Scriptnotes Podcast 732 - Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
39 snips
Apr 21, 2026 Haley Z. Boston, writer and showrunner behind Something Very Bad is Going to Happen (credits include Cherry Flavor and Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities). She discusses evolving a snowy-wedding horror concept, running her first writers room, constructing terror on the page, handling mountains of notes, casting choices, on-set multitasking, and the feminist pull of the genre.
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Using Visual Voice To Hook Readers
- Haley's pilot opens with a wordless visual voice that teases a snowy wedding and a fallen cake, using rhythm and repeated stanzas to pull readers down the page.
- John praises the confident, directional use of Courier Prime, bolding, and short paragraphs to sustain curiosity without dialogue.
Idea Threading With Email Notes
- Haley came up with the snowy wedding image early and developed the story by writing emails to herself with themes, scenes, and dialogue over months.
- She often thinks while driving or showering, collects notes in one email thread, then sits down later to write when she has time.
Pitching To Producers And Landing Netflix
- Haley pitched the pilot widely to about a dozen producers, including the Duffers, who initially thought it felt like a movie until they read the script.
- The Duffers read it, wanted to produce, and their Netflix deal helped bring the series to Netflix.
