All films start in precisely the same place: with an idea. The idea may be a singular image, a character, an event, a location, some moment of conflict, or a spark of emotion, but any of these can be the key to creating an engaging story. And that should be the ultimate goal of a good film, to tell your audience an engaging story.
Storytelling is an art, and like all art, it’s been studied to death. As you set out to make films and tell engaging stories, the better you can educate yourself before starting out, the more likely you are to succeed. Luckily for us, we live in the Digital Age and have near-instant access to infinite awesome resources to help you tell your stories.
So here we present a growing collection educational screenwriting links. Armed with the tools below, you’ll have a good start on mastering the craft of Screenwriting. If you know of any that we’ve missed, be sure to let us know on the Triangle Filmmaking Community Facebook discussion group and we’ll add them to the list.
Last Updated: Feb. 7, 2018
Screenwriter Organizations
- International Screenwriting Association
- Writer’s Guild of America East
- Writer’s Guild of America West
Script archives
- Go Into The Story script download links
- Indie Film Hustle’s Screenplay Database
- Internet Movie Script Database
- Simply Scripts
- TV scripts
- BBC Writer’s Room Script Library
- Screenplays For You
- Screenplays-Online.de
- The Weekly Script
- Drew’s Script-o-rama
Scriptwriting Software
| Software | Free | Paid | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Draft | 30-day trial | $249.99 | Windows / Mac / App ($14.99) |
| WriterDuet | Demo | Various price bands | Web – Windows / Mac / Mobile |
| Slugline | Demo | $39.99 | Mac |
| Highland | $29.99 | Mac | |
| FadeIn | Demo | $49.95 | Windows / Mac / Linux |
| CeltX | Free | Monthly costs | Windows / Mac |
| Logline | $34.99 | Mac | |
| Scrivener | 30 day free trial | $40 | Windows / Mac |
| Trelby | Free | Windows / Linux | |
| Adobe Story | $9.99 USD / month | Windows / Mac |
Notes/Outlining
Online Writer Communities
- Done Deal Pro Forums
- Write to Reel Forums
- Wordplay Forums
- Stage32 Writers Lounge
- /r/Screenwriting
- Screenwriters Utopia
- Scriptwriters Network
- American Zoetrope
- Simply Scripts Forum
- Screenwriting Goldmine Forum
Tracking/Coverage/Analysis Services
- The Black List
- CoverFly
- The Tracking Board
- Trackingb.com
- A Film Writer
- The Writer’s Lifeline
- Screenplay Development Notes
- Scriptapalooza Coverage
- Coverage, Ink
- Coverscript
- Talentville
Pitch/Submission Sites
Network Screenwriter Programs
- NBC Late Night Writers Workshop
- Nickolodeon Writing Program
- NBC Writers on the Verge
- WB Writers’ Workshop
- Disney/ABC Talent Development
- CBS Diversity Writers Mentoring Program
Contests For Pilots
Contests For TV Specs
Contests For Feature Screenplays
- Nicholl Fellowship
- Sundance Screenwriter’s Lab
- Austin Film Festival
- Page International Screenwriting Awards
- Final Draft Big Break
- Scriptapalooza Features
- Script Pipeline Screenwriting Contest
- TrackingB
- Screencraft
- Slamdance Screenwriting Competition
- American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest
- Film Independent Screenwriter Lab
Screenwriting Blogs
- Wordplay
- John August
- Go Into The Story (the blcklst blog)
- Script magazine
- Good in a Room
- The Bitter Script Reader
- The Unknown Screenwriter
- By Ken Levine
- Complications Ensue
- ScriptShadow
- Two Adverbs
- The Aspiring TV Writer & Screenwriter
- Bang 2 Write
- Screenwriting Spark
- My Blank Page
- Flying Wrestler
- Doug Richardson
Screenwriting Podcasts
- Scriptnotes Podcast
- WGAW 3rd & Fairfax Podcast
- Black List Table Reads
- Nerdist Writers Panel
- BAFTA Screenwriters’ Lecture Series
- Austin Film Festival’s On Story Podcast
- Elvis Mitchell’s The Treatment
- Draft Zero
- Nerdist Writer’s Panel
- The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith
- Children of Tendu
Screenwriting Vlogs
