Where To Download Scripts (all free!)
All my favorite places to download free scripts (and what I love about them)
We’ve established that reading scripts is a crucial part of the screenwriting process - whether you’re trying to better grasp the format, improve your unique voice, see what’s selling/not selling, or simply expose yourself to new and interesting ideas. While some scripts are simply not available online or are solely sold in book format, thousands are readily available for free. I’ve compiled a quick list of my favorite websites for downloading scripts for you!
The Script Lab: Does a great job at curating relevant lists like Emmy-nominated shows, popular episodes, trending features, etc… There are various sorting options if you’re looking to browse, plus a great search function if you have one particular script in mind. They also have some really interesting screenwriting articles and a collection of competitions you can look through compiled in one place.
Studio Binder: This one is a great educational resource with lots of articles and videos about everything from the best movies and shows of the last year to how to put together a call sheet. They have a lot of free screenplays but, admittedly their sorting and search functions aren’t as built out. Recommend this one for anyone looking to learn a lot and is looking to browse rather than hunt down one specific script.
3. 8FLiX: My favorite thing about 8FLiX is their extensive collection of not only screenplays and tv scripts, but series bibles, stageplays and unproduced works! I’ve learned so much from studying various mediums so having a site that lets you access all of these for free (and has a fantastic search function) has been a game changer!
4. Script Slug: This site is super clean, has a lot of great screenwriting articles, and does a great job of highlighting the new additions on its homepage. Like many of the others, there’s a great search function but I also love that it tells you where to watch each movie/show!
5. Bulletproof Screenwriting: I love that this website puts together compilations based on director, universe, etc… Such a great (and easy) way to deep dive on one person or world in particular if you’re studying. They also have a weekly podcast with a huge span of different guests if you’re interested in diving a little more into the industry, producing, writing, etc…
6. IMSdB: Despite the super old-school look of this one, it is tremendously helpful. A large library (not surprising since it is connected to IMdB) and is great for browsing by genre and specific searching. I love that they also have a section for short films, as so many writers and directors start out with shorts!
7. Simply Scripts: Last but certainly not least is Simply Scripts. My favorite thing about this one is how often they highlight older films. Most screenplay sites love to highlight the newest releases and most popular downloads, which is great but there’s a lot to be learned from popular and niche films from past years. They also do a great job of telling you if the script they’re providing is the final shooting script or a specific draft, which I always find very helpful and interesting.
That’s it for the list! Hopefully, this gets those of you who are new to your screenwriting journey off to a good start. If there’s a site in particular that you love or one that you use often that I missed, leave a comment and let me know! Happy reading :)
