Guide to Screenwriting Research

Screenwriting Liaison

Sally Bryant

e-mail: Sally.Bryant@pepperdine.edu
telephone: 310-506-4262
AIM general reference chat: (often staffed by other librarians)
More information about Chat Reference

Search this site

Featured Database

American Film Scripts Online (AFSO) is an ongoing project to digitize and thoroughly index 1,000 film scripts. This release contains 823 scripts by 969 writers; most of the scripts have never been published before, and nowhere else are they available online. The primary focus of the database is the written work, rather than the film itself. It allows users to see and understand the structure of films, character development, beginnings and endings, plot points and scenes. The database has been engineered to provide access at the scene or character level.

Screenwriting Research Blog

Here are some good websites:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com See all of the box office results.

http://www.imdb.com Fiind out all of the latest information regarding movies and actors.

http://www.joblo.com/ Website with free scripts and everything about movies.

http://www.writersstore.com/ Store for screenwriters.

To view older posts, visit the Blog Archive.

In the News...

NYT > Movies
To Blacks, Precious Is ‘Demeaned’ or ‘Angelic’ “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” has sparked heated debate about its meaning since its limited release.
Movie Review \| 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon': Abstinence Makes the Heart ... Oh, You Know The big tease turns into the long goodbye in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”
Movie Review \| 'Broken Embraces': Almodóvar’s Happy Agony, Swirling Amid Jealousy and Revenge Can there be such a thing as exuberant melancholy? I can’t think of another way to describe the spirit of “Broken Embraces.”

Variety.com (The premier source of entertainment news. Turn to Variety.com for timely, credible articles, reviews and analysis of film, TV, music, theater, video, gaming and movie and television production -- information vital to your showbiz career.)
Vivendi talks hold up Comcast takeover of NBC U TV News: French corp, GE at impasse over valuation -- Vivendi has officially become a thorn in the side of Comcast Corp.'s takeover bid for NBC Universal.
'New Moon' takes opening day record Film News: Makes $72.7 million, beating 'Dark Knight' -- "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" tore up the box office record for best opening day.
Swell Season Music Reviews: It's not that there's any tension on stage, but it was quite apparent that Swell Season is now more than ever Hansard's band.

General Research Links

New Books at Pepperdine University Libraries

Handbook for academic authors

Films that work

Film is hell

Cinematic sociology

Auditions

New DVDs at Pepperdine University Libraries

Pepperdine University Libraries: Latest - DVDs (The latest cataloged items in the University Libraries collections for DVDs.)
False memories False memories [videorecording] / produced for TLC by Rubin Tarrant Productions ; written, produced, and directed by Pamela Caragol. Princeton, N.J. : Films for the Humanities and Sciences, c2003. VIDEO .F1518 DVD
Da Vinci Code Da Vinci Code [videorecording] / Columbia Pictures and Imagine Entertainment present ; directed by Ron Howard ; screenplay by Akiva Goldsman ; produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard ; produced by John Calley ; a Brian Grazer production ; a John Calley pr Culver City, CA : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, [2006] VIDEO .D1752 DVD
Indochine Indochine [videorecording] / BAC Films ; Paradis Films et la Generale d'Images présentent une coproduction Paradis Films ... [et al.] ; scénario original, adaptation, dialogue, Erik Orsenna ... [et al.] ; produit par Eric Heumann et Jean Labadie ; un Culver City, Calif. : Columbia TriStar Home Video ; [S.l.] : Sony Pictures Classics, [1999] VIDEO .I4442 DVD
This is England This is England [videorecording] / FilmFour and the UK Film Council present in association with EM Media and Screen Yorkshire a Warp Films production in association with Big Arty Productions ; produced by Mark Herbert ; written and directed by Shane Meado [New York, N.Y.] : IFC Films ; [Solana Beach, Calif.] : Distributed by Genius Products, [2007] VIDEO .T4629 DVD
Broken border Broken border [videorecording] : America's immigration dilemma / producer, Greg Reaume ; produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Princeton, N.J. : Films for the Humanities & Sciences, c2004. VIDEO .B7625 DVD
French intellectuals in the 20th century French intellectuals in the 20th century [videorecording] / Antenne 2/Tele Images/INA ; produced by Simone Halberstadt Harari ; directed by Alain Ferrari ; written [and narrated] by Bernard-Henri Lâevy. Princeton, N.J. : Films for the Humanities, [2003] VIDEO .F751 DVD
Best of Cosby show Best of Cosby show [videorecording] / the Carsey-Werner Company, LLC ; Carsey-Werner Distribution. [Los Angeles, Calif.] : First Look Home Entertainment, 2007] VIDEO .C674 DVD
*MASH** MAS*H. Season nine [videorecording] / produced by John Rappaport ; developed for television by Larry Gelbart. Beverly Hills, Calif. : 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, [2008] VIDEO .M3809 DVD
Art of failure Art of failure: [videorecording] : Chuck Connelly not for sale / a film by Jeff Stimmel. [New York] : Divided Eye Entertainment : Films Transit International, c2008. VIDEO .A738 DVD
Hospital Hospital [videorecording] / United Artists ; produced by Howard Gottfried ; [screenplay] by Paddy Chayefsky ; directed by Arthur Hiller. Santa Monica, CA : MGM Home Entertainment, [2003] VIDEO .H675 DVD