Where to find scripts...

Redstreak · March 2, 2006

Hi, I'm a pretty new filmmaker. I'm in highschool with not a lot of money but a pretty good camera, and I don't want to just shoot some stupid cliche action movie - I want some real plot and intelligent characters. I'm looking for just a simple short (maybe 10-15 min max) script that won't be too hard to shoot... or even just a basic plot outline which I can expand on. Is there any site that has free scripts? Or is there a good book that would have some? Maybe just a book of short stories that someone can reccomend?

Thanks,

- David.

Mark Allen · March 3, 2006

Since it sounds like you are doing this for practice and not for commercial purposes, I would recommend looking into scene books for actors. There are hundreds of them. Check your local bookstore or library for acting scene books and browse until you find one that matches what you're lookng for. These will be scenes focusing on the interactino with actors which might be a good place for you since you're avoidig action. It will give you a chance to see what you can add to the scene with your direction as well.

Good luck.

Craig Knowles · March 3, 2006

Is there any site that has free scripts?

Another fun thing you can do for practice is to shoot scenes from your favourite films:

http://www.dailyscript.com/

http://www.script-o-rama.com/

You can have fun with it, change things where you need to, and best of all, you can see how a 'real' director handled the scene simply by watching the movie.

David Sweetman · March 3, 2006

where to find scripts? In your miiIIIIiiiind

I think anyone writing short films has the intention of personally completing the film, or else they already know who will make it...i'm not sure anyone is just writing them to give away for free. If you're not a writer, find someone in one of your classes who is. Get some creative collaboration going. Then you can say the movie is completely yours, completely original.

If you don't want your movie to be cliche, you're gonna have to be witty somehow. To create a movie that is not cliche is harder than to just desire to create a movie that is not cliche.

Read Syd Field's "Screenplay," it's a great book and it'll give you a ton of direction in the realm of writing.

Mark Allen · March 3, 2006

where to find scripts? In your miiIIIIiiiind

You know, I actually respect the poster's desire to direct someone else's story. I think a lot of times ego betrays education and I think it's quite mature for a high school student to think to direct existing material. It's a completely different and very educational process.

I'm not sure Syd Field's book is still such a del facto standard as there are tons of interesting screenwriting books. There's also a couple fantastic sites like www.wordplayer.com and www.scriptsecrets.net and www.thewritersstore.com which offer tons of articles and tips (a book worth at each) for free. Books by Lew Hunter, Richard Walters, How To make a good script great, on and on and on - so many. Adventures in the screentrade will teach you just 3 things - but they are invaluable. Currently I'm reading a book which suggest the entire 3 act structure is wrong - interesting book! Can't recommend it yet though because I'm not finished.

One of the best books I read recently which was aimed at directors but definitely applies to writing was David Mammet's On Film Directing.

Lee Kemp · March 3, 2006

I'm writing my own stuff at the moment that I want to direct myself but I would be interested in writing a short for someone else. If you have a basic idea in mind I'll have a go at thrashing something out for you?

email me at lee@fullrange.co.uk if you're interested.

Lee