John and Craig investigate our primal instincts and how they motivate our characters. Often referred to as the four F’s, these are the impulses hardwired into every animal in order to survive. But how do these base impulses guide a character’s behavior? And how can they be harnessed to make sure you don’t overcomplicate your character’s want?

We also look at impermanence in our digital world and the ways people are trying to preserve lost media. But first we answer listener questions on comics, digital de-aging, and closed captions.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we ask: why are we better swimmers as kids than we are as adults?

Links:

• Can’t Hear the Dialogue in Your Streaming Show? You’re Not Alone by Brian X. Chen for the New York Times
• No, You Do Not Have a Lizard Brain Inside Your Human Brain from Mind Matters
• Prey Drive
• Scriptnotes, Episode 364 – Netflix Killed the Video Store
• The Dream Was Universal Access to Knowledge. The Result Was a Fiasco by David Streitfeld for the New York Times
• Baldur’s Gate 3
• Tweet by Chris Miller
• Hydrostatic Life Vests
• British Airways safety video
• Highland 2
• Writer Emergency Pack XL
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram
• John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter
• John on Mastodon
• Outro by Adam Pineless (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and is edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John answers the most common questions he hears out on the picket line, including the nervous, “Wait, why are you here? Is something wrong?”

Links:

• wgacontract2023.org
• It’s All Relative on YouTube
• Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses
• 2023 WGA Strike Rules
• Strike Rules FAQ
• Picket Schedules and Locations
• Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org
• John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John and Craig examine the foundation of every story: the premise. What is your story really about? What questions is it trying to answer? How does that differ from your logline? And what should writers do to make sure those things match up?

We also follow up on AI copyright, physical media, Esperanto and lingua franca. We then answer listener questions on the usefulness of “Fade in,” what studios actually do, and whether or not to put spec scripts on your website.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig reminisce about the highs and lows of going back to school.

Links:

• AI-Created Art Isn’t Copyrightable, Judge Says in Ruling That Could Give Hollywood Studios Pause by Winston Cho for The Hollywood Reporter
• Thaler v. Perlmutter
• The Mandalorian, Loki, And WandaVision Are Getting Limited Edition 4K And Blu-Ray Releases by Ryan Scott for Slash Film
• Lingua franca
• Where Story Begins – Premise by Michael Tabb for Script Magazine
• The premise, or what’s the point? by John August
• We Need to See More Parents Having Abortions in Film and Television by Danielle Campoamor for Marie Claire
• Dungeons & Dragons: Trials of Tempus
• Highland 2
• Writer Emergency Pack XL
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram
• John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter
• John on Mastodon
• Outro by Adam Pineless (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and is edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John and Drew inspect the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed merger guidelines and why they’re important for everybody – not just writers – to read and comment on.

Links:

• FTC and DOJ Seek Comment on Draft Merger Guidelines by the Federal Trade Commission
• Publicly Comment on the FTC Draft Merger Guidelines
• WGA Template and Call to Action
• FTC proposes new merger guidelines by John August
• Financial Interest and Syndication (Fin-Syn) Rules on Wikipedia
• Paramount Decree on Wikipedia
• Picket hours and information
• 2023 WGA Strike Rules
• Strike Rules FAQ
• Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org
• John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

With union elections on the horizon, John and Drew present an overview of the voting process and governing structures of the WGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA.

Links:

• SAG-AFTRA 2023 Elections and Voter Guides
• SAG-AFTRA Governance
• DGA Leadership
• WGAw 2023 Elections
• WGAe 2023 Elections
• Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org
• John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John and Craig welcome guests Quinta Brunson, Rachel Bloom and Natasha Lyonne to join them for a live benefit for Hollywood HEART. Since they cannot discuss the shows they’re currently working on (strike rules!) they instead reflect on the surprising paths of their careers, how acting has influenced them as writers and directors, and how much is learned at every step of production.

We’re also joined by AMPTP spokesperson Nancy Sullivan to discuss our concerns with the ongoing strike, what she enjoys about her job, and why she finds it so fulfilling!

Big thanks to our live audience, the staff of Dynasty Typewriter, and everyone at Hollywood Heart for putting the event together.

Links:

• HollywoodHEART
• Quinta Brunson on IMDb and Instagram
• Rachel Bloom on IMDb and Instagram
• Natasha Lyonne on IMDb and Instagram
• Quinta Brunson’s The Girl Who’s Never Been on a Nice Date
• Quinta Brunson on BuzzFeed
• Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Show at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York City
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram
• John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter
• John on Mastodon
• Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!)
• Our ASL interpreter was Elliott Aronson
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

On the 100th day of striking against the AMPTP, John heads to the picket line to speak with writers about what they’ve learned, how they’re feeling, and what has changed.

Thanks to everyone who talked to us!

Links:

• 2023 WGA Writer’s Strike Gallery by J. W. Hendricks
• Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses
• Updated picket hours and information
• 2023 WGA Strike Rules
• Strike Rules FAQ
• Picket Schedules and Locations
• Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org
• John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John and Craig ponder the nature of words and what gives them meaning. Using new information on how large language models function, they look at the dizzying amount of connections words can create with other words, between humans, and their profound effect on the nature of consciousness. We promise we’re not high.

We also follow up on racist characters before answering listener questions on balancing deadlines with an artistic process and our ideal press junket questions.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig reflect on the impact left on them by the art and life of Sinéad O’Conner.

Links:

• Scriptnotes LIVE! at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles benefitting HollywoodHEART
• Weekend Read 2, now available on MacOS.
• Large language models, explained with a minimum of math and jargon by Timothy B Lee and Sean Trott
• Word Vectors
• Decrypto
• Matt Gaffney’s Weekly Crossword Contest
• This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
• Sinéad O’Connor – Troy (Live At The Dominion Theatre, 1988)
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram
• John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter
• John on Mastodon
• Outro by Jake Weisblat (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.

The AMPTP has reached out to set a meeting with the WGA. What does this mean? How should we feel? And can John find a metaphor for it?

Links:

• WGA Announcements: Discussion with AMPTP about Negotiations
• Scriptnotes LIVE! At Dynasty Typewriter
• Writing Is Our Home by WGA Negotiating Committee Co-Chair Chris Keyser
• Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses
• Updated picket hours and information
• 2023 WGA Strike Rules
• Strike Rules FAQ
• Picket Schedules and Locations
• Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org
• John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

John has opinions on the AMPTP’s new assertion that the studios are bearing all the risk when it comes to making a movie or a series, and therefore should be receiving all the reward.

Links:

• AMPTP response to SAG-AFTRA
• ‘Idiots’: Wall Street Analysts Unload on Hollywood by Claire Atkinson for The Ankler
• Summary of Negotiations: WGA proposals and AMPTP responses
• Updated picket hours and information
• 2023 WGA Strike Rules
• Strike Rules FAQ
• Picket Schedules and Locations
• Find more about the 2023 WGA negotiations here at WGAContract2023.org
• John on Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.