Scriptnotes Podcast 722 - Orality, or Writing to be Spoken
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Jan 27, 2026 They debate whether screenplays are basically spoken storytelling captured on the page and run an orality tester on scripts. They compare movie and TV production rhythms and argue for more editor time in post. They unpack humility and help through Steve Jobs and Kevin Kelly links. They highlight an intriguing cartilage-regeneration study and a quantum computing primer.
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Screenwriting Is Fundamentally Oral
- Screenwriting is more oral than other prose because most of its text is written to be spoken aloud, not just dialogue.
- That orality shapes grammar, rhythm, and present-tense description on the page.
Network TV's Fast-Food Assembly Line
- Craig describes the fast, assembly-line schedule of network TV that forces rushed writing and editing.
- He calls those who produce quality under that pressure "magicians" and laments the creative cost.
Prioritize Editor Time In Scheduling
- Protect editors' time; prioritize giving editors more time over extending director time.
- Lobby producers and AMPTP through showrunners and IATSE, since guild boundaries limit who can negotiate this.
