDs, and answer listener questions on pitching at an internship and a sensitive situation when naming an award.
In our bonus segment for premium members, how do we write American law enforcement officers now that their jobs don't function the way they used to?
Links:
Birdigo is now on iOS!
Weekend Read 2
Zathura
Scarecrow Video donations
H.R. Pufnstuf
Disney Axed 'Star Wars' Sequel 'The Hunt for Ben Solo' Without Ever Asking About the Budget or Other Details by Zack Sharf for Variety
FlipBelt Classic Running Belt
The Wedding Party by Secret City Vancouver
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
Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Eric Pearson (send us yours!)
Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.
Email us at [email protected]
You can download the episode here.

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 their initial idea to awards season to see how they positioned their short to be considered for an Academy Award.
We also reflect on the lessons learned from short films, and answer listener questions on how to give actors your script and finding representation after your Oscar heat has cooled.
In our bonus segment for premium members, we turn up the contrast on the many reasons for shooting in black and white.
Links:
Two People Exchanging Saliva
Taika Waititi's Two Cars One Night
Andrea Arnold's Wasp
Martin McDonagh's Six Shooter
Damien Chazelle's Whiplash short film
Jim Cummings' Thunder Road short film
David F. Sandberg's Lights Out short
Troy by Mike Donahue
The New York Public Library's Picture Collection
ReMarkable tablet
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
Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!)
Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our Director of Photography is Jonathan Pope.
Email us at [email protected]
You can download the episode here.

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 travel group, how the US hacked ISIS, and a fake college squash team.
But first we follow up on modern comps, email issues, teaching screenwriting, and what it means to be undeniable. We also answer listener questions on querying reps with a published book and whether writers really need to repeat the plot for a second-screen audience.
In our bonus segment for premium members, what do we do with all our old CDs and DVDs? We weigh the pros and cons of physical media.
Links:
How an errand for a 12-year-old immigrant in Minneapolis became an underground operation by Jasmine Garsd and Sarah Ventre for NPR
I Went on a Package Trip for Millennials Who Travel Alone. Help Me. by Caity Weaver for The New York Times
How the US hacked ISIS by Dina Temple-Raston for NPR
Whitman College: The Best College Squash Team in History by James Zug for Squash Magazine
Shipping Out by David Foster Wallace
Email deliverability tester
Disempowerment patterns in real-world AI usage by Cornell University and Anthropic
The world's greatest song that simply shouldn't exist
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
Scriptnotes on Instagram and TikTok
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Gloom Canyon (send us yours!)
Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.
Email us at [email protected]
You can download the episode here.

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 for Sentimental Value, Joachim lays out how he sets up his themes, characters, conflicts and narrative authority in the first few pages.
We also look at Joachim's process of developing stories with his co-writer Eskil Vogt, and answer listener questions on endings, casting, and work-life balance.
In our bonus segment for premium members, Joachim and John flip through how we present screenplays on screen, why Joachim translates his scripts in pre-production, and the one little detail you might not have noticed in Sentimental Value.
Links:
Sentimental Value | Screenplay
Joachim Trier
Notorious (1946)
The Lindy Effect
Chris Ware
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
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
Scriptnotes on Instagram
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Jeff Hoeppner & Richard Kraft (send us yours!)
Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.
Email us at [email protected]
You can download the episode here.