To those learning the craft, spec screenplays demand recognition of their unique presentation requirements.
First, spec screenplays need to be distinguished from shooting scripts and transcripts, both of which will lead to frustrating delays and revisions of work if their format is copied.
Second, there are two kinds of spec screenplays. Established writers, having already earned enough street cred to be cut some slack on their format transgressions, should not be overtly emulated on format style. Leaving us with the "true spec screenplays": The first or second (subjectively) big ticket production of a writer's hopeful career. (Don't quit your day job just yet, Mr/Ms. One Hit Wonder.)
Third, although a Writer/Director (W/D) needs to secure financing based upon the screenplay (and likely any marketable principals attached), they tend to do a lot "winging it" and "on set modification" of the screenplay that was presented to the producer/distributors. So, W/D screenplays tend to be subject to a fair bit of "off the cuff wiggling about". Not something you want to learn from, but should consider - with prejudices.
Fourth, regarding commercial and critical "success": Um... doesn't matter.
Anything produced means someone spent a chunk of change on it based upon the merits of the story.
We've all seen movies with bad reviews make lots of money.
We've also seen bad movies with bad reviews make lots of money.
And we've seen movies with great reviews that made no money.
There's zero correlation between revenues and reviews. It doesn't matter. Writer was already paid. So, let's keep our eyes on the prize.
Fifth, even though a screenplay may be based on another work (books or short stories) the dissection of
screenplay format itself is what is of interest for this exercise.
If the spec screenplay incited money to be spent then it's good.
Review the format styles of multiple current, non-W/D, "true spec screenplays" to develop a sense of what producers and distributors are willing to speculate spending millions of dollars on themselves.
Lettuce begin the screening process.
http://www.imsdb.com/latest/As of November 28, 2010, this is what we get:
Last added movie scripts
(s = script date, r = theatrical release date)
Date Night s2008 r2010 - Josh Klausner
Frozen s2009 r2010 - Adam Green
Perfect Creature s2004 r2007 - Glenn Standring
Marley & Me s2007 r2008 - Don Roos
Road, The r2009 - Joe Penhall
Clash of the Titans s2008 r2010 - John Glenn & Travis Wright
Death at a Funeral s2009 r2010 - Chris Rock & Aeysha Carr
Sandlot Kids, The 1992 - Don't care. Too old
Up in the Air r2009 - Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner
Ninja Assassin s2008 r2009 - Matthew Sand & J. Michael Straczynski
It's Complicated r2009 - Nancy Meyers
After.Life s2008 r2010 - Agnieska Wojtowicz-Vosloo
Remember Me s2009 r2010 - William Fetters & Jenny Lumet
Losers, The s2007 r2010 - Peter Berg & James Vanderbilt
Catch Me If You Can r2002 - Don't care. Too old
Ghost Rider s2001 r2007 - David S. Goyer
Darkman 1989 - Don't care. Too old
All About Steve s2006 r2009 - Kim Barker
Extract 2008 r2009 - Mike Judge
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant r2009 Brian Helgeland
Fantastic Mr Fox s2007 r2009 - Roald Dahl, Wes Anderson & Noah Baumbach
Hot Tub Time Machine r2010 - Josh Heald
Valentine's Day r2010 - Katherine Fugate
Chaos 2004 r2005 - Don't care. Too old
While She Was Out s2006 r2008 - Susan Montford
Timber Falls s2006 r2007 - Dan Kay, Revisions by Tony Giglio
She's Out of My League r2010 - Sean Anders & John Morris
Bounty Hunter, The s2007 r2010 - Sarah Thorp
Up r2009 - Pete Docter, Bob Peterson & Thomas McCarthy
Yes Man s2007 r2008 - Nicholas Stoller
Valkyrie s2007 r2008 - Christopher McQuarrie & Nathan Alexander
Wrestler, The s2007 r2009 - Rob Siegel
Terminator Salvation s2005 r2009 - John Brancato & Michael Ferris
In the Loop r2009 - Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche
Youth in Revolt s2007 r2010 - Gustin Nash
Legion s2007 r2010 - Peter Schink & Scott Stewart
An Education r2009 - Nick Hornby
2012 s2008 r2009 - Roland Emmerich & Harald Kloser
Sherlock Holmes s2008 r2009 - Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham & Simon Kinberg
Avatar - Don't care. Writer/Director
Book of Eli, The s2007 r2010 - Gary Whitta
Damned United, The r2009 - Peter Morgan
Sugar r2009 - Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Precious s2008 r2009 - Geoffrey Fletcher
Last Station, The r2009 - Michael Hoffman
White Ribbon, The r2009 - Michael Haneke
Broken Embraces r2009 - Pedro Almodovar
Twilight: New Moon s2008 r2009 - Melissa Rosenberg
Okey doke.
Just to develop an awareness of turnaround times, IMSDb often listed the month of both the script and the theatrical release date. Most were released just over twelve months, many under two years, from the script date.
Sure, a release may have been tied-up for a few months, but generally speaking, script-to-screen is around thirteen months. When no screenplay date was provided a back-figure from the release date was used to cut or keep screenplays.
Changing screenplay style trends make those over a few years old likely not very useful for analysis.
Now, lettuce check these writers at IMDB.com to see which are writer virgins and even a few W/D virgins...