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© Robin Kelly 1997 - 2003

Discussion lists

Industry News

Templates

Fonts

Other software

Online Pitching

Stores

Discussion lists:
Subscribe to these discussion lists for news, advice and script wanted requests:

UK Scriptwriting List
For TV, film and radio writers.

UK Sitcomwriters List
For sitcom writers.

UK Playwriting List
For playwrights.

UK Comedy list
Comedy discussion list, mostly regarding stand-up

Scriptreader
A mutual scriptreading service for writers in the UK/Eire. There is also a regional database to facilitate the setting up of local reading groups.

UK Screenwriters Network

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Industry News:

Writernet
This is a new-writing non-profit organisation. The website has free industry news but scripts wanted news are for members-only

Scriptunities
Free guide to competitions, script calls and other opportunities. It is published monthly with occasional updates for late breaking news.

Media Guardian
Industry news and gossip, articles and overnight ratings.

Waveguide UK TV and Radio News

Media UK Internet Directory

Screen Daily
Screen International's minimal but useful web presence

Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood and international media news

Inside
Hollywood and international media news

Variety
Hollywood and international media news (subscription required)

Studio Briefing
Entertainment and industry news

The Stage
Some news and how-to articles. No real substitute for the paper edition.

Theatrenet
Theatre news and links

Farn Film
A database of UK TV Commissioning Editors and company and network links

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Templates:

Instructions
· Right-click on a template and choose 'Save Target As' from the menu or the Mac equivalent.
· Save the file in your Word Templates directory on your C Drive (usually something like 'C/MSOffice/templates').
· Once they have been saved, open Microsoft Word, select 'New' from the 'File' menu and you should see the new template installed ready for use.
· Click on the template and Word will create a new document based on the script layout for you to start typing (the original template file will remain unchanged).

BBC Script Smart Plus & Script Smart Gold
This links to Matthew Carless' Radio, film, stage and sitcom template for Word

BBC Drama template / BBC Sitcom template / BBC Sketch template
These are Matthew Carless' old Word 97 templates available locally.

The Scriptwriter's Toolkit
Radio, film, stage and sitcom templates for the UK, as used by Laurence Marks & Maurice Gran, for Word.

The following are templates:

Script Maker (Canada)
For MS Word 2000 / 2001 / 2002

Simply Screenplay
For MS Word 1997

ScriptMaker (UK)
"The first software tool of its kind to integrate story-planning and script-writing." But needs a complex work-around for a spell check.

Screenwriter's Heaven

Digiscript

ScreenForge

Screenpro
Screenplay, teleplay and utility templates for Microsoft Word (6/95/97/2000) for Windows users.

Hollywood Screenplay
Write scripts for plays, sitcoms or movies.

MagicScript2000

Chicago Media Works

Bucks County Community College

Mike Jackman
For WordPerfect 7 & 8 available locally

Style Sheets
for Mac

The following have links to various templates:

The Online Communicator

Filmmaker.com

The Film Centre

Templates for all aspects of film-making

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Fonts

For feature screenplays the font should be in Courier and 12. Courier New isn't an adequate substitute. Courier is a fixed width font so it helps to make the page count a good measure of the screen time - even if there are prettier fonts available. If you haven't got Courier on your system then download one of the following. I use Final Draft heavy and it installs quite simply but I present all the alternatives. so decide for yourself.

Final Draft Heavy
Final Draft Heavy is a font specially designed to print darker.

Corel's Courier 10BT
A courier that prints darker

HP's Dark Courier (Windows only)


A courier that prints darker


Other software:

Star Office
A Word compatible office suite for a fraction of the cost

Tree Pad
A script/story outline program

SLang
SLang (story language) is a free story-creation tool

Writer's Database
Keep track of submissions

RoughDraft
A freeware word processor designed with the writer in mind.

Screenplay Outliner
Shareware program for windowsthat makes organizing your story ideas, and then outlining them, simple.

Manuscript Tracker
Tracker for mac.

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Online Pitching:

Having written your screenplay you need to sell it and one way is via the web. Services available vary from simply posting a logline to getting full coverage for your script. Prices vary from nothing to quite a lot. I have done some filtering of the obvious scam-artists but I can't guarantee that all these links will be as helpful as they claim.

Cedar Grove Agency Entertainment
"We understand how difficult it is for new writers to break into the entertainment industry, and how hard it is for filmmakers and production companies to find fresh untapped talent. We focus on finding that rare gem, the undiscovered, multi-talented writer to meet the diverse and ever changing needs of the entertainment industry."

Codikow Films
"Codikow Films has been involved in the production of 10 feature films. We have an active development slate of projects, ranging from Independent to Studio features."

FilmTracker.com
"FilmTracker.com is the entertainment industry's home for the discovery, promotion, creation and distribution of creative content. "

Hollywood Lit Sales
"The people behind such films as Forrest Gump, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Risky Business, Donnie Brasco and Wild Things, have joined us to help turn your stories into movies."

InZide.com
"With today's youth market thriving, there's one successful producer team that has capitalized on the genre and established itself as one of the industry's most promising management and production companies. Zide/Perry Entertainment has developed an impressive and diverse client roster and have set up multiple projects at every major studio in a remarkable few years."

Kingman Films International
"For years the Entertainment Industry has been dominated by a system which keeps new talent at a distance. Kingman Films International believes in giving direct access to fresh, young talent and is always ready to listen."

MoviePitch
"We are using the global reach of the Internet to give average folks -- non-writers as well as writers -- a Hollywood connection. That connection is Robert Kosberg, a creative producer who has made a name for himself selling story ideas to studios and production companies for the past 15 years."

Scriptiverse
"Writers, here is a great new way to market your screenplays over the web. We are offering an absolutely free six month listing of your material on Scriptiverse, which includes your name, your script's name, a 'log line,' a one page synopsis and contact information. Producers, development executives, industry types, here is a new venue for finding fresh, exciting material and talented writers. Just click on a genre and find a whole bank of scripts just waiting to be read by you!!!!"

Scriptnet
"ScriptNet is a free online spec script database, devoted to connecting authors with producers, agents and directors."

ScriptShark
"ScriptShark is comprised of studio and development executives currently searching for new talent and material. ScriptShark not only provides professional analysis but, if we feel that your script or manuscript is ready to hit the Hollywood circuit, we will contact you. With your consent,we'll connect you with our many industry executives."

Script Shop
"Over 500 spec scripts a week arrive on Production Company and Agents Doormats in the UK alone. Because of the huge quantity, a lot just get sent back unread. With Scriptshop, producers and agents can see a synopsis and appraisal of the best of these at a glance without having to plough through hundreds of unvetted spec scripts."

The Spec Script Library
"The purpose of The Spec Script Library is to connect those who write scripts with those who source scripts. The Library is the largest of its type in the World."

Trigger Street
"TriggerStreet.com was founded in January 2002 as the web-based filmmaker and screenwriter's community of record - an interactive mechanism for the purpose of discovering and showcasing new and unique talent."

UK Screenwriters Pitching Network
Weekly pitch list with industry subscribers.

Winning Scripts.com
"WinningScripts.com is a service developed by MovieBytes and Scr(i)pt Magazine to help producers and agencies find quality material from among those scripts that have fared well in screenwriting competitions. The service is completely free for both writers and producers."

Writers' Script Network
"Writers' Script Network members can not only list title, genre, sub-genre, lead & pitch on this site, but can also place the synopsis, treatment and/or full script for each work."

Zoetrope
"Submit your screenplays. Receive valuable feedback on your own work from peers. Sharpen your critiquing skills by evaluating user submissions. Connect with people searching for strong writers. Your work may be considered by agents, producers, and directors."

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Stores:

Screenwriters' Store
The first stop for UK screenwriters for software, brads, mags and stuff

Script Shack
TV and movie scripts for sale

Hollywood Book City
TV and movie scripts for sale

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