Craig Mazin, Emily Zulauf, and John August on stage in Seattle for a live recording of the Scriptnotes podcast. (Photo: Bill Murray)

Literally years in the making, screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin finally accepted our invitation to record an episode of their Scriptnotes podcast in front of a live audience in Seattle.

Some 200 screenwriters, filmmakers and actors packed the AMC Pacific Place theater for an evening of industry talk, screenwriting and story development tips, and a few fun exercises in pitching on the fly for open writing assignments.

Joining John and Craig on stage was former Pixar story editor Emily Zulauf, who now works for a Seattle-based game company, which at the time of the podcast remained top secret. Emily spoke to how story development evolves at Pixar, and also to what she looked for in scripts as she was seeking screenwriters to work on Pixar projects.

The trio also delved into theme — how it relates to a character’s wants, needs, and motivation — and provided tips on how to further the development of your story.

If you haven’t already subscribed to the Scriptnotes podcast, you can listen to it from John’s official website:

• Listen to the Seattle Live Show now

Our members enjoyed a 50-percent discount off the general admission price. Learn more about NwSG membership benefits and see upcoming events.