Scriptnotes
Two A-list screenwriters dissect the craft and business of writing for film and television, often with equally high-profile guests.
A masterclass in screenwriting from two writers at the top of their game. The show blends deep dives into specific craft elements (like character competence vs. confidence) with practical career advice and insider commentary on the state of Hollywood. Because the hosts are active, successful writers, their analysis is grounded in current, real-world experience, making it a vital resource for professionals and serious aspirants.
“Unlike many educational podcasts, Scriptnotes is a conversation between peers, not a lecture. The hosts' A-list status grants them unparalleled access to other top-tier talent and provides a level of immediate, credible insight that is rare in the space.”
Who hosts this show
Scriptnotes is a weekly podcast hosted by working screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin. August is known for films like *Go* and *Big Fish*, while Mazin is the Emmy-winning creator of HBO's *Chernobyl* and *The Last of Us*. Together, they offer a peer-to-peer discussion on screenwriting craft, analyze industry trends, and interview other top writers and directors, drawing from a catalog of over 700 episodes.
Credentials & credits
- John August: Screenwriter (Go, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Aladdin)
- Craig Mazin: Creator/Writer (Chernobyl, The Last of Us)
- Craig Mazin: Screenwriter (The Hangover Part II & III, Identity Thief)
- John August: Director (The Nines)
- John August: Author (Arlo Finch series)
- John August: WGAw Valentine Davies Award recipient (2016)
Other ventures
- John August: johnaugust.com (screenwriting blog)
- John August: Quote-Unquote Apps (develops software like Highland)
- John August: Writer Emergency Pack (card game)
- Craig Mazin: Co-chair of the WGA credits committee
- Scriptnotes: The Book
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Competence & Confidence in ScreenwritingJun 26, 2026 · 1 min
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07Scriptnotes | The Devil You Know (Full Episode)May 22, 2026 · 1h 19m
- 08On the Page | Something Very Bad is Going to HappenApr 23, 2026 · 3 min
Notable episodes
- 01Episode 636: The Devil You Know
A classic example of the show's format, where the hosts and guest Aline Brosh McKenna invent fictional sequels to discuss real-world industry topics like marketing, audience, and AI-generated content.
- 02On the Page | Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
This segment with Haley Z. Boston showcases the podcast's ability to do granular, page-level craft analysis, demonstrating how formatting and word choice create a writer's voice.
- 03Episode 640: On Competence
A representative example of a host-only 'deep dive' episode, where John and Craig analyze a single screenwriting concept (the interplay of character competence and confidence) using examples from film.
What you'll be asked on this show
Interviews are not formal Q&As but highly conversational, peer-to-peer discussions. The hosts and guest often build on each other's points, share personal anecdotes, and use hypotheticals (like discussing fictional movie sequels) to explore real industry topics. Rather than a fixed set of questions, the conversation follows the guest's specific work and expertise, with the hosts using their own experience to probe deeper into craft and career decisions.
The format is a two-host conversation, frequently joined by a guest for an interview or discussion. Episodes mix analysis of specific screenwriting concepts, listener Q&As, and recurring segments like 'One Cool Thing'. The tone is a blend of rigorous craft analysis and casual, often humorous, industry banter.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
5 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
craft
2- Q.01
“Would you be willing to read the first page of your script for us?”
Used in their 'On the Page' segment to kick off a micro-level analysis of a writer's craft and voice.
- Q.02
“How do you define the 'engine' of your show?”
Aimed at showrunners, this question gets at the core repeatable element that allows a series to generate stories.
origin
2- Q.01
“What was the 'why now' for this project?”
This question seeks to uncover the thematic urgency or timeliness that propelled a project forward.
- Q.02
“Can you walk us through the original pitch?”
Asked to understand the core thematic and character ideas before they evolved through the writing process.
process
1- Q.01
“How much did the final script change from the initial pitch?”
This traces the script's journey, revealing how ideas are refined, changed, or abandoned during development.
Signature segments
- · One Cool Thing
- · Three-Page Challenge
- · On the Page
- · Listener Questions
- · The Stuart Special (Flash-forwards)
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are almost exclusively A-list screenwriters, showrunners, and directors who are peers of the hosts. The show books people like Aline Brosh McKenna, David E. Kelley, and Courtney Kemp to discuss their process and careers at a high level.
- Aline Brosh McKennaon The Devil You Know
- Haley Z. Bostonon On the Page | Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
- David E. Kelleyon David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Margo’s Got Money Troubles) on how to turn a book into a TV show
- Courtney Kempon Courtney Kemp, creator of the POWER franchise, on how she would break into the industry today.
- Phil Hayon Phil Hay (Destroyer, Ride Along) on navigating tricky disagreements between writers and directors
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is ad-free and listener-supported, primarily through a premium subscription that provides access to the extensive back catalog of over 700 episodes. This model allows the hosts complete editorial freedom.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
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You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.
People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Scriptnotes?
- The podcast is hosted by John August (screenwriter of *Big Fish*, *Go*) and Craig Mazin (creator of HBO's *Chernobyl* and *The Last of Us*).
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, new episodes are released weekly on Tuesdays.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a weekly conversational podcast that mixes two-host discussions on craft, interviews with other professional writers, and answers to listener questions.
- How can I listen to the back catalog?
- The 20 most recent episodes are free, while the full back catalog of over 700 episodes is available to premium subscribers at scriptnotes.net.
- Who is this podcast for?
- It's made for screenwriters and anyone interested in the film and television industry, but its discussions on storytelling are valuable for any creative professional.
- Where can I find transcripts?
- Transcripts for all episodes are available for free on johnaugust.com, typically posted a week after the episode airs.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Scriptnotes - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [02]Scriptnotes | johnaugust.comjohnaugust.com
- [03]John August - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [04]Craig Mazin - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]About John Augustjohnaugust.com
- [06]Scriptnotes Premiumscriptnotes.supportingcast.fm
- [07]Craig Mazin - Penguin Bookspenguinrandomhouse.com
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