April 2025

the mangus protocol

“I am Joanna Mangus, head archipelago of the Mangus Institution, Kent.”

Hiii I love your work! What's the most amount of drafts an episode of magnus has had so far?

Thanks!

Hard to tell without diving into our own (real) archives. I know one episode of protocol has gotten up to something like 10 drafts before then going into production (where it gets redrafted some more as part of recording, dialogue editing etc.)

I suspect Archives had less drafting in general because there were less people involved. That doesn’t mean it changed less, just it went through less iterations because it was only Jonny and I working on scripts back then.

hello, bossman!

ive been wondering if there’s any words you particularly like when writing. i’ve noticed jonny, for example, uses the word “acrid” far more often than is reasonable than an average enjoyer of the word. also apotheosis but he’s explained that one! so: any words you’re fond of and use more than reasonably? (or perfectly reasonably. you’re the bossman after all)

Goddam “apotheosis”. (sighs)

So if you want a deep cut on @jonnywaistcoat he loves the phrase “burst like a rotten grape”. I think @rq-producerperson have caught him adding it to Protocol on three separate occasions normally accompanied by the world “Bulbous” and we have edited it out.

I try to work in the word “Maelstrom” in every creative work I do.

I also try to sneak in arbitrary asinine alliteration as its awesome to assimilate.

Hey Alex, hope you’re having a good day :)

Just finished listening to MAG Protocol Episode 37 and was absolutely blown away, what a phenomenal episode. No spoilers, just fantastic stuff. Especially with a particular character appearance ;)

Were you always interested in the script writing side of things? What inspired you to have a go at writing for Protocol?

Thank you (& Jonny & the RQ Team) for all the hard work and spooks!

Thanks for the kind words!

So fun fact, I am actually a formally trained script-writer with an MA from CSSD and I think there’s probably a bit more of me in the Magnus Archives scripts than people might think.

I’d develop the story with @jonnywaistcoat before writing then after he wrote first drafts I would redraft the episodes with him before recording. Statements were normally only small changes but dialogue and character work was a bit more full on especially in later seasons. Don’t get me wrong though, @jonnywaistcoat is very much the horror guy of the two of us.

For Protocol though, @jonnywaistcoat explicitly asked that I generate the metaphysics (fancy word for fear logic etc.) and so I offered to co-write and that means getting to do first drafts.

Personally, I think I am probably better at writing than I am directing but I suspect directing is a rarer skillset so I get more work in that vein.

Left to my own devices I would probably do a lot more writing, I’ve wanted to write a YA series for years not to mention a dark fantasy trilogy and some sci fi but there’s just not the time for me to sustain something like Rusty Quill and write novels so I guess your stuck with me podcasting for a while yet.

Hello Bossman Alex! How are you doing?

This may be be a weird thing to ask (I wasn't even sure to ask Jonny this too), but have you ever had someone say that your voices sounded like someone elses, like familiar to them?

I ask this because, I was listening to TMA with my father (second time for me, first time for him) and we were on episode 22: Colony and my mother, who was in the room with us, said that your voice and Jonny's voice sounded familiar to her despite never hearing your voices before.

Sorry for the odd question again.

P.S: I find your voices comforting and calming whenever I relisten to an episode.

Interesting question.

In my experience when people meet @jonnywaistcoat they tell him he has such a distinctive voice/face/vibe and he’s a unique special bunny.

Meanwhile I get told I am more normal/average than people had hoped and they thought I would be more interesting.

(@rq-producerperson can confirm)

Make of that what you will.

Hello Mr Bossman!

I wanna ask you something that I've been wondering about for a while - are you familiar with Zdzisław Beksiński's work? I have absolutely no idea to what extent he's known internationally, but the first time I listened to TMA, the fearscapes you and Jonny created in season 5 reminded me so much of his paintings.

Cheers from Poland, have a great day!

Cześć! Miło mi pana (panią?) poznać!

Zdzisław Beksiński był dla @jonnywaistcoat dużą inspiracją artystyczną i oboje nawiązywaliśmy do niego w 5 sezonie Archiwów.

Mam nadzieję, że to odpowiada na Twoje pytanie. Przepraszam za moją gramatykę. Minęło kilka lat, odkąd ostatni raz próbowałem mówić po polsku, więc w niektórych miejscach musiałem korzystać z Tłumacza Google!

[I probably won’t reply in Polish again as I’m really embarrassed by how bad I have gotten!]