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
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Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
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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 ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

The Bodyguard

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