Scriptnotes Podcast 731 - Avoidance and Other Anti-Quests
Apr 14, 2026
They flip motivation and ask what characters are actually running from. They trace avoidance through film and TV examples, showing how fear and love shape arcs. They debate whether a screenplay page equals a minute and follow up on WGA rules, residuals after death, and writing with a romantic partner. They also spotlight a cryptic word game and a nuanced take on AI.
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Avoidant Protagonists Force Change
- Avoidant protagonists create stronger arcs because they must change to face what they fear.
- Craig Mazin contrasts fear-driven avoidance with love-driven action, citing Luke Skywalker and The Last of Us' Bill and Frank.
Carl From Up As An Avoidant Lead
- John August uses Carl from Up as an exemplar avoidant character who shuts out the world after his wife's death.
- The film forces Carl into situations (balloon journey, obstacles) that break his avoidance and create the story.
Finding Nemo And Whiplash As Avoidance Stories
- Craig Mazin recounts Marlon from Finding Nemo and Whiplash's protagonist as fear-driven: Marlon avoids loss, the drummer avoids ordinariness.
- Both films reveal avoidance as the true engine of their apparent quests.
