For this month, we’ll be looking at all things screenwriting! Check out these ten free screenwriting resources.
Scriptnotes Podcast
According to the website: “Each week, screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters, everything from the craft to the business to the best ways to get yourself writing.
The most recent 20 episodes are available for free on this site and Apple Podcasts. The entire 430+ episode back catalog, plus bonus content and episodes, are available to Premium Subscribers.”
Draft Zero Podcast
I’ve linked to what the folks at Draft Zero call their “beginner’s guide,” but I think it could be helpful for screenwriters of any experience level. They have multiple episodes on everything from structure to character to scene work to dialogue to theme and so, so much more. Each podcast episode also has resources in the show notes that will be helpful as you work on tackling that concept. Draft Zero is a treasure trove of information!
The Internet Movie Script Database
This website has tons of popular movie’s scripts available to read for free! While watching movies can be great research for screenwriting, it’s also a good idea to look at a few scripts. One great exercise is reading a script and then watching the movie, which will help you understand how the writer’s words translate onto the screen.
Dubscript
Want to write on your Android or Chromebook and then export directly into your screenwriting software? Dubscript is great for writers on the go.
The Story Department
The Story Department is a screenwriting website that’s full of useful information for screenwriters of all kinds.They have courses for sale, but they also have all kinds of information that’s 100% free.
Story Sense Format Guide
Screenplay format can be really intimidating. Story Sense has a format guide that puts everything in one place and breaks it all down into something that’s easy to understand and follow.
Screenwriting.info ebook
This short and sweet ebook is perfect for learning more about screenwriting, especially if you’re just getting started! This link has basically everything you need to get started with screenwriting.
Scriptmag free downloads
This link is really 33 free resources in one! This freebies page has information on everything from creating a web series to writing a synopsis to pitching executives to developing a strong antagonist and so, so much more. Explore this page to see what they have to offer!
StudioBinder’s Save the Cat playlist
If you’re writing screenplays, you need to at least be familiar with story structure. On their Youtube channel, StudioBinder takes three famous movies (Interstellar, Avengers Infinity War, and Parasite) and breaks them down into Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat story story beats. These videos are as invaluable to understanding story structure as reading scripts is for understanding format and dialogue!
Scene writing exercises (plus free ebook download)
These scene writing exercises will help you flex your writing muscles by exploring different prompts like writing a dialogue only scene or including sensory details. Doing writing exercises on a regular basis, especially before you sit down to work on your screenplay, is a great way to stay sharp and hone your skills.
Do you have favorite screenwriting resources? Drop them in the comments below!
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