Books, software, courses. The most complete location for the screenwriter.
LATEST HOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITING DIRECTORY
The latest edition of the best source for buyers of screenplays in Hollywood. Includes over 2,500 producers and production companies with verified contact information.
The largest online community of screenwriters. How to articles, interviews, blogs, events, education, resources, reviews.
Another popular screenwriting magazine (both print and online) is Creative Screenwriting.
ONLINE SCREENPLAYS (Also see our Screenplay Page on this site)
Internet Movie Script Database
TREATMENTS, LOG LINES AND OUTLINES.
Construction of a Logline. One of the best articles on log lines we’ve ever seen by Chris Lockart who ran the story department at one of the top talent agencies in Hollywood, ICM.
Loglines & Story Elements. One of the best articles on merging your logline with the 7 basic story elements. This short article is like an entire screenwriting course.
Screenplay Treatments 101. Screenplay treatments are a valuable marketing and pitching tool as well as a great way to flesh out a solid story. By Marilyn Horowitz one of the top script doctors in the nation.
Done Deal Professional offers perhaps the best database of all screenplay contests in the nation.
The Moviebytes site offers a good list of screenwriting contests. Check it out for all the current information and reviews of screenwriting contests.
2016 – Top Screenwriting Contests. Top ten best screenwriting contests to enter in 2016. Since the 1990s, there has been a steady growth of screenwriting contests, competitions, and fellowships — to the point where there seems to be an endless stream of them. How do you find the ones that are worthwhile to enter? When you’re considering your options, you should always ask yourself this simple question — what can I get out of this contest? This link provides a breakdown of the ten screenplay contests, competitions, labs and fellowships that you should be entering, with the sole goal of getting the most out of each and every one.
Improve-Your-Odds-of-Winning-a-Screenplay-Contest. A short article from Script Magazine on improving your chances of winning a screenwriting contest. A great summary of screenplay form and technique that can make your screenplay look more professional.
BEST SCREENWRITING FORUMS & MESSAGE BOARDS. While you can certainly learn screenwriting on your own, somewhere along the way you will need to network with likeminded people, asking for help when needed, and gracefully taking the criticism that comes with the process of learning a craft. Luckily for writers, there is a world of support that can easily be accessed online through several great screenwriting forums.
A leading source for online courses on screenwriting.
One of the best “all purpose” screenwriting sites we’ve found. Screenwriting contests, software, consulting, e-courses, e-books by a group of Hollywood insiders. Highly recommended as a site to bookmark and keep in contact with. Be sure to sign-up for their valuable and free ScreenCraft Newsletter.
The official blog of the famous BlackList site. Compiled by Scott Myers. A fantastic resource.
One of the most interesting a valuable screenwriting sites we’ve found. Just the section on Dialogue alone is one of best ever seen and can make a great script almost by itself if you read over the 13 Rules.
WHAT A SCRIPT READER LOOKS FOR
18 things one of the top Script Readers in Hollywood looks for in a script. An excellent checklist for your screenplay to see if it has what it takes.
A site packed with interesting tips on story structure and other key elements of story. All organized in a short, concise manner.
HOW TO WRITE A PROFESSIONAL SCREENPLAY
An excellent short primer on how to write a professional screenplay by Richard Walter, Chairman of the UCLA Screenwriting Department. Well worth spending time to read.
HOW TO SELL YOUR SCREENPLAY (FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS)
An excellent article that covers using consultants, pitchfests and contests.
It’s difficult to get a meeting in front of a producer or studio executive. Pitch or query letters are sent to producers or executives in attempt to get a meeting or to get them to request a copy of your screenplay. They are one page long and serve as the basic tool to get screenwriters in front of producers and studios. Above are some sample query letters. See the links at the end of the samples for a few excellent short articles from industry leaders on how to write great pitch letters.
An ongoing event where screenwriters can send their query letters or pitches to a number of studio executives for a fee.
Calculate the beats in your script based on the page count.
WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA (WEST)
SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT
• An exciting new market for screenplays is Amazon Studios.
• One of the leading online sites is BlackList.
• Another top online site is INK TIP
• Another leading online site for scripts is Virtual Pitch Fest.
• World’s largest independent film community Without A Box.
SCREENWRITING AGENTS
INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS/RESEARCH
TrackingB – Subscription
Done Deal Pro – Subscription
BOX OFFICE
SCREENWRITING RESEARCH NETWORK
The Screenwriting Research Network is an international research group consisting of scholars, reflective practitioners and practice-based researchers interested in research on screenwriting. The aim is to rethink the screenplay in relation to its histories, theories, values and creative practices.
The US public domain is filled with creative works you can use any way you want to. No need to ask anyone’s permission. No fees necessary. For those thinking of adapting a book for a screenplay, this site will tell you if you can do so without getting permission.
An online center for screenplay studies. While the screenplay, in some form, has been the foundation of most narrative cinema in the U.S. for nearly 100 years, it has been all but entirely neglected by academia as an object of study or a literary work in its own right. In recent years, a few scholars have begun to beat the drum for recognition of the American screenplay as literature, and this site aims to support that movement.
A site committed to connecting talent and creating content. A platform for film enthusiasts to connect and network with each other. Whether you’re a filmmaker, technician or actor; create your FREE profile, search and connect with the LMAM community.
The Riverside County Film Commission is a one-stop resource for Film and TV production in Riverside County.
The top software for writing screenplays.
A great page from the Final Draft site with blogs, videos, events, news about Final Draft. Pointed to by my friend Alejandro Seri, VP at Final Draft.
17 MUST-READ SCREENWRITING LESSONS FROM STEPHEN KING (From ScreenCraft)
31 MUST-READ SCREENWRITING LESSONS FROM ROD STERLING (From ScreenCraft)
STORY IDEAS
Where do ideas for screenplay stories come from and how are they developed into screenplays? One view is that one simply waits passively until the “lightning” of an idea strikes. Another (and more useful view) is that ideas are really all around us and it becomes a matter of not waiting for the lightning of an idea to strike but rather filtering out good ideas from bad ideas and playing around with them. Below are some sources to jump start story ideas.
150 Free Story Ideas. By Scott Meyer who runs the official blog of the famous BlackList.
