# Are there searchable movie script archives?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-searchable-movie-script-archives/470301>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 30, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-searchable-movie-script-archives/470301 "2008-10-30T19:34:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-searchable-movie-script-archives/470301/1 "2008-10-30T19:34:09Z")

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I’ve wondered this occasionally before, and [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10380282&postcount=69) by Annie-Xmas finally convinced me to ask the question here.

Is there a way (even if it’s only in the industry rather than available to the public) to search the archives of distributed film scripts to look for specific language? And if not, can you tell me how a company like Macy’s would be able to compile the collection referenced in Annie’s post?

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**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-searchable-movie-script-archives/470301/2 "2008-10-30T19:41:32Z")

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I can’t answer specifically about searchable archives, but I know that a big company like Macy’s will have an in-house promotions department that will keep records of the company’s mentions in film and literature. They may pay an agency to do it as well.

When I saw the commercial, the first thing I thought of was Shirley Jackson’s hilarious short story “My Life with R.H. Macy,” in which she documents her first (and last) day as a sales clerk. It was her first published story and a far cry from “The Lottery.”

I hate shopping at Macy’s, but that commercial makes me want to go there. I hope the person who came up with it got a big fat raise.

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**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-searchable-movie-script-archives/470301/3 "2008-10-30T19:46:03Z")

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There are a number of sites out there that fit your description, some more comprehensive than others. I’ve had good luck with [ScriptCrawler](http://www.scriptcrawler.net/) and [Simply Scripts](http://www.simplyscripts.com/) in the past.

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**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-searchable-movie-script-archives/470301/4 "2008-10-30T20:15:06Z")

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> **[The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb)](https://imsdb.com/)**
>
> Movie scripts, Film scripts at IMSDb

Not exactly what you’re looking for but it might help.