Get screenwriting inspiration with these 9 sites for free film scripts.

One of the best ways to hone your skills as a screenwriter is to spend ample time exploring the structure and format of great films. Thankfully there is a plethora of awesome script resourced around the web, many with free downloads.

Break your writer’s block! In the following post, we’ve listed out 9 sites to find free scripts from a wide variety of films.

Dear Supporters, Thank you for helping us reach our fundraising goal. You keep us going and growing – with your support we will do even more in 2019. Download 4 Free Short Film Scripts (fake movie trailers) These are free, Creative Commons licensed, low budget movie ideas. Each is written out as a screenplay for a movie trailer. Download 2016's Best Scripts: Neerja, Pink, Kapoor & Sons - If you're an aspiring writer, reading the scripts of some of the most talented writers in the Hindi film industry is a great way to hone your craft.

1. Simply Scripts

Simply Scripts is an awesome script database where you can find film scripts, as well as scripts for TV, radio, musicals, plays and unproduced projects. From Interstellar to Singing’ in the Rain you’ll likely find the script you’re looking for here. There’s a reason why Simply Scripts tops our list!

2. Internet Movie Script Database

Internet Movie Script Database is another great place to find screenplays of both old and new movies. IMSDb even allows users to sort by genre making it easier to pinpoint just action or comedy films. Scripts can also be rated on IMSDb, which is nice because sometimes scripts found online can be knockoffs rather than the actual script used for the film.

3. The Weekly Script

The Weekly Script puts out a new script every week for your reading pleasure. Instead of relying on having the largest library, the Weekly Script gets it’s charm from the curation of great screenplays. The site is also incredibly easy to navigate and minimal. In the words of the author “If you can’t find your way around this site, you shouldn’t be on the web!”

4. Screenplays for You

Screenplays for You is a script database – no frills, just scripts. SFY has hundreds of screenplays spanning decades of film production. Most of the scripts found here are shooting drafts, meaning they are formatted for the way the script looked during production rather than a reproduced script written after the movie was released.

5. John August

If you’re a screenwriter, John August is a great person to know. On his website you’ll find scripts, schedules, breakdowns, and drafts for reference. You won’t find a lot of scripts, but the ones available are all high-quality. John August is also a host on the Scriptnotes podcast where he, along side Craig Mazin, talk about screenwriting and screenplays.

6. The Daily Script

If the Weekly Script wasn’t enough for you, you will love the Daily Script. The site boasts one of the largest collections of scripts online, as well as an extensive collection of TV scripts.

7. Movie Scripts and Screenplays

In line with the Daily Script, Movie Scripts and Screenplays is a no-nonsense site with scripts, links and…that’s about it! The site does not appear to be actively updated, so go elsewhere if you’re looking for a recent screenplay.

8. Horror Lair

If you’re into horror films than Horror Lair is the place for you. Horror Lair has hundreds of scripts that all fall in the horror genre. Check it out, if you dare.

9. NoFilmSchool

You already know NoFilmSchool as a great place to find filmmaking news and information, but did you know they’ve started sharing screenplays too? NFS writer Christopher Boone has been writing articles with links to movie scripts over the past few weeks and the list is getting pretty great. You can see all of the 2014 Screenplay Articles on NoFilmSchools website.

Want to take your screenwriting tips to the next level? Check out our ‘8 Tips for the Emerging Screenwriter’ post where we share a few ways in which you can create engaging stories.

Know of any other places to find free scripts online? Share in the comments below.

If you want to write movie screenplays, you need to read movie screenplays – it’s just as essential as batting practice for professional baseball players. Reading in general is important, whether it’s novels, comics, or the backs of cereal boxes—even if you’re not paying attention, your brain is remembering hundreds if not thousands of subtle connections between language and storytelling.

Reading screenplays provides an added benefit—allowing you and your brain to see proper formatting in action. It’s also vital for aspiring screenwriters to see the difference between how scenes play out on the page and how they play out on the screen. Finally, while proper screenwriting adheres to a very rigid format, it’s extremely useful to see how various writers work within those rules and even use them to their advantage. Even if you know exactly what you’re seeing, your brain is actively learning and your subconscious is absorbing more and stronger information with every script you read.

By reading screenplay after screenplay, you will get a sense of how you can write your own.

Here, then, are ten websites that allow you to download professional movie scripts. Start clicking and start reading today—if not for your own sake, at least do it for your brain’s.

1. IMSDB – Internet Movie Screenplay Database

IMDB has proven a valuable resource for researching movie crews, casts, and trivia. IMSDB is just as useful for those looking for screenplays of all kinds and genres.

2. Go Into the Story

Go Into the Story is the official blog for The Blacklist, the screenwriting community famous for its annual top ten list of unproduced scripts. One useful feature of Go Into the Story is its bank of downloadable movie scripts.

3. Drew’s Script-o-Rama

The titular Drew has been sharing scripts with curious readers and writers for almost two decades now, and has a vast library from which to choose from. A great benefit of Script-O-Rama is that it holds several drafts of certain movies, an invaluable resource for those who want to see how a Hollywood film evolves in the writing process.

4. Simply Scripts

Simply Scripts has a wide, diverse library that also includes plays and non-English screenplays. It’s also constantly updated, providing scripts to current movies such as Interstellar and Foxcatcher.

5. AwesomeFilm

AwesomeFilm is another resource with dozens of scripts you can download with a single click, alphabetized for easy searching. If you’re looking for a screenplay to read, this site is, well, awesome.

6. Screenplays For You

Screenplays For You is a clean, smooth website with hundreds of scripts. You’re more than likely to find something from the genre you need—its library boasts everything from low-key award-winning dramas like Sideways to action blockbusters like Avatar.

7. The Daily Script

The Daily Script offers a ton of screenplays in a very simple, easy-to-navigate layout. It keeps things homey for the typical screenwriter, even using Courier New as its primary font.

8. The Screenplay Database

The Screenplay Database is another useful resource with a large choice of scripts to choose from. If you’re interested in a certain type of film, the website also allows you to search its library by genre, to better allow you to window shop and find something you didn’t even know you were looking for.

9. The Script Lab

The Script Lab comes in handy if you’re looking for more recent screenplays. Its front page divides its library into the three most recent years of releases, so if there’s something from 2014 you’d like, for instance Birdman or Boyhood, this is the website for you.

10. Movie Scripts and Screenplays

You’ve got to love the straightforward title. Movie Scripts and Screenplays gives you exactly what it says, with a long list of manuscripts that you can also directly find with its search function.

All writers know that reading great material is an essential part of honing and building your craft. But if you’re ready to take the next step in developing your skills as a screenwriter with the most hands-on, intensive training in the world, check out NYFA’s screenwriting programs. Looking for a long-distance way to take your writing to the next level? Check out NYFA’s online screenwriting program options.