John and Craig talk about adapting in Hollywood: the process of reimagining existing properties for the screen and career transitions. They cover why some adaptations don’t work, revisiting source material, and developing projects with public domain intellectual property.

We offer advice to writers on adapting to a changing industry and returning to writing after a major life event. Follow up this week includes the first Scriptnotes TikTok, relationship advice, and the perils of main character energy.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we appeal to our grammar nerds as we discuss writing with “to be,” the generic you, and indefinite pronouns.

Links:

• Movie Pass is Back!
• Script Speaker
• Check out our first (and only) Scriptnotes TikTok — thank you to Drew Rosas for editing the audio!
• Fleabag Season 2, check out our episode with Phoebe Waller Bridge here!
• First Time Screenwriters Contest
• Your Ears are Plugged by the Oatmeal
• Australian Survivor Season 6
• The Last Campfire
• Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
• Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
• Craig Mazin on Twitter
• John August on Twitter
• John on Instagram
• Outro by Owen Danoff (send us yours!)
• Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.