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Spec Scripts
- Thread starter Panos
- Start date
Not sure why there would be a site with people listing their spec scripts. That would be a good way to get your idea ripped off.
People tend to keep spec scripts private unless showing agents or friends for feedback and notes.
The closest thing I can think of would be The Black List, which is a website and organization that puts together the best unproduced scrips, but you need to pay or have industry cred to be a member.
EDIT: I understand what you're asking now. At first I thought you wanted to see scrips that have not been made into movies yet. Sorry, can't help you.
People tend to keep spec scripts private unless showing agents or friends for feedback and notes.
The closest thing I can think of would be The Black List, which is a website and organization that puts together the best unproduced scrips, but you need to pay or have industry cred to be a member.
EDIT: I understand what you're asking now. At first I thought you wanted to see scrips that have not been made into movies yet. Sorry, can't help you.
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I guess you may start also by going through some loglines on sites like stage 32 and other similar sites. You can go through them and solicit the authors under any arrangements convenient on how to get their specs.
No. There are no websites that post only spec screenplays of
known movies. All of the screenplay websites have a mix. You'll
have to do some research yourself; decide what screenplay you
would like to read for educational purposes and look for it.
This was not only a super easy Google, but we had a similar thread only like two weeks ago.
screenplay.com
screenplay.com
Do you put zero effort into everything you do?
http://www.screenplay.com/resources/research/scripts/scriptindex.html
So you had that page but you posted here the home page to see whether I'll put effort to search or... blah blah blah
You people and your negativity are a great inspiration for screenwritters, aren't you?
I searched for 1 hour but I couldn't go this page and still I don't know how you got to: http://www.screenplay.com/resources/...
I only can go to: http://www.screenplay.com/writingresources where there are no screenplays!!
Thank you anyway, although no script can't be opened or downloaded... maybe they'll fix it.
I'm not here to inspire you. People should have the inspiration to do their own research. We have OTHER threads about this EXACT thing.
http://www.screenplaydb.com/film/all/
There you go, took me a single google to find 419 scripts that are all easy to just click on and download.
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Perhaps screenplay.com was a bad one to send you to, the site is a little broken and requires some outsource searching to get things. You'd take something from that list and then google "screenplay.com SCRIPTNAME pdf" and it would have given you the direct link instead of their broken links.
However, that other site screenplaydb.com seems to have their links working.
For example, Enjoy Clockwork Orange: http://www.screenplaydb.com/film/scripts/a_clockwork_orange.pdf
Being familiar with that film's history, I can tell you this script is a fake, but it is a correct spec script, however written by a fan of the film after it had been released.
I'm really confused about what you call a “spec” script. I always
thought “spec” was short for “speculation”; a script written in the
hope of selling it. How can a transcript of a finished movie be
called a correct spec script? How can "A Clockwork Orange" be called
a spec script?
Panos specifically asked if there were any web sites that “spec
screenplay only”. Your link screenplaydb isn't only spec screenplays.
On the first three pages I saw only five spec scripts. Unless I am
misunderstanding what a “spec script” is.
Hmmm... well every film that's ever been made most likely has a spec script that was used before it was made? So "A Clockwork Orange" would have one. Of course this isn't it because it includes the Dancing in the Rain lines, which wasn't in the actual script at any point. However it is still a spec script as it includes no production notes.
Spec Script is a format. Notice how the OP mentions he found one for The Sixth Sense. Spec Scripts are the dialogue and action of a film in 3rd person. You could compare it to a novel, it's a piece of art, written by a screenwriter.
And yes, it is speculation because Spec Scripts don't get made into movies. They sell the story of the movie. Production Scripts get made into movies. Spec Scripts dream to one day grow up into Production Scripts.
This is where I'm unsure... because I'm not a screenwriter... but I don't believe the screenwriter makes the Production Script? I've heard this is mostly ghost writers and directors that add all the production details into a script (such as angles, marks, dolly movement, etc...) this Production Script can even be in 2nd Person, telling us what WE see as the audience watching a screen.
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tl;dr
Spec Script = Speculation of movie's story without production notes
Production Script = Optioned Script added in with the production notes
I will pass the irrelevant and nonsensical assumption that I asked for inspiration by encouraging you to visit this kind of threads.
I know sites where there are not just handrends but thousands of scripts, like IMDB. I just asked for a site where there are ONLY spec scripts.
The sites you keep posting have not only spec scripts, they have also shooting scripts.
It is just sounding like you're lazy at this point. You can't be troubled to click on different scripts? A hundred spec scripts aren't enough for you? You need a thousand spec scripts?
Haha!! What are you made of mate? I keep reading spec scripts everyday and I find them by searching on internet! I just asked if someone knows any place where there are only specs and so I don't have to go through all this searching and... I think I'm tired at this point.
"A hundred spec scripts aren't enough for you? You need a thousand spec scripts?" That was really funny!
You have been misinformed. "Spec Script" is not a format it is a script written
without a sale or offer of a sale. Different from a commissioned or solicited
screenplay in which the writer is paid to write the script. "The Sixth Sense" was
written on "spec" and then put up for sale. The "A Clockwork Orange" script
was commissioned by Warner Bros. Kubrick (and the uncredited writers) were
paid to write and develop the screenplay and then film.
An adorable metaphor. Screenplays written on spec (spec scripts) are often made
into movies. Thelma & Louise, Good Will Hunting, American Beauty, Lethal Weapon,
Basic Instinct,. Want some recent ones? Snow White And The Huntsman was written
on spec, This Means War was written in 1998 and finally sold and got made in 2012,
Gran Torino. These were all "spec scripts". Not all written in "spec script" format, but
written without a deal in place and optioned and then sold and then made into movies.
THIS LINK may help you better understand what a spec script is.
Read the interviews on THIS WGA PAGE. Not one person mentions that a "spec script"
is a format.
Not all script are written on spec. Many writers are paid to write. I make a nice
percentage of my living as a writer; I do not write on the speculation that my script
will find a buyer, I am hired to write. And I use the exact same format as I use when
I do write on the speculation that some producer will buy my script.
Okay... so directorik, what do you call a script that isn't a shooting script? What format would you say they are?
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They don't call it a format in that interview because they aren't asked what format should someone write an episode to an already existing show if they wanted to get a job there. The answer to that question would be "Spec Script".
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I can share a link too. http://filmschoolonline.com/sample_lessons/sample_lesson_format.htm
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Even if you're paid to do the writing... you still write a spec script because it's not an actual shooting script, it's not the final product. Unless of course you were paid to write a shooting script. It's a speculation of the final product.
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They don't call it a format in that interview because they aren't asked what format should someone write an episode to an already existing show if they wanted to get a job there. The answer to that question would be "Spec Script".
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I can share a link too. http://filmschoolonline.com/sample_lessons/sample_lesson_format.htm
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Even if you're paid to do the writing... you still write a spec script because it's not an actual shooting script, it's not the final product. Unless of course you were paid to write a shooting script. It's a speculation of the final product.
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I would call a script that isn't a shooting script a screenplay or teleplay.
I would say the format is "screenplay" format. It can't be a spec script
if it is already sold before it is written.
From the filmschoolonline link:
"Spec scripts are scripts written on the speculation of a future sale."
So what is a script that is already sold before a writer writes a page?
A shooting script is used during production. I agree. So what is a script that
is NOT a shooting script but not written on the speculation of a future sale?
filmschoolonline doesn't seem to have a term for those scripts.
But as I said, that Clockwork Orange one is a fake, written as a spec script.
I'm sure Kubrick's script was a shooting script to begin with. However, if the film were to have a spec script, that surely would be what it would look like.
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I'm honestly past debating this at this point. The man who taught me script formatting has been in this industry since the 70s working on A New Hope, Gremlins, Star Trek, Twilight Zone, and so much more... When someone that experienced teaches you about something he's had over 40 years of professional experience with and you can find nothing that contradicts him, why would you just believe someone on a forum over him?
Sure, what you do are commissioned scripts... but your formatting is the same as spec scripts. I'm more confused on that than anything, why aren't you writing shooting scripts?
I'm sure Kubrick's script was a shooting script to begin with. However, if the film were to have a spec script, that surely would be what it would look like.
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I'm honestly past debating this at this point. The man who taught me script formatting has been in this industry since the 70s working on A New Hope, Gremlins, Star Trek, Twilight Zone, and so much more... When someone that experienced teaches you about something he's had over 40 years of professional experience with and you can find nothing that contradicts him, why would you just believe someone on a forum over him?
Sure, what you do are commissioned scripts... but your formatting is the same as spec scripts. I'm more confused on that than anything, why aren't you writing shooting scripts?
I'm sorry to hear that. I was enjoying our little debate.
I apologize for questioning you. In general I'm a curious person interested in other
peoples opinion. I won't do it again.