#resource drive

Awards season is here which means lots of new great scripts are out! These scripts and more have been added to the Resource Drive (link in bio).

Hi Anon,

You can find it in the Resource Drive under Misc. Information!

Best,

I was trying to be tech savvy and screwed up so my other posts got deleted.

The script list has been updated! New additions are:

The Big Sick

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Pan’s Labyrinth

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Little Miss Sunshine

The Last Boy Scout

Nightcrawler

Hi Anon,

I don’t have one script in particular I always go back to, but I have multiple that I reference depending on what I am writing at the time. I am in the process of writing a feature that is inspired by The Breakfast Club, and so I have been rereading that a lot lately. Not my favorite script, but it is enjoyable and helpful for my purposes right now.

When I look to scripts for inspiration, I tend to lean toward dramas, because I find a lot of emotional value in them that can translate to any genre. 

Some scripts that I really enjoy are:

You Can Count on Me - A low-budget drama that centers around a single mother and her estranged brother. A great film centered around familial love rather than romance.

The Alienist Pilot - The most recent TV drama I’ve read, and it’s a great adaptation and very well-written. In 1896, an investigative team assembled by Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt try to solve a series of murder cases and catch the killer.

On the Waterfront - The script of one of my favorite crime/dramas. Terry Malone struggles with his conscience when he chooses to stand up to a powerful mob boss. A great reference for externalizing an internal conflict.

Get Out - A horror film written with all the precision of a comedy writer, this script is a great read for those interested in both or one of those genres. (It also has a different and darker ending than the film.)

The Station Agent - A man born with dwarfism seeks solitude in rural New Jersey, only to befriend a talkative hot dog vendor and an unhappy artist. This script has very little dialogue, but it is, in my opinion, very well done. You should watch the film AFTER you read it to see how the sparse dialogue can translate into a powerful performance when put in the hands of the right actors.

There are tons more, but these are the most recent ones I’ve read (or reread). You can find all of these (except The Alienist Pilot, since it hasn’t been released yet) on the Resource Drive, along with a few other scripts.

Side note: if there are scripts anyone would like to read but can’t find, send me an ask and I will see if I can add it to the drive!

Best,

The Resource Drive has a growing selection of screenplays and teleplays you can read for free! (Some haven’t even made it to the screen yet!)

Current Complete List Below

Hello Anon!

There is a budget template in the resource drive (link in bio) in the “Templates and Samples” folder. The first page breaks down a list of things you may need and has both an “estimate” column and an “actual cost” column. The subsequent pages allow you to list specific items you end up paying for in each section (food, travel, locations, etc.)

To properly estimate cost, you first need to break down your script. How many days will it take you to film and how many props, actors, locations, etc. do you need? For a well-funded indie film, you can film roughly 4-6 pages a day. Dialogue-heavy scenes will take less time while action/special effects-heavy scenes will take longer. The amount of locations also affects time. The more locations, the longer it will take to shoot your film.

When starting out, you main costs will probably be food and props.

For food costs, you need to feed everyone, every day, every 6 hours (a SAG requirement I stick to even when working with non-union cast and crew). So depending on your day, you could have 1-2 meals a day plus snacks and water.

For props, I make a list of what I need and what set dressings would be nice. Then, I search the internet to get estimates of what everything would cost (including the would-be-nice items.)

Once you have estimates of everything, add another number for petty cash. This is for miscellaneous stuff you might have forgotten or will need on set that you didn’t/couldn’t account for. (Usually for student short films, this is around $100.)

Add everything up and you have an estimate for your film! Higher than what you expected? Search for discounts and start slashing that would-be-nice list. Some food places offer discounts for large parties so don’t be afraid to ask. Also, as friends and family for props and locations you can use free of charge.

Budgeting is a pain, but it is great you are thinking about it! A well-planned, well-budgeted film runs much more smoothly and is a lot less stressful for everyone.

Best,

Hey Anon,

The link often doesn’t work on mobile devices. If you are on mobile, try highlighting the url, then copy and pasting. For some reason, the actual highlighting seems to work. You can also try the link on a computer.

If neither of these methods work, message me and we can work something out.

Not a dumb question at all, Anon!

The pitches are for 5 different story ideas (projects) that could potentially be developed into a short film. The purpose is to have different ideas to choose from in case one idea turns out to be hard to develop.

If you would like an example of the 5 pitches, check out the Screenplay Challenge folder in the Drive. I will be following along with this challenge as well, so if you need a sample at any point, examples for each week will be put in this folder.