Best Screenwriting Podcasts (2026)

1
972. Dopamine on Demand 46:52

1h ago46:52

46:52

The "first five second rule" and "cliff hangers that force the swipe." Writer Isabel Dréan discusses her new book, How to Write a Vertical Series in Ten Days.

1
Ep. 423 - Rian Johnson - Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery 48:54

4h ago48:54

48:54

In our latest episode, Josephine Green Zhang speaks with screenwriter-director Rian Johnson (Knives Out, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) about crafting his latest film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, his own origin story, the art of the twist, and much more.

1
BPS 453: How to Build a Screenwriting Career That Actually Lasts with Bob Saenz 1:09:27

1d ago1:09:27

1:09:27

Bob Saenz shares a rare, honest look at what it means to build a long-term career as both an actor and screenwriter. From his early days in theater and television to writing studio films and Hallmark movies, Bob’s journey emphasizes craft over shortcuts. He explains how his time acting on Nash Bridges became a hands-on education in filmmaking, shap…

1
Are We In A Simulation? Matrix Analysis | State Of The Arc Podcast 1:46:06

20h ago1:46:06

1:46:06

What if we're all in The Matrix....? Are we in a simulation? How is the word "simulation" best defined? Thanks for watching, and don't forget to support us on Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc **We’re Now On Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3**Listen On Soundcloud**: https://soundcloud.com/resonantarc**Listen…

1
719 - When Good Enough Isn't Enough 1:10:02

4h ago1:10:02

1:10:02

John and Craig consider all the words they have to write and ask, how do you know when something deserves your best effort? They offer a useful rubric for deciding when something is worth perfecting, and when over-optimization is a waste of time. We also follow up on compulsive writing habits, industry euphemisms, back issues, and the impact and le…

1
SYS Podcast Episode – 540 From Shorts to Features with Filmmaker Miguel Duran 30:02

12h ago30:02

30:02

In this episode of the podcast, Ashley Scott Meyers talks with filmmaker Miguel Duran. Our guest, Miguel Duran is the Writer/Director of the road trip Rom-Com Adventure Tom (2025) and the Drama Monsoon (2018). They talk about his writing process and how making short films was part of his path to directing feature length movies. […]…

1
Write On: 'The Smashing Machine' Writer/Director Benny Safdie 45:15

16h ago45:15

45:15

Writer/Director/Actor/Editor Benny Safdie is known for defying expectations and using his sense of humor to make a splash. He even once showed up on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon dressed all in silver, including painted silver hair and skin. So when we sat down with Safdie over Zoom to talk about his latest movie The Smashing Machine, we weren…

1
971. Falling In Love With The Script 44:22

4d ago44:22

44:22

Hanelle Culpepper's career as a director spans dozens of series and a variety of genres. Here, she talks about her character-driven approach to directing and how she often "falls in love" with the script. She also discusses her latest project, "Red White and Blue" a series of short films inspired by the Bill of Rights.…

1
BPS 452: The Filmmaker Who Refused to Tap Out: The Making of Heel Kick! with Danny Mac 1:02:05

9d ago1:02:05

1:02:05

On this episode, we sit down with Danny Mac, a Canadian filmmaker, actor, and producer whose story is a masterclass in indie filmmaking grit. Best known for his mockumentary Heel Kick!, Danny proves that passion and persistence can turn any dream—no matter how outlandish—into cinematic reality. Without the luxury of film school or industry connecti…

1
The Paintress And The Monolith | Expedition 33 [Ep.6] | State Of The Arc Podcast 2:21:01

6d ago2:21:01

2:21:01

We play through the end of Act 2 and stop right at the very beginning of Act 3. This is where much of the games mystery is revealed and we can finally talk more openly about what's been going on in this game the whole time. We fight the Paintress and discover her secrets. Thanks for watching, and don't forget to support us on Patreon~ https://www.p…

1
Write On: 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Co-Writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver 40:37

6d ago40:37

40:37

"We try to answer two questions before we say yes to a job or embark on a spec script: Why does the protagonist need this movie? And the other is: Why tell this story other than to make money? That was our attitude going into Jurassic World. That was our attitude going into Avatar," says screenwriter Rick Jaffa about how he and his writing partner …

1
Episode 204: Stranger Things (Season 5, Vol. 2) 1:28:13

7d ago1:28:13

1:28:13

The BTS team explore the challenges of character arcs, emotional stakes, and the impact of online discourse on media reception. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/G1Mml7V-vQ0 Tricia's Coverage and Consulting: https://www.triciaaurand.com/ 🎬 Join our community! Head to the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠htt…

1
718 - No Worries if Not 1:06:04

7d ago1:06:04

1:06:04

John and Craig circle back on all the euphemisms and stock phrases that float around Hollywood. Using some favorite examples, they attempt to define and demystify the current industry-speak so everyone is looped in when we come up for air after the holidays. We also wrap-up 2025 with a look at Scriptnotes by the numbers, check-in on Disney's deal w…

1
Ep. 422 - Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox - Wicked: For Good 59:22

11d ago59:22

59:22

In this episode, host Susie Singer Carter talks with screenwriters Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox(Wicked) about collaborating on the hit film Wicked: For Good, the creative challenges adapting musicals from stage to screen, and much more.

1
970. 2025 Writing Year In Review 46:56

11d ago46:56

46:56

Career coach Lee Jessup returns to discuss the industry changes and writing trends of 2025 and shares what's ahead for the new year.

1
The Heart Of The Paintress | Expedition 33 [Ep.5] | State Of The Arc Podcast 1:44:02

11d ago1:44:02

1:44:02

Act 2 kicks off with a quest for the heart of the paintress. We meet Monocco and get to have a lot more fun before a very dark and unfortunate ending. We're glad you can join us as we discuss this roller coaster of emotions. Thanks for watching, and don't forget to support us on Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc **We’re Now On Spotify**:…

1
BPS 451: Making Movies Without Sight: Inside the Creative Mind of Gough 59:11

16d ago59:11

59:11

Every once in a while, a filmmaker comes along whose story redefines what’s possible. On today’s episode, we meet Gough, the world’s first legally blind filmmaker to write, produce, edit, direct, and star in a feature film. Based in Australia, Gough’s journey isn’t just about overcoming obstacles—it’s about rewriting the rules of what it means to c…

1
Patreon Preview: Wake Up Dead Man - A Knives Out Mystery 17:05

13d ago17:05

17:05

From of our patron-exclusive episode on Wake Up Dead Man. Listen to the full episode over on the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wake-up-dead-man-146114724 🎬 Beyond the Screenplay on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheScreenplay 🎬 Join our community! Head to the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

1
From Contest Quarterfinalist to Industry Meetings: A Screenwriter's Real Path Forward, Jack Cusick 34:36

15d ago34:36

34:36

What does it mean to "level up" as a screenwriter? Grounded sci-fi writer Jack Cusick breaks down the realities of building a screenwriting career, from mastering craft, to finding community, to finally stepping into real industry conversations. Jack shares how he fell in love with storytelling, why the structure of screenwriting sharpened his writ…

1
717 - The Screenwriting Life: The Craft Lessons That Matter Most 54:19

14d ago54:19

54:19

In a Christmas crossover event, John and Craig join Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) and Lorien McKenna (Tab Time) on their podcast, The Screenwriting Life. We talk about why rigid structure can miss the point, how theme emerges from character, what fear and denial really look like on the page, and how writers can survive rejection without letting it defin…

1
ISA Presents: How to Hook Agents & Producers, a roundtable with ISA Leadership 1:57:04

15d ago1:57:04

1:57:04

Join the ISA for an honest conversation about what agents & producers want & what you need to do to become the writer they're searching for. They're not just looking for potential. They're looking for proof. In this roundtable, we'll cover: What makes agents say yes (& what makes them pass immediately) The truth about what your script needs to be r…

1
The Smashing Machine with Benny Safdie 49:47

16d ago49:47

49:47

The thing about machines is that we expect them to keep chugging on – to never break or falter. In the late 1990s, a mixed martial artist named Mark Kerr found himself struggling to shoulder the weight of that expectation. Mark was a winner – a muscular behemoth beloved by fans of a rising new fighting league, called Ultimate Fighting Championship,…

1
Keeping the Fun in Filmmaking: Molly Ratermann's Creative Mindset | Emerging Screenwriter Interview 33:28

22d ago33:28

33:28

Writer–director–actor Molly Ratermann shares the wild, deeply personal, and inspiring story behind her debut feature film, "Making a Bridesmaid."By scott markus

1
969. Logline Competition 2025: Part 2 37:04

18d ago37:04

37:04

Pilar reads and gives feedback on the loglines that didn't make the top fifteen lists for the 2025 Logline Contest.

1
968. Logline Competition: 2025 1:29:34

18d ago1:29:34

1:29:34

Pilar and Aadip read, evaluate and vote on feature and TV loglines sent in by listeners. Which ones will win and which ones will make the "bonkers" list?

1
Friday Morning Coffee: Tamar Shapiro 31:00

18d ago31:00

31:00

Caitlin Malcuit reheats some of her favorite Friday Morning Coffee conversations from 2025 and finishes up her eighth year (!) as our host. Author Tamar Shapiro then joins Daniel Ford to chat about her novel Restitution. To learn more about Tamar Shapiro, visit her official website. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm.…

1
Urchin with Harris Dickinson 49:55

18d ago49:55

49:55

Today on Script Apart – Harris Dickinson: star of films like Babygirl and Triangle of Sadness, John Lennon in the upcoming Beatles biopics from Sam Mendes, and now, a formidable presence on the other side of the camera too. Urchin, the new drama written and directed by Harris, is a feature debut that “I cannot escape and I cannot forget,” to quote …

1
Ep. 421 - Chloé Zhao - Hamnet 34:24

19d ago34:24

34:24

In this episode, host Aaron Fullerton speaks with screenwriter-director Chloé Zhao(Eternals, Nomadland) about crafting her latest film Hamnet, the art of adaptation, where she finds creative inspiration, and much more.

1
BPS 450: From Video Games to the Big Screen: The Filmmaking Journey of Nicole Jones-Dion 36:44

23d ago36:44

36:44

Nicole Jones-Dion, a screenwriter, director, and producer, shared her unconventional path into filmmaking, beginning in the world of video games and comics before moving into film. Known for her work on projects like Tekken 2, Dracula: The Dark Prince, and the SyFy thriller They Found Hell, she has built a career in genre storytelling that blends s…

1
The Lost Bus with Brad Ingelsby 51:05

19d ago51:05

51:05

Today on Script Apart – all aboard a conversation about The Lost Bus, with a writer who’s glued me to my screen time and time again over the last few years. Brad Ingelsby is the creator of Mare Of Eastown starring Kate Winslet from back in the pandemic. He also created this year’s stunning Task – an HBO drama with Mark Ruffalo about an FBI agent in…

1
"Why... Why Are You Doing This?" | Expedition 33 [Ep.4] | State Of The Arc Podcast 1:05:40

20d ago1:05:40

1:05:40

We meet the man from the beach again, and things go poorly for the party. Act I ends and Act 2 begins without much hope. But we do meet a new character named Verso. The party has to regroup and move forward despite having even less chance than ever of completing their task. Thanks for watching, and don't forget to support us on Patreon~ https://www…

1
Hedda with Nia DaCosta 45:49

21d ago45:49

45:49

Aristocratic chaos agent Hedda Gabler isn’t a character. She’s a Rorschach test, and has been for over a century now. Since first appearing in 1891 as the puzzling eponymous protagonist of a play by Henrick Ibsen, audiences have stared into at this recently married woman, driven by domestic suffocation into acts of destruction, and found different …

1
716 - Personality Typologies 1:07:27

23d ago1:07:27

1:07:27

John and Craig welcome back screenwriter Mike Makowsky (Death by Lightning, Bad Education) to ask, how do you dramatize a historical event that no one's heard of? They look at the dramatic engine behind the Garfield assassination, the long journey Death by Lightning had to getting made, and the importance of finding great stories in obscure history…

1
Craig Brewer (Song Sung Blue) 54:44

21d ago54:44

54:44

Writer/director Craig Brewer (Song Sung Blue; Hustle and Flow; Dolemite Is My Name) discusses making a narrative out of the Song Sung Blue documentary, how it's autobiographical, finding career inspiration in Amadeus, his writing process, "The Shelf," non-musical musicals, the beauty of "Save As," the Faustian bargain of making art, and lots more. …

1
Episode 737: Julian Brave NoiseCat 46:08

21d ago46:08

46:08

Author and Academy Award-nominee Julian Brave NoiseCat joins Daniel Ford on the final show of 2025 to discuss his book We Survived the Night and his documentary film "Sugarcane." To learn more about Julian Brave Noise Cat, visit his official website. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm.

1
541 - END OF YEAR PLANS VS GOALS 2:09:53

22d ago2:09:53

2:09:53

In this season finale, end of the year episode, Hilliard's joined by close friends award-winning director/producer Carl Seaton, TV/Film writer Saeed Crumpler and Executive Producer Tracy Grant to talk about their plans and goals in the New Year and ways writers and filmmakers can think outside the box to grow their careers, businesses and health by…

1
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery with Rian Johnson 43:40

22d ago43:40

43:40

There’s a mystery afoot on today’s episode of Script Apart – and that mystery is how you write a film like Wake Up Dead Man, the new Knives Out movie from my guest today, Rian Johnson. How do you craft a whodunit that’s simultaneously gripping, hilarious and loaded with weighty reflections on religion’s use as a weapon of fear in our current politi…

1
967. Following Her Dream 48:05

25d ago48:05

48:05

Vilma Llaguno's dream of making her movie 40 Before 40 was accelerated when she won a Kickstarter initiative, placing her film on Tubi and forcing her to learn very quickly.

1
BPS 449: From Setbacks to Festival Wins: The Filmmaking Path of Dawn Fields 1:29:16

30d ago1:29:16

1:29:16

Dawn Fields is a Los Angeles-based producer, writer, and director whose journey through the film industry is marked by both struggle and triumph. Beginning her career as a production assistant in Atlanta, she quickly discovered her true passion was behind the camera. After relocating to Los Angeles with nothing but determination, she worked in dist…

1
You'll Be Fine. Just Don't Die. | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 [Ep.3] | State Of The Arc Podcast 1:47:58

27d ago1:47:58

1:47:58

We talk everything up to the end of Act 1 today! We didn't actually get there in this episode but we still threw in a thing or two from that part. We meet Esquie and the Gestrals who are just a joy to be around. Thanks for watching, and don't forget to support us on Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc **We’re Now On Spotify**: https://open…

1
715 - The Book Launch, Live! 1:08:10

28d ago1:08:10

1:08:10

John and Craig celebrate the release of the Scriptnotes Book with a sold-out show full of arguments, games and holiday cheer at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Slate's Julia Turner returns to interview John and Craig about the fifteen year journey towards creating the book, and challenges Craig's dismissal of critics. We also welcome back Ashley Nicole B…

1
The Running Man with Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall 55:16

28d ago55:16

55:16

Today on the show – Edgar Wright is back! The Running Man is his new Stephen King adaptation, co-written with Michael Bacall, and on this week’s show, the three of us run for our lives through the reality TV dystopia of that movie, and its creation. The film is a new take on the 1982 novel of the same name, and imagines an America in a state of nat…

1
Episode 736: Alafair Burke 41:22

1M ago41:22

41:22

Author Alafair Burke (The Wife, Find Me, The Better Sister) joins Daniel Ford on the show to discuss her book The Note, now available in paperback. To learn more about Alafair Burke, visit her official website. This episode is sponsored by Libro.fm.

1
TREY HALEY - TRIDESTENED STUDIOS 1:52:31

1M ago1:52:31

1:52:31

In this ep, Hilliard interviews director/producer TREY HALEY the President/Partner at Tri Destined Studios where he is responsible for the implementation of all productions within the company. Toward the end of the ep, Kareem Grimes actor/star on the hit series ALL AMERICAN dropped in to hang with us to give Trey his flowers. Trey, a passionate fil…

1
Take 10 with Craig - General Meetings: Stop Trying to Sell. Start Building Relationships. 13:39

29d ago13:39

13:39

A general meeting isn't about pitching your project. It's about building relationships, establishing trust, and showing executives, producers, and collaborators who you are as a person and storyteller.By Craig James

1
"How to be a Screenwriter" with Phil Stark (South Park, That '70s Show, Dude, Where's My Car?) 44:23

1M ago44:23

44:23

Screenwriter and therapist Phil Stark joins the ISA for an honest, funny, and deeply insightful conversation about creativity, impostor syndrome, and breaking into the industry.By scott markus

1
Episode 203: Stranger Things (Season 5, Vol. 1) 1:21:05

1M ago1:21:05

1:21:05

The BTS team discusses narrative time jumps, what makes Will's arc so powerful., and what we're hoping for from the final episodes. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PTpPg-xcq54 🎬 Join our community! Head to the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/beyondthescreenplay 🎬 Beyond the Screen…

1
966. Learning While Doing 36:48

1M ago36:48

36:48

Actress/writer Corbin Reid shadowed directors and learned what went on behind the scenes of the shows she acted on, making her ready when the opportunity came for her to pitch and executive produce. Her movie The Christmas Showdown premieres on the OWN Network this weekend.

1
Friday Morning Coffee: Writing Into the Mystery With Sarah Curtis 45:44

1M ago45:44

45:44

On the latest Friday Morning Coffee, host Caitlin Malcuit discusses AI's continued encroachment into the music business and Warner Music Group's licensing deal with a tech start up Suno that will likely lead to AI-generated music sourced from artists who opt-in. Sounds above board and nonexploitative to us! Then author Sarah Curtis joins Daniel For…

1
Ep. 420 - Ryan Coogler - Sinners 54:14

1M ago54:14

54:14

In this episode, host Jasmyne Peck talks with screenwriter-director Ryan Coogler(Black Panther, Creed) about crafting his acclaimed hit film Sinners, the importance of family and community, his filmmaking process, and much more.

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