There are 15 screenplay examples for each genre for you to download and study from.
In this article, we’ve curated three screenplay examples from each film just for you five main schools:Drama, Comedy, Action/Adventure, Thriller and Horror
Each screenplay example listed below is available as a PDF for easy download, and has been carefully selected to represent one of the best examples of this type of screenplay.
Study them, absorb their storytelling techniques, immerse yourself in how the author makes you imagine what’s on the page and apply what you learn to your own script.
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3 drama scripts.
Boogie Nights.
Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson.
This script is somewhat controversial… Mark Wahlberg originally didn’t want to play this role, but after reading it showgirl It has sunk. After reading the script, he changed his mind. William H. Macy’s agent did not want him to take the role. Messi read the script, loved it and signed up immediately. Burt Reynolds did the same thing, but later regretted it and fired the agent who pitched him the role.
Forrest Gump.
Written by Eric Roth/Based on the novel by Winston Groom.
Whatever you think of this movie, Roth is one of the greatest screenwriters of our generation and this script does not disappoint. Just look at this sentence from the opening page: “We see a man, sitting on a bus bench, reaching for it. He’s in his forties and looks fishy.
she.
Written by Spike Jonze.
A lonely middle-aged man falls in love with a Siri-like operating system in the near future. Once Jones had the bright idea, the script more or less wrote itself. Although this is an updated and expanded version of his 2010 short film, I’m here This is also well worth reading/watching.
3 comedy scripts.
Disaster artist.
Screenwriter: Scott Neustadt & Michael H. Weber/bAdapted from the novel by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell.
Since their 2009 breakout play, (500) summerNeustadt and Weber focused more on book adaptations, and this book is one of the best. The script tells the true story of Greg Sestero’s friendship with the weird and wonderful Tommy Wiseau and their attempts to make it in Hollywood. Anyone writing a screenplay based on a novel should compare the two for a masterclass in adaptation.
election.
Written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor/Based on the novel by Rex Pickett.
behind sideways This may be Penn and Teller’s greatest screenplay. Writing comedy is about having your protagonist make bad choices because of his own flaws, which is what protagonist Jim does over and over again as he fights his nemesis Tracy Flick. One of the best examples of comedy scripts you will find.
The road, the way back.
Screenplay by Nat Faxon and Jim Rush.
This brilliant comedy/drama script was on the blacklist six years before it was released as a film in 2013. ‘s stepfather depicts that heartbreaking opening scene.
3 Action/Adventure Screenplay Examples.
300.
Screenplay by Michael Gordon, Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad.
Many aspiring screenwriters are confused about how to write a fight scene. Well, here’s the answer. With a death toll of 585, there was a lot to learn in this script about how to write action sequences, hand-to-hand combat, and epic battle scenes. This is a must-read for any budding action/adventure writer.
alien.
Screenplay by James Cameron.
Filmed sequel alien Enter action/adventure territory, far away from the scary beginnings. Walter Hill only contributed to the film’s story, not the screenplay, and thus lacks his vertical writing style. If you want to master stand-alone action sequences, this is a must-read.
Inglourious Basterds.
Screenplay by Quentin Tarantino.
Whatever you do, don’t follow the approach Tarantino took when writing this script. It took him more than ten years to squeeze this thing out. As he admits, he became “too precious to the page,” convinced that the script was his magnum opus. As a renowned writer/director, Tarantino could write something like this. Of course, aspiring writers would be better off adopting a more disciplined, even machine-like approach.
3 thriller scripts.
Flight Plan.
Screenplay by Peter Dowling, Larry Cohen, Terry Hayes and Billy Ray.
People often recommend writing location-limited, independent thriller scripts as a way to break into the industry. This is Dowling’s take on the classic “a loved one suddenly disappears” story that appeared in films such as lady disappears, crazyand disappearer.
pulp Fiction.
Screenplay by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary.
“It is impossible to tell where the young woman comes from, nor her age; everything she does contradicts what she does. A boy and a girl sit in a booth. Their conversation will take place in a fast-paced “he “Girl Friday” way. If you haven’t read this, perhaps the most famous play of the modern era, you’re in for a treat.
Shutter Island.
Screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis/Adapted from the novel by Dennis Lehane.
when it comes to Shutter IslandKalogridis did extoll the virtues of the Outline. “When I was working for Jim Cameron, I started this broad outlining process…and I found it very helpful once I completed it. It was almost like doing a short first draft. We agreed. Especially. But for a twisty thriller like this, every beat and twist has to be meticulously tracked.
3 horror scripts.
Let me in.
Written by Matt Reeves/Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist.
As a writer, it’s important to create a strong emotional connection to your work, and screenwriter Matt Reeves does just that in this modern vampire tale. As he said in an interview, “I wrote to Lindqvist and told him that I was attracted to this story not only because it was a brilliant genre story (which it was) but also because of the personal aspect of it. It was really It reminds me of my childhood.
A quiet place.
Screenplay by Scott Baker and Brian Woods.
The script is penned by childhood friends/co-writing team Brian Woods and Scott Baker, and is their third major project together. After being named one of the top ten screenplays of the year on Tracking Board’s 2017 Hot List, it was purchased by Paramount and rewritten with John Krasinski.
us.
Screenplay by Jordan Peele
When writing this script, Peele wanted to make sure people weren’t as confused about the genre as they had been with his previous films, go outand write a full-length horror movie. So inspiration comes from old and new classics of the genre, e.g. The Shining, sixth sense, Let the right people in, The Babadook and it follows.
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Screenplay Example: Conclusion.
You may also have heard that reading a screenplay is one of the best ways to learn to write. It’s true. Don’t just look at these screenplay examples and give up on it. Read as many scripts as you can.
Start with our list of the 50 best scripts, and aim to read at least one new script each week. In just a few months, you’ll have a better grasp of the craft of screenwriting than you did before you started.
Like this article? Read more screenplay examples…
50 of the best screenplays in every genre worth reading and downloading
50 Best TV Scripts Download and Learn to Improve Your Writing
20 Best Comedy Scripts to Read and Download for Free
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