Free Daily Podcast Summary
Scriptnotes Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by John August and Craig Mazin
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.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 days ago1h 30m
758 - Revisiting The Dropout
What are storytellers' responsibilities when it comes to real-life figures? How much fiction can you blend with fact? You Can See Everything is the latest film exploring Elizabeth Holmes, the fascinating and singular Theranos founder. In light of its cultural moment, this week we revisit episode 546, where John is joined by Liz Meriwether and Liz Hannah to discuss their own Liz Holmes series, The Dropout, starring Amanda Seyfried. No spoilers in the main show, but in our mega-bonus segment for premium subscribers, John, Craig, Drew, Meredith and Lauren have a spoiler-filled roundtable discussion of their You Can See Everything experiences. Unsurprisingly, Craig has strong opinions. Download the episode here! Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Gloom Canyon (send us yours!) Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
- 1 weeks ago54 min
757 - Nerding Out on Story with Andrew Stanton
John and Craig welcome a long-awaited guest: Andrew Stanton, writer-director behind many beloved Pixar films including Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., WALL-E, and the Toy Story franchise. They talk about making sequels, Andrew's approach to storytelling, and the ways that Pixar shook up the typical Disney formula. (For example, Pixar's take on villains.) In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, the three discuss directing other people's writing, as well as working in TV versus features. Links: Andrew Stanton's 2012 TED Talk Cool Hand Luke How many shots are in the average movie today? by Stephen Follows Download the episode here! Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!) Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
- 2 weeks ago53 min
756 - Archetypes
Since the dawn of storytelling, there have been archetypes. What aspects of archetypes are actually useful for writers? And how do we move beyond tropes to create complex characters? Pick a card, any card! John and Craig play around with the upcoming Creator Character Kit. They draw archetype cards and imagine multifaceted characters that embody those qualities. In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig talk home cinema hardware: screens and projectors. Links: Character Creator Kit L.A. World's "The One Street that Explains LA" Download the episode here! Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!) Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
- 3 weeks ago1h 28m
755 - Directing Your Writing
What changes when you take off your writer hat and put on your director hat? In this compendium episode, John, Craig, and Scriptnotes coordinator Lauren Loesberg review directing advice previously given on the podcast. John and Craig offer Lauren pointers on directing her next project. They also answer a listener question about directing actors "on the page." In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, we discuss film festivals. Why would writers go? And what can you expect to get out of the experience? Links: Three Page Challenge Fruit Fly by Josh Silver Mailbox Toluca Lake Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn Download the episode here! Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!) Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
- Sep 29, 202653 min
754 - East of Eden with Zoe Kazan
John welcomes writer and actress Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks, The Big Sick, She Said) to talk about her sweeping and thorough reimagining of East of Eden, releasing on Netflix on October 1st. They discuss her approach to period piece dialogue, the process of adapting such an expansive novel, and the family history behind this particular project. Rich with biblical parallels, East of Eden is a perfect story for a discussion of archetypes. John invites Zoe to pull cards from the upcoming Character Creator Kit in a conversation about the iconic East of Eden antagonist, Cathy. In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John asks Zoe about her experience growing up with two screenwriter parents. Links: Writer Emergency Pack: Character Creator Kit why I can't stop thinking about Papua New Guinea by Daniel Frank Download the episode here! Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Adam Pineless (send us yours!) Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
- Sep 22, 20261h 6m
753 - The One with Aaron Sorkin
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 outlines? Where does he begin? And does he have any more ideas? All these questions and more will be answered. John also presents a couple of Sorkin's own scenes as a case study on writing conflict. In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, we discuss Sorkin's projects that never got produced. Now you see it… now you don't. Links: The West Wing – Donna & Josh Conversation The Social Network – Do I have your full attention? Surf Dracula Download the episode here! Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!) Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
- Sep 15, 20261h 13m
752 - General Meetings
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 you've had about general meetings, over the years: What are they? What's discussed? And how do you get one? In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig swap stories about their best, worst, and first general meetings. Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Nick Moore (send us yours!) Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
- Sep 8, 20261h 0m
751 - Assembling a Career with Erin Gibson
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, smart timing, and the universal currency of comedy. John seeks her insight on going with the flow. John and Erin answer listener questions about connecting with reps, sorting through your idea bank, and managing your emotions while writing. They also encourage listeners to praise colleagues and strangers. Just send the email! In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John talks to Erin about moving out of LA "before it was cool." Links: Attitudes! Podcast Gay of Thrones Feminasty Zach Cregger's "Elf Draft" Concept Tuffy's Tug-O-War Dog Toy Agnes Pelton The Wax Child by Olga Ravn Get your copy of The Scriptnotes Book and become a Scriptnotes Premium member today! For more content on the craft of writing check out Inneresting our weekly-ish newsletter about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters. Scriptnotes is produced by Meredith Stedman and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Our coordinator is Lauren Loesberg. Outro by Matt Gillespie (send us yours!). Email us at ask@johnaugust.com
Get Scriptnotes Podcast summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
The Town with Matthew Belloni
A Hollywood insider explores the business and power dynamics behind movies, TV, and streaming with executives, dealmakers, and journalists.
Off The Shelf with Morgann Book
A weekly conversation with authors, actors, and creatives about how stories are developed and adapted from books to screen.
School of Hollywood
Steve Owens
The Filmcast
Film critics and guests discuss recent movies, TV shows, and entertainment news with analysis and debate.
Brian Breaks Character
A spiritual guide for creatives seeking purpose and abundance through conversations with artists, activists, and unconventional thinkers.
Dead Pilots Society
Unproduced TV pilot scripts are performed by知名 actors in live table reads hosted by industry insiders.
Eyes On: How Hollywood Works
Conversations with film and TV crew members reveal the craft, collaboration, and realities behind movie-making.
Unspooled
Two film enthusiasts analyze classic and contemporary movies, breaking down scenes, characters, and cultural impact.
And Just Like That...The Writers Room
A writer and her team dissect each episode of a TV series, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and script insights.
School of Motion Podcast
Interviews with motion designers, animators, and 3D artists exploring creativity, software techniques, and the business of design.
Hollywood & Levine
A comedic take on entertainment, pop culture, and screenwriting from a veteran writer and broadcaster.
The Peterman Pod
Career stories from a former Instagram Staff engineer to help software developers grow.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Scriptnotes Podcast in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Scriptnotes Podcast daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Scriptnotes Podcast as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Scriptnotes Podcast podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Scriptnotes Podcast product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by John August and Craig Mazin.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Scriptnotes Podcast release new episodes?
Scriptnotes Podcast publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Scriptnotes Podcast cover?
Scriptnotes Podcast covers topics including Film, TV & Film. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Scriptnotes Podcast summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.