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Scriptnotes Podcast

John August and Craig Mazin
Screenwriting
Hollywood
Character Development
Film Industry
Chernobyl
Scriptnotes
Three Page Challenge
Big Fish
Moneyball
Scriptnotes Book
Artificial Intelligence
Billy Beane
Satan
Structure
Puzzle Box Storytelling
Severance
Storytelling
Brad Pitt
Clueless
Rosemary's Baby

Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and related topics in the film and television industry, everything from getting stuff written to the vagaries of copyright and work-for-hire law.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes40Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
TV & Film

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Artwork for Scriptnotes Podcast

Latest Episodes

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 compe... more

John and Craig welcome writer and showrunner David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Ally McBeal) to look at his process for adapting books to TV, particularly with his latest series Margo's Got Money Troubles. They explore where to find your act breaks, c... more

John welcomes writer and showrunner Courtney Kemp (Power, Nemesis) to ask, how do you find an audience and build momentum on television? They look at how writers can match their voice to an underserved audience, the pitfalls of being boxed in by a ni... more

John welcomes back Phil Hay (Destroyer, The Invitation) to ask, how do you get a movie made with independent financing? They look at how indie movies get made, where you get the money, deciding when to go indie, and whether streamers complicate the p... more

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Recent Guests

David E. Kelley
Creator of numerous TV series; Emmy-winning writer-producer
Margo's Got Money Troubles; Goliath; The Lincoln Lawyer; etc.
Episode: 739 - The One with David E. Kelley
Courtney Kemp
Creator of Power; showrunner and writer
Power Universe (Starz/Power); Nemesis
Episode: 738 - Building Your Audience with Courtney Kemp
Phil Hay
Filmmaker and screenwriter, frequent collaborator with Matt Manfredi
Studio/Independent Films
Episode: 737 - Studio-Adjacent
Aline Brosh McKenna
Screenwriter, The Devil Wears Prada 2
Episode: 736 - The Devil You Know
Katie Dippold
Writer known for The Heat, Ghostbusters, and Widow's Bay
Widow's Bay (AppleTV+/Apple TV)
Episode: 734 - A Box Full of Teeth
Ali Barthwell
Writer for Last Week Tonight; author; educator
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Second City; Columbia College Chicago
Episode: 733 - Learning Comedy
Haley Z. Boston
Writer and creator/showrunner of The Excellent, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
The Excellent, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
Episode: 732 - Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
Mike Johnston
Vice President of the Northwest Screenwriters Guild
Northwest Screenwriters Guild
Episode: 730 - A Frank Conversation About Screenwriting
Drew Goddard
Writer with credits including Cloverfield, Cabin in the Woods, The Martian, Daredevil, High Potential, and Project Hail Mary
Episode: 728 - Beats to Scenes with Drew Goddard

Hosts

John August
Host of Scriptnotes, writer and producer with a long-running focus on screenwriting and industry topics
Craig Mazin
Co-host; writer-director known for major genre and streaming projects; discusses screenwriting, industry dynamics, and craft

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 4.5k ratings
  • From a French fan <3

    I love u guys! Listening to your podcast from Paris, France 😊 You’re inspiring me every week. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NKTS
    Francea month ago
  • I keep freaking falling for it

    I think they’re going to talk about something important related to craft, pitching, etc. and then I have to listen to thirty minutes of discussion about when to proofread an email.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Amuletmood
    United States5 months ago
  • Engaging and informative

    One of my four must-listen-weekly shows

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mat Everywhere
    Australia7 months ago
  • Film. Not politics.

    Was very excited for this podcast. Unfortunately the crazy swerve into how “truth social is a funny way to lie” was it for me. I’m not even a republican. It’s a toxic us vs them landscape and I won’t have any part of it.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    J. Rousal
    United States9 months ago
  • Always Inneresting

    I love these guys. They are enormously generous, critical of entities that harm or manipulate writers, and marry experience with theory. It does take time to find its rhythm and I really had to let Craig grow on me (mostly by just disagreeing with his articulation, not his feelings) but once that happened, the podcast became an easy daily fixture on my evening walks. The Dennis Palumbo and Aline Brosh McKenna episodes are particularly great and replay-able and I’m excited to buy the book when it... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vishnu228
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few listeners wish for more balanced treatment of politics and faster pacing
Listeners appreciate the approachable, no-nonsense breakdowns of complex industry topics
Hosts deliver insider knowledge with engaging debates
Craft-focused and practical for writers
Guests and topics are diverse and highly relevant to screenwriters

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#104
United States/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#57
Canada/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#74
United Kingdom/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#53
Australia/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#75
Germany/TV & Film
Apple Podcasts
#211
France/TV & Film

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

738 - Building Your Audience with Courtney Kemp
Q: Was there a why-now for Nemesis when Kemp pitched it?
There wasn't a conventional currency of the moment; Nemesis was pitched as a singular eight-episode, high-concept project with a focus on momentum and a strong reason for the audience to stay invested from the outset.
738 - Building Your Audience with Courtney Kemp
Q: How important is having a clear why-now for a project?
Why-now is less important for long development cycles; instead, articulate why the story must be told now and why you are uniquely suited to tell it (why me).
738 - Building Your Audience with Courtney Kemp
Q: How transparent should you be with your reps about your financial struggles?
Courtney Kemp emphasizes not sharing personal financial distress with reps because it rarely speeds opportunities and can create a negative feedback loop; instead, focus on concrete deals and timelines, and let your attorney handle sensitive negotiations.
737 - Studio-Adjacent
Q: Joey in North Carolina asks about the number of themes in a feature and how to avoid overfilling a script with ideas.
The hosts suggest anchoring themes to the protagonist's core conflicts and treating themes as questions with multiple valid answers, ensuring each scene or sequence stays on theme rather than every single moment.
735 - The Flashforward Fallback
Q: What makes a strong flash forward, and when should you use one?
A strong flash forward should have a clear purpose that adds to the story's frame, create a debt that will be paid off, and recontextualize what the audience already knows in a way that feels earned rather than purely gimmick.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Scriptnotes Podcast

What is Scriptnotes Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, craft-forward discussion about screenwriting, filmmaking, and the business of entertainment. Episodes routinely unpack storytelling technique, structure, and character in film and TV, with deep dives into topics like time jumps, beats-to-scenes, endings, and navigating industry dynamics such as notes, writer rooms, and guild negotiations. Noteworthy are the guests—seasoned writers, directors, and showrunners—who share real-world experience, behind-the-scenes insights, and career lessons, making it a go-to for those aiming to break in or level up as writers, directors, or producers. The format blends rigorous technique with candid industry context, often elevating practical advice over theoretical discussion and featuring long-r... more

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How many listeners does Scriptnotes Podcast get?

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How many subscribers and views does Scriptnotes Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Scriptnotes Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Scriptnotes Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Scriptnotes Podcast:

1. The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
2. The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast
3. The No Film School Podcast
4. Team Deakins
5. IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

How many episodes of Scriptnotes Podcast are there?

Scriptnotes Podcast launched 15 years ago and published 40 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Scriptnotes Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on Scriptnotes Podcast?

Recent guests on Scriptnotes Podcast include:

1. David E. Kelley
2. Courtney Kemp
3. Phil Hay
4. Aline Brosh McKenna
5. Katie Dippold
6. Ali Barthwell
7. Haley Z. Boston
8. Mike Johnston

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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