[Note from
Screenwriting Staffing‘s Founder,
Jacob N. Stuart]
PART DEUX. After popular demand, we have created
TEN “MORE” SCREENWRITING SITES EVERY SCREENWRITER SHOULD BOOKMARK! To see our original posting (1-10) in March of 2015, please
CLICK HERE! Add one, add all. Either way, every screenwriter should be familiar with these 10 screenwriting sites. I’d highly suggest having these bookmarked on your computer to reference weekly, if not daily.
(in no specific order)
11) GOOD IN A ROOM. There are far too many sites on the web that focus on “how to write a screenplay”, but not nearly enough that teach you how to “pitch” your screenplay to the decision-makers! Everyday in Hollywood, unequipped writers pitch their project (that they spent 5 years on) to an industry pro for a measly 5 minutes, only to blow the entire meeting. You can have the best story in the world, but if you can’t “work a room”, your script will fall on deaf ears, period. That’s where Stephanie Palmer comes in! Stephanie’s a former MGM Pictures executive and best-selling author of Good in a Room, featured by NBC, ABC, CBS, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Variety, and many more. She works one-on-one with writers, offers a screenwriting course on selling your script, and provides a brilliant blog full of useful tips and tricks to shine in a “room”. [Note: GOOD IN A ROOM will be referenced in our SCREENWRITING COURSE, SHINING IN A HIGH–INTENSITY PITCH MEETING!, taking place in July @ the Hollywood International Film Academy. Be sure to also visit a previous blog where we spoke with Stephanie regarding QUERY LETTERS!] Connect with Stephanie: http://goodinaroom.com
12) KEEP WRITING. Dave Trottier is the mastermind behind one the best-selling screenwriting books of all time, The Screenwriter’s Bible. Keep Writing is a safe, encouraging, and motivating screenwriting community that welcomes writers from all walks of life. Be sure to browse through his plethora of screenwriting books, as well as his articles on formatting, tackling writer’s block, plot structure, and many more. He also has a fantastic service that evaluates query letters and screenplays. This site should be on every writer’s radar! [Note: THE SCREENWRITER’S BIBLE will be referenced in our SCREENWRITING COURSE, HOW TO PITCH TO A PRODUCER!, taking place in July @ the Hollywood International Film Academy.] Meet Dave: www.keepwriting.com
13) FILM FREEWAY. This site has blown up over the past few years. I have either operated, judged, or spoke on over 12 different film festivals in the last 3 years. EVERY single festival I’ve facilitated is listed on Film Freeway. Why? Because it’s by far the most user-friendly film/script submission platform on the web. It’s 100% FREE to submit your script. Browse over 4,000 international film festivals, many include screenplay contests, and pick one (or more) that best fit your screenwriting needs. It’s so simple. Just upload your screenplay in PDF, provide a short logline/bio, then submit. Each festival/contest page list in detail their purpose, background, awards, contest directors, terms, and dates! Not EVERY festival/contest is worth submitting to (trust me) but with 33 Academy Award accredited festivals already listed on their site, I’m sure you will have no problem finding the right home for your script!
Browse Contests: https://filmfreeway.com
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14) CREATIVE SCREENWRITING MAGAZINE. Named “Best Screenwriting Magazine” by the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times. CS is one of the premiere magazines for TV and Feature Film Writers. Creative Screenwriting’s articles go much deeper than the screenwriting “craft” narrative,. They also provide fantastic interviews with some of Hollywood’s elite screenwriters. There’s no better way to learn how to break in the industry than learning from those who already have. [Note: Be sure to check out a previous article I wrote for CS regarding
DIALOGUE!]
Read Articles: http://creativescreenwriting.com
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15) SLATED. “Slated…like being at a cocktail party with a bunch of investors, and, if they’re interested, they reach out to you.” – New York Times. That sums up Slated perfectly. Slated is where you go if you want to see your movie made. They have OVER 20,000 producers/sales agents/distribution companies on their site alone! Films listed on Slated attracted $560M in production financing last year. Thousands of investors access hundreds of new projects every month. If you are done blindly soliciting your scripts to folks who just don’t have the means to “make things happen”, Slated can help make the right introductions to the right buyers in Hollywood. [Note: We will be discussing this topic in-depth during our SCREENWRITING COURSE,
FINDING THE RIGHT HOME FOR YOUR SCRIPT!, in July @ the
Hollywood International Film Academy. You can also view SCREENPLAY REQUESTS directly on our site @
SCREENWRITING STAFFING!]
Post Your Project. www.slated.com
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16) WRITER DUET. I’m still surprised by the amount of writers here in Hollywood (and all over for that matter) who do not know about this software yet. Writer Duet, regardless if you use Final Draft, Movie Magic, or Celtx, should still be downloaded (and saved) by every writer. WD is a real-time collaborative screenwriting tool. Just login and start writing your screenplay, using their industry-standard formatting and page layout. It’s 100% secure. Just this year alone, I’ve had 2 scripts that were either optioned/purchased where the producer wanted me to convert the Final Draft file into WD. Why? Because you can invite friends, producers, directors (anyone!) to join the script, making live edits, notes, suggestions. I mean… it’s FREE. The PRO version rocks, too!
Start Writing Your Script: https://writerduet.com
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17) DONE DEAL PRO. In order to work in this business, you have to know what is selling, who is selling, and where it’s being sold. As writers, we should be following the industry trends every day. DDP tracks the daily script options and sales, NOT just in Hollywood, but all over the world. When you sign up, you instantly have access to all the new developments in Hollywood, but most importantly, the players behind them — agents, producers, companies, and law firms. They also have a FREE forum that’s full of handy writing tidbits.
Inside Information: http://donedealpro.com
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18) SCRIPTNOTES PODCAST. Scriptotes is run by
John August and
Craig Mazin. They discuss everything, as writers, that we want and need to know — from craft, to sales, to landing an elusive writing job. It’s a fun and easy-to-follow podcast that every writer should at least check out once. You can also browse John’s blogs, which gives you an inside glimpse into today’s hot topics regarding all things film.
Listen Today: http://johnaugust.com/scriptnotes
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19) YOUR SCREENPLAY SUCKS. Your Screenplay Sucks started as a
BOOK. If you haven’t read it yet, buy it! William Akers is a produced WGA screenwriter who offers candid and honest critique/feedback. Hollywood is not a friendly town, so why should screenwriting critique be any different? Mr. Akers teaches screenwriting, and frequently tracks his students success, dilemmas, and accomplishments through his blog. He supplies his readers with practical screenwriting knowledge. My favorite is
The 7 Deadly Sin of Writing.
Check It Out: https://yourscreenplaysucks.wordpress.com
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20) SCRIPT READER PRO. SRP is one of the most active sites online. They are constantly updating their blogs, helping screenwriters with a limited network get their work in front of agents and producers. Script Reader Pro offers script coverage, an online screenwriting course, and their new book on
SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE. What I particularly like about their coverage, and please pardon my language, is they cut through the bullshit. Most coverage services hire amateur writers who spend far too much time referencing their ONE screenwriting class they took in film school. NOT every script is the same. And they treat every script uniquely, understanding the writer’s voice, and the theme to their screenplay.
Worth A Look-See: www.scriptreaderpro.com
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