Screenwriting 101 + Free Software

While we totally know that a blog post is no substitute for learning hands-on with a professional educator (we love our teachers!), we’re just going to drop some resources for anyone wanting to begin learning to write their own screenplay here with a short list of some FREE software that can help get the job done. We hope this helps as you plan your future entries for AYFF or our current Housebound Film Competition!

First up, we LOVE this video made by Indy Mogul that covers how a screenplay is properly formatted. This fast-paced tutorial can help you better understand what the 5 parts are, and their function. Just knowing these simple elements can really get you started in the right direction toward writing that award-winning script!

Now you need the software that makes all this magic happen! Many first-time writers will make the major error of attempting to start this process in Word, and we’d like to save you that trouble. While Word will do a great job at handling those huge papers you have to write for class, getting it to properly allow you to tab and create proper margins for a screenplay is VERY difficult. Here are a few we would recommend:

Celtx

Celtx has been around for a very long time, and while it has a few paid plans now, it always has had a free version that allows you to write your scripts and adjust formatting. In the newest iteration, the software has put a few limitations on writers. Many run into the “project limit” wall as the free version will only allow you to make 3 “projects”, but if you are only using the software to write scripts, one work-around is that within a project you can have unlimited scripts! In my personal Celtx account right now I have one project that has over 15 scripts in it!

In addition to the screenplay tool, Celtx also features some other great tools like budgets and shot lists that can help you move this script onto the screen in a very fluid fashion as well. The only thing about Celtx that has me biting my nails is that little “writing” and “thinking” timer at the bottom left that keeps a running tally of how much time you’ve spent doing both!

WriterSolo

WriterSolo touts itself as “WriterDuet’s cloudless cousin”. WriterSolo works in your browser and can open/save files on your computer, Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud. It also includes a desktop application that can be downloaded for offline use. While the cloud-based WriterDuet allows you to collaborate with others online on the same script, which could be useful for those late-night writing sessions with your writing partner, you would still have the ability in this completely free version to download your files and email them for notes which can have its advantages. Don’t you just hate when someone accidentally deletes your witty one-liner?!

 • • •

While we’ve run across TONS of free screenwriting software during our research, we’re only including ones that we’ve personally vetted so far. Do you have some software that you like using that didn’t make this list? Shoot us an email at info@austinyouthfilmfestival.com! We’d love to hear about the pros and cons to other software you’ve used! Do you have some amazing online resources that all filmmakers should know about?! Contact us! Maybe we’ll credit you and add it to a compilation of more recommendations on a future post!