Writing generally has been my lifelong passion, and screenwriting, which I discovered years ago, is the kind that I enjoy spending my time on. It all started when a friend recommended Sid Field's book 'Screenplay'. Initially hesitant due to my lack of knowledge of screenwriting, I was quickly captivated by the comprehensive content of the small book. I realised two things: first, I did not need to buy any other book; this book was more than enough to start my screenwriting practice. Second: I understood the importance of reading numerous scripts to familiarise myself, before embarking on my own writing journey.
In this post, I have compiled the first ten scripts that I found on different websites. Although each script offered its own insights, they all greatly enhanced my understanding of the screenwriting process.
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10) Gone Girl
''Gone Girl'' is a gripping thriller that centres around the disappearance of Amy, the wife of Nick Dunne. As the media frenzy intensifies, Nick finds himself under suspicion and becomes the prime suspect in Amy's disappearance. Directed by David Fincer and starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. The film was released on cinemas in 2014, while the screenplay was finished in 2013. It has one hundred sixty-six pages and a number of scenes two hundred seventy-three.
Site: Script PDF. Script: Gone girl.
9) The fault in our stars.
''The fault in our stars'' is a heartwarming and emotional film based on the best-selling novel by John Green. The story follows Hazel Grace Lancaster, a witty and intelligent teenager who has been living with terminal cancer. She meets Augustus Waters, who is also a cancer survivor. The movie was released on cinemas in 2014, the screenplay was written in 2013. It has one hundred sixty-eight pages.
Site: The internet movie database. Script: The fault in our stars.
8) Charmed pilot episode.
''Charmed.'' is a popular TV show that originally aired in 1998 and continued until 2006. The series revolves around the lives of three sisters, known as charmed ones, who discover they are powerful witches. I never found the original script, but I found a site where I could read the dialogues.
Site: Charmed scripts TV
7) Nikita pilot episode.
''Nikita'', is an American action thriller drama television series that aired from 2010 to 2013. It follows the story of Nikita, a woman who escapes from a secret government organisation called 'Division' and seeks to bring it down. I found the script of the first episode.
Site: TV calling Script: Nikita.
6) Gravity.
''Gravity'' is a 2013 science fiction thriller directed by Alfonso Cuaron. The film follows Dr. Ryan Stone, played by Sandra Bullock, a medical engineer, on her first space shuttle mission alongside veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski, played by George Clooney. During a routine spacewalk, their shuttle is destroyed, leaving them stranded in space with limited oxygen and no communication with Earth.
Site: The internet movie database. Script: Gravity.
5) Fringe pilot episode
''Fringe'' is a science fiction television series that aired from 2008 to 2013. The programme follows a group of FBI agents working under special Agent Olivia Dunham as they look into strange and unexplained phenomena. They are joined by Dr. Walter Bishop, a brilliant but eccentric scientist, and his son, Peter Bishop. The show combines elements of science fiction, horror, and procedural drama.
Site: Subslikescript Script: Fringe.
4) Boyhood.
''Boyhood'' is a unique film that was shot over a span of twelve years, following the real-time ageing of the actors. The story revolves around Mason Evans Jr. and his family. At the beginning of the film, Mason is six years old and lives with his divorced mother Olivia and younger sister Sam. Olivia decides to move the family to Houston for better opportunities. Mason sr. the children's father, visits them occasionally but eventually leaves them after an argument with Olivia. Olivia remarries a man named Bill, who becomes increasingly abusive. The film explores the family's journey.
Site: Script slug. Script: Boyhood.
3) Arrow pilot episode.
''Arrow'' is a TV series that revolves around Oliver Queen, a billionaire playboy who goes missing and is presumed dead after his yacht sinks. However, he returns to his city five years later as a transformed man. Determined to make amends for his past and fight crime.
Site: The television pilot. Script: Arrow first episode.
2) A walk to remember.
''A walk to remember.'' is a heartwarming romantic drama film based on Nicholas Spark's novel of the same name. The story revolves around the unlikely love that blossoms between London Carter, a popular high school student, and Jamie Sullivan, a devout Christian who values her faith above all else. As they spend time together, Landon's perspective on life begins to change.
Site: Daily scripts. Script: A walk to remember.
1) Kick Ass
''kick Ass'' is a movie that tells the story of Dave Lizewski, an ordinary high school student and comic book fan. Feeling unnoticed and tired of the injustices around him, Dave decides to become a real-life superhero named Kick Ass. I have this script at the top of this list because it was the first script I would ever read, and it was years ago. I read it with the help of a notebook, a dictionary, a pen, and a lot of writing. it took me twelve days to finish it. Many words lost their meaning because I was not good in this language.
Script: Kick Ass movie one.
Conclusion.
When it comes to screenwriting, there are two kinds of scripts: those that are good and those that are great. The screenplay is one of the most influential documents in our world. These documents need to be designed in such a way that they can bring out the best and sometimes the worst in the character. It is important to have an original and compelling story-line to make this happen. The characters are the most important part of any screenplay. They need to be well developed, fully realised, and multidimensional, and they must be able to convey the message of the writer. The antagonist must be someone both protagonist and the audience can hate. The protagonist must be someone the audience can relate to, even if the character is struggling with inner conflicts. The story-lines need to be simple, compelling, and have a few unexpected twists and turns. The story needs to have beginning, middle, and end, and a few scenes that are not in the screenplay but are necessary for the audience to understand the flow of the story. The screenplays I mentioned above, have these elements in a very clear and concise fashion. At least for me, who, before I started reading them, had no idea what a script looked like. Maybe you prefer different genres, different plot, but the gold rule is the same: If you want to start writing screenplays, you need to read a lot of screenplays.
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