
Mazin also co hosts with fellow screen scribe John August the podcast Scriptnotes where the pair, along with occasional guests, discuss screenwriting from both a creative and a business practical viewpoint. As part of their mission to help screenwriters Mazin has published all five scripts for Chernobyl and I have spent the last two days lost in a wonderful reading experience.
I have read a number of scripts for both television and feature films and I have to say that Mazin has really opened my eyes to ways this particular art form can be expressed. His approach is a close subjective style with elements that I have not seen often in screenplays. The narrative elements of the script contain descriptions that are purely internal to the character. It’s a guide to the reader, the director, and the actor how a scene needs to be played. I have to say that these scripts are a good reading experience one that is as enjoyable as any well-crafted short story or novel. Not only has it made me appreciate the craft more, but also it has enhanced my respect for the series as a whole and ignited a desire to re-watch the entire run.
The scripts are available for free downloading at John August’s website.