Scriptnotes Podcast

John welcomes writer and director Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value, The Worst Person in the World) to ask, how do you introduce your characters and their world to the audience? Using the screenplay for Sentimental Value, Joachim lays out how he sets up his themes, characters, conflicts and narrative authority in the first few pages.
We also look at Joachim's process of developing stories with his co-writer Eskil Vogt, and answer listener questions on endings, casting, and work-life balance.
In our bonus segment for premium members, Joachim and John flip through how we present screenplays on screen, why Joachim translates his scripts in pre-production, and the one little detail you might not have noticed in Sentimental Value.
Links:
Sentimental Value | Screenplay
Joachim Trier
Notorious (1946)
The Lindy Effect
Chris Ware
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
Scriptnotes on Instagram
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Jeff Hoeppner & Richard Kraft (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 Craig ask, what makes a useful comp? Writers often use comparisons when pitching or discussing projects, but what separates good comps from bad comps, why do we use them, and when do comps hurt more than they help? Basically, it's The Studio meets My Dinner with Andre.
We also follow up on orality and "film by" credits, answer listener questions on getting AI feedback and attaching an actor to a microbudget feature, plus bring you another installment of John Recently Learned.
In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig are having weird issues with their email servers and need your help!
Links:
The Sheep Detectives trailer
The Great Gazoo
Ben Turpin
The Party (1968)
Fulla Regrets on Instagram
Kitty Carlisle
Bobbie Wygant interviews Jodie Foster by Jack Plotnick on Instagram
Catherine O'Hara dies via Variety
Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
Scriptnotes on Instagram
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Pete White (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 Craig ask, are screenwriters just oral storytellers who happen to write things down? They compare the literate and oral markers of the medium, how it separates screenplays from other literary forms, and consider whether screenplays are just one long pitch.
We also look at the upcoming WGA member meetings, follow up on having enough time in the edit bay, Steve Jobs, Eva Victor, justifiable Dad pride, and answer listener questions on deliverables and what makes a script "undeniable."
In our bonus segment for premium members, we look at the incredible slate of upcoming movies and make predictions for the 2026 box office.
Links:
Steve Jobs' email to himself
How Will the Miracle Happen Today? by Kevin Kelly
Havelock's orality tester
Quantum computing for lawyers by JP Aumasson
Swoop
Inhibiting a master regulator of aging regenerates joint cartilage in mice by Krista Conger
The Sheep Detectives trailer
Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
Scriptnotes on Instagram
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Jennifer Lucy Cook (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 Craig welcome the actor-writer-director of the acclaimed indie Sorry, Baby to discuss preparing to direct your first feature.
Eva Victor's year-long bootcamp included reverse-shotlisting movies, shadowing other directors, and lots of visual development. It earned them Best Directorial Debut by the National Board of Review.
We also examine how Eva chose which scenes to cut, answer a listener question on how to talk to actors, and follow up on some excellent reviews of the Scriptnotes Book.
In our bonus segment for premium members (like Eva!), Eva revisits their early career to think about how short-form video intersects with Hollywood.
Links:
Sorry, Baby
Read the Sorry, Baby screenplay
Eva vs. Anxiety
Eva's straight pride parade video on X
Demetri Papadimitropoulos's review of the Scriptnotes Book
Certain Women
I Saw the TV Glow
Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert
Vancouver SkyTrain
Nutella mini jars
rainymood.com
Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
Scriptnotes on Instagram
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Nick Moore (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 welcomes back Susanna Fogel and David Iserson (The Spy Who Dumped Me) to steal their secrets on creating an original tone in their new series PONIES. They look at how the writers room was built to match their sensibilities, using characters to anchor the audience, and what it takes to sell and produce an original period TV series in 2026.
We also talk about the pros and cons of filming in Budapest, and answer listener questions on trusting your judgement, recognizing your talent, differentiating character voices, and whether spec pilots are out of fashion.
In our bonus segment for premium members, Susanna and David look at how our taste develops, including what we can learn about taste from The Beatles.
Links:
PONIES Trailer | On Peacock January 15th
Susanna Fogel and David Iserson
The last time Susanna and David were on the show (Episode 361)
The Work of Art by Adam Moss
So You Want to De-Bog Yourself by Adam Mastroianni
Procreate emulators True Grit and Retro Supply Co.
International Society of Character Artists' character resolution 2026
The Plague (2025)
The Taste Gap by Ira Glass
Get your copy of the Scriptnotes book!
Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
Become a Scriptnotes Premium member, or gift a subscription
Subscribe to Scriptnotes on YouTube
Scriptnotes on Instagram
John August on Bluesky and Instagram
Outro by Matthew Chilelli (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.