FREE beginner screenwriter resources

This month, we’re focusing on free resources for the beginner screenwriter. The resources on this list will help you master the basics, including formatting and story structure, as well as give you the opportunity to read screenplays and learn from master screenwriters on a wide variety of topics.

Save The Cat 

Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat! Is a great resource for screenwriters, but I’m not here to talk about the book (although if you have Spotify premium, you can listen to the audiobook for free, which is amazing!) I’m here to talk about the website.

The STC is full of amazing resources for the beginner screenwriter (and the established one!) On the lefthand side of the screen, there’s a “free tools” tab that I highly recommend you check out. There are several great resources here, but the one I think is the most useful is the beat sheets.

STC provides so many beat sheet breakdowns of popular movies, TV shows, and novels. The more you study the beat sheets of stories you’re familiar with, the more you’ll be able to understand Snyder’s 15 story beats, which I think are important for screenwriters to understand, even if they ultimately decide not to use them. 

International Movie Script Database

If I could give one piece of advice to new screenwriters, it would be to read screenplays.

Yes, you’ve watched a lot of movies, and yes, I am sure it has given you an excellent understanding of story structure, dialogue, and characterization. But you know what you don’t see on screen? How the screenplay is formatted. You don’t see how the screenwriter describes the setting, the action, the characters, their surroundings. All of that is absolutely invaluable.

The International Movie Script Database, or IMSD, is a wonderful resource. You can find hundreds of screenplays and read them… all for free.

Elements of a Film Script video

Youtube is an amazing free resource for beginning screenwriters. Here, I’ve found a video that breaks down the process of formatting, reading, and writing a screenplay. There’s a ton of great information packed into this short video, so it’s absolutely worth your time.

A note: a lot of people wonder if the formatting of a screenplay actually matters that much. I am here to tell you that it absolutely does. If you don’t take the time to learn formatting, producers and executives won’t take the time to read your script. I know it seems finicky, but once you learn formatting, I promise it’s not that hard!

Top six tools to writing your screenplay: webinar

This free webinar has great reviews, including from people who used the information they gained to beat writer’s block or even get a film produced! The writer who hosts the course does give a heads up that while this is a complete lesson, she does end the session with a tour of her paid writing course. But there’s no obligation to purchase; this webinar is 100% free.

Scriptnotes podcast

Scriptnotes is a hugely popular screenwriting podcast, and there’s so many episodes out there that you simply cannot get through them all! The podcast is hosted by John August and Craig Mazin, and they cover a huge range of topics and have very cool guests on the show all the time. 

Scroll through the topics and see what catches your eye; this is a great option for the next time you want to push your screenwriting knowledge.

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

That’s right, another podcast! Draft Zero is hosted by Chas Fisher and Stuart Willis. They’re emerging screenwriters who do deep dives into popular screenplays and discuss what makes them work. That’s great for you, because it means you can implement those techniques into your next screenplay!

Youtube Screenwriting masterclass for beginners

What’s better than one Youtube video breaking down how an established screenwriter wrote a popular screenplay? A playlist of 26 of those same videos! In this Youtube masterclass, you can learn about the process of writing Breaking Bad, Parasite, The Simpsons, and many many more films and TV shows. 

Go Into The Story

Did you know that the Black List has a blog? Well, they do, and that’s great news for all of us screenwriters. Some of these articles require a paid Medium account, but plenty of them are not behind a paywall, and they’re bursting with invaluable information for beginning screenwriters.

Screenwriting.io 

This website has a ton of great information on a wide variety of screenwriting topics. Their stated mission is to answer basic screenwriting questions, which makes this the perfect resource for beginning screenwriters!

They also have a lengthy ebook (81 pages!) that answers the 100 most common screenwriting questions for the beginner screenwriter. That’s a HUGE resource to get for free, so I highly recommend you hit that download button!

Want even more beginner screenwriter tips and tricks? Come join us at indieempire.com for live classes, prerecorded courses, and community!