Screenwriters have always employed a number of tools to help them structure their stories. The time constraints placed upon a screenplay forces screenwriters into a tight regiment of narrative devices. It causes the screenwriter to be stuck between the story they have to tell and final delivery of a well crafted script. One tool that's a standard among screenwriters is the cork board and notecard combo. Plot points and story beats are written on individual notecards and then organized on a cork board to plot out the story. This method allows screenwriters to reshuffle their story as needed and gives them a visual perspective of their plot. There are virtual versions, essentially digital notecards, of this screenwriting tool but many of these apps are cost prohibitive to aspiring screenwriters. Amazon Studios, a division of online retail giant Amazon, gives reason to rejoice with the beta release of their Amazon Storybuilder web app.
Amazon Storybuilder – Digital Notecards for Aspiring Screenwriters
It's no secret that Amazon is positioning itself as a media empire. Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing and Amazon Studios are giving storytellers avenues to fulfill their dreams of putting their stories into the hands of many. They are continuing to empower individual artists with helpful tools, and that's what Amazon Storybuilder is. Amazon Storybuilder is a free web app that allows the user to create digital notecards and arrange them on a virtual cork board. Users can include hashtags, as well as attach notes and images to their different notecards and arrange them as they see fit through a simple drag and drop interface. The cork board of Amazon Storybuilder can be broken down into different categories and acts, whatever the screenwriter chooses. There are also useful templates for users, such as the basic movie structure defined by "Save the Cat" author Blake Snyder, who wrote about the notecard outlining method. Amazon Storybuilder is a free tool and screenwriters retain the rights to the stories they create while using it.
Chris "Ace" Gates is a four time Emmy Award-winning freelance writer and video producer.