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.

John welcomes back Pamela Ribon (My Year of Dicks, Moana) to talk about how to fit the right characters to your story. We know story comes from characters, but often an idea starts with a world, so how do writers find the right characters to build their story around?

We also talk about writing for animation, working in reality TV and the forgotten art of television recapping. We then answer listener questions about choosing a character’s sex and gender, and gauging page count from an outline.

And in our bonus segment for premium members, we explore Pamela’s own podcast, Listen to Sassy, about the greatest teen magazine of all time.

Links:

• Pamela Ribon on IMDb
• Listen To Sassy
• Television Without Pity
• Get Real (1999-2000) on IMDb
• How to Hire a Pop Star for Your Private Party by Evan Osnos for The New Yorker
• The Secret to Judd Apatow’s Comedy? A Huge Library of Self-Help Books by Clay Skipper
• Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Instagram
• John August on Twitter
• John on Instagram
• John on Mastodon
• Outro by Adam Pineless (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.

John and Drew take a look at SAG-AFTRA’s summary of negotiations to see what was asked for, what was offered, and what writers need to know. They also share insights on SAG-AFTRA’s new captain system.

Links:

• SAG-AFTRA Summary of Negotiations
• SAG-AFTRA Strike Information Portal
• kate bond’s thread on Twitter
• 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 look at four tales of science, medicine and mayhem and ask, how would this be a movie? Stories include a catatonic woman who woke up after 20 years, a white supremacist transformed by MDMA, a drugged crypto lawyer, and an in-depth account of alien biology.

But first we have a very special announcement: Scriptnotes LIVE is back! We also follow-up on recent episodes before Drew and Halley look at statements John and Craig made years ago to see if either of them have changed their tune.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig discuss the changes that are coming to the world of Dungeons and Dragons with ONE D&D.

Links:

• Scriptnotes LIVE! at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles benefitting HollywoodHEART
• A catatonic woman awakened after 20 years. Her story may change psychiatry by Richard Sima for Stuff
• How a dose of MDMA transformed a white supremacist by Rachel Nuwer for BBC
• He Went After Crypto Companies. Then Someone Came After Him. by John Carreyrou for the New York Times
• Alien biology post on Reddit
• Awakenings and Lorenzo’s Oil
• Scriptnotes episodes 74, 176, 238 and 251.
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Larry Turman on IMDb and Wikipedia.
• Dan Goldberg on IMDb and Wikipedia.
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Instagram
• John August on Twitter
• John on Instagram
• John on Mastodon
• Outro by Jon Spurney (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt with help from Halley Lamberson, and edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at [email protected]

You can download the episode here.

On the first day of the the SAG-AFTRA strike, actors and writers on the picket lines tell us why this strike is so important to them and what advice they have for first-time picketers.

Featuring Jim Rash and SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee members Nicole Cyrille and Joseph Melendez. Thanks to everyone who talked to us!

Links:

• SAG-AFTRA Strike Notice to Members
• 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.