Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

Apr 28, 2020

John hosts a discussion with writer/director Sam Esmail as a part of the Showrunner Sessions at the WGA. Sam describes his aversion to writing, where his inspiration comes from, and how he learned to run a room.

We also dig into craft, talking about parentheticals and mastering the tension between creating mystery...


Apr 21, 2020

John and Craig welcome screenwriter Mike Makowsky to discuss the process of turning a story from the news into a movie and how he drew on real life experiences to create his upcoming film, Bad Education.

We also follow up on writing with neurological trauma, trailblazing female screenwriters, and answer listener...


Apr 16, 2020

John and Craig host another Scriptnotes Livestream Show with special guest Dana Fox (Isn’t It Romantic, Couples Retreat). They discuss her new show, Home Before Dark, and her thoughts on why creating a feeling is so important to developing television shows.

Then we hold a Three Page Challenge and we invite each of...


Apr 14, 2020

John and Craig take a step back to discuss what screenwriting actually is and explore its evolution. They cover the history of screenwriting, the construction of a scene, and what new and old writers need to keep in mind about the craft.

We also cover how to approach ‘No Writing Left Behind’ during the time of...


Apr 7, 2020

John and Craig enlist Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve) and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, The Nines) to break the fourth wall on our first-ever live video Scriptnotes. We discuss when to address the camera, why Deadpool 2 is the saddest movie to watch on a flight, and how to take notes as an actor/writer.

Then we...