What is a Spec Script? Breaking Down The Basics
If you’re breaking into the screenwriting business, you’re going to become very familiar with spec scripts. So, what’s the deal?
What Is a Spec Script? Breaking Down the Basics
Very simply, a spec script is a feature screenplay that you write on speculation. You aren’t being paid to write it. Nobody has told you they’ll produce it. Instead, you’re speculating that, once it’s written, it will be of interest to someone, somewhere.
Hopefully.
A point of clarification: this definition is film-specific. In the world of television, spec scripts are original episodes of an existing show.
If you’re trying to get into a writers' room, for example, you may write your own fanfic episode of two big shows on the market right now to prove your chops.
What Are the Odds of Actually Selling a Spec Script?
Let’s cut right to the point: low. Not non-existent, but it’s rare.
Okay, now we’ll back up. Yes, there are spec scripts sold every single year. For example, the Black List is purely spec scripts that haven’t been sold yet, and a good portion of them are ultimately picked up once the list is shared.
And, of course, there are plenty of famous examples of scripts written on spec that went on to be megahits. Thelma & Louise. Good Will Hunting. A Quiet Place.
But that’s okay. Your goal with a spec script is not necessarily to sell it outright. Rather, the most common spec script success stories are job offers.
So, Why Write a Spec Script? The Purpose of a Spec Script in Screenwriting
You aren’t being paid. You don’t have a guarantee your movie will be made. And in fact, you probably won’t sell the final product. So, why write a spec script at all?
Short answer: Because nobody is going to hire you to write the next blockbuster if you haven’t proven your chops.
Now the long answer.
Spec scripts are your calling card. They’re how you break into the film industry.
A spec script is your chance to write a story that is completely within your control–no producers telling you what to do, no assignment, no prompt. It’s your chance to write something completely true to your vision and sensibilities as a storyteller, and to showcase your voice and style as a screenwriter.
If your sensibilities connect with a reader–be it a producer, creative executive, or director–then they very well might ask to meet with you and say something along the lines of, “We love the script, but it’s not for us. However, we’ve been playing with this idea… Do you think you could write it?” And that’s your golden ticket.
Key Elements of a Successful Spec Script
Even if you can accept that you’re writing a script that probably won’t get made, you still want to be sure you’re doing all this work for something. Fair enough.
How, then, do you maximize your chances of booking general meetings or locking down open writing assignments? By making sure your spec script has a:
Strong, original concept
Unique voice
The gatekeepers who will read your spec are likely reading dozens of other scripts a week. To escape the slush pile, you will need to have a concept that sticks in people’s minds and you will need to demonstrate a voice that people can’t get out of their heads.
But beyond a good concept and a strong sense of voice, your script also needs to be:
Good. Okay, that’s obvious. But it really is important!
“Good” scripts are well-written. They have compelling characters, clear structure, impactful dialogue, and strong pacing. They have killer opening pages that suck a reader into the story immediately and make it un-put-down-able. They’re edited ruthlessly and formatted cleanly.
And that’s really it. It’s simple, but not easy.
“But I really, really wanna sell it!” Again, it’s not impossible. Just hard.
To increase your chances of selling in Hollywood, consider writing something low-budget (single location, few actors, minimal stunts or special effects, etc.) and in the horror genre or based on an existing intellectual property that you have the rights to.
Why? So your future producers are taking on minimal risk.
Horror is hands-down the genre that is most open to newcomers and most receptive to low-budget indie projects–therefore, it’ll be easier for the money people to recoup their investment. If you’re script can be made for under a million dollars, you’re golden.
If your script is based on existing intellectual property that has a built-in audience or fan base, the producer can assume at least some people will turn up to see it and is therefore taking on less risk.
How to Choose a Strong, Original Concept for Your Spec Script
Before you can start writing, you need to know what your story is about. And the most important question you need to keep in mind as you choose is: would I love to see this movie?
If you wouldn’t be a passionate member of your own audience, why would anyone else be? Write a movie that you genuinely wish existed in the world–not the movie you think the world wants to see.
If you go chasing trends (“Oh, vampires are big right now, I’ll write that!), the trends will be long over by the time you’re shopping your spec. So set the next trend instead.
Finding Inspiration Through Confluence
A useful way to think about creativity is not that you’re generating something completely new. From personal experience, I know how easy it is to psyche yourself out if you get focused on “what’s never been done.”
Rather, think about creativity as combining two or more ideas in a way that they have never been combined before.
Or, said another way, confluence.
One strategy for using confluence to generate concepts is to get out a piece of paper and create two columns. In one column, list as many things as you can that you find incredibly interesting, right now.
For example, my list today might be space, pirates, lost continents, dimensions, red pandas–whatever. Basically, anything you would happily get lost in a Wikipedia rabbit hole for hours digging into.
In the next column, write a list of loose themes or genres you’re fascinated by. Like, found family, psychological horror, friends to enemies to lovers, etc.
And then, randomly match items in the first and second columns! See which combos spark something in you. (I know what I’m writing next: Red panda psychological horror.)
A fun aspect of this technique is that you can always change the prompts for your columns, or add more. You can add a third column of interesting professions, for example, and then randomly pick one from there to put into the mix. The world is your oyster!
Testing Your Concept
Once you have collected a few unique ideas that you like, it can be useful to do some research. Is there already an upcoming psychological horror about red pandas? How do your screenwriting (or filmmaking) friends react when you share the idea?
To know if someone truly likes your idea–and isn’t just saying so–pay attention to how they engage with the idea. Do they have a visceral emotional reaction? Do they immediately have follow-up questions? Are they throwing scene ideas at you? Those are all great signs.
A helpful tip: When we share creative ideas with others, we get an endorphin rush. Our body physically rewards us just for telling our intentions to do something.
If you’re someone who routinely tells people about projects and then doesn’t finish them, consider limiting who you tell at first and keeping this as your “secret project.”
How to Show Off Your Unique Voice in a Spec Script
Congratulations! If you’ve chosen a unique concept that is a movie you would love to watch, you’ve already started infusing your unique voice into your screenplay!
Yes, voice refers to the way you say or write things. But it also refers to what you write at all.
Something new screenwriters will often worry about is finding “their niche.” Am I a rom-com writer? An action person? What’s my “thing”?! Put all of that aside. If you write what interests you, your sweet spot will emerge naturally over time through the kinds of stories you tell: the themes you come back to, the relationships you showcase, the style you adopt, etc.
So, you’re already moving in the right direction.
But, when new writers talk about writing “with voice,” they’re often referring to style. How do you find a style that’s uniquely yours? Do you write with short staccato sentences, like in Alien? Or do you have long, rambly paragraphs like Lady Bird?
The frustrating but true answer is that you’ll find your style as you go. A lot of writers start off emulating their favorites, and then eventually making it their own. So, read lots of scripts! (If you aren’t sure where to start, here are 10 that may inspire you!)
Tips for Writing Your Spec Script
Really quickly, let’s cover some best practices for writing your spec. In order to not bog this down, we’ll stay focused on things that are more specific to specs, but there are tons of other helpful articles about screenwriting in general on the blog.
Have a Killer First Page
The first page of your screenplay is arguably the most important. It’s the moment when a reader will decide if they’ll actually finish this thing, or toss it aside. So, it’s extremely important that you quickly demonstrate that they are in good hands and give them questions they need answered within the story.
How do you demonstrate that they’re in good hands? Professionalism. For now (at least!), stick to industry-standard screenplay formatting–meaning, use proper scene headings, font, margins, etc.
An easy way to make sure that you’re hitting the mark is to use specialized screenwriting software, such as Final Draft or Arc Studio Pro. This will make it much harder to to make a mistake!
And, of course, don’t have typos on your first page. One technique from copy editing is to read your page backward to make sure that none of the words are misspelled. If you can get someone else to proofread for you, have them focus on that first page especially.
Beyond knowing that your technique is professional, you should also double-check your story. Right out of the gate, we need to understand the tone and the basic premise, so be sure to launch us into a scene that’s emblematic of your story.
Revise and Polish Your Screenplay Ruthlessly
Your first draft should never be the version that you send out into the world.
Typically by the time that you read another writer’s “first draft,” it’s actually more like their second or even third. The first draft of a screenplay is for you–it’s your space to get your ideas down onto the page. Only in later revisions and rewrites does the world-ready version come to life.
A helpful technique is to take a step back from your script for at least two weeks between drafts. What this does is that it allows you to return to it with fresh eyes. Often, when you’re writing, you spend hours and hours at a time hyper-focusing on the text. While that’s great and important, it also makes you more likely to skim over mistakes or opportunities that you would usually catch.
Another helpful technique for revising and polishing is to do so in “passes.” This means that, as you read through, focus on one specific aspect of the script at a time: the protagonist’s arc, dialogue, pacing, continuity, etc. It can be challenging to ignore everything else, but the end result is worth it!
If something in your screenplay isn’t working, you need to be emotionally prepared to cut it. Always save each version of your script so you can return to it later if need be, but a lot of times, your story becomes deeper when you trim away the fat. For example, cutting a side character might feel like a loss until you realize that the time you’ve gained allows you to create an extra scene showing the protagonist’s growth.
Want to find out if your script is ready? Some writers get a lot of value out of coverage services. When your script is read by an official “reader,” they will almost always write up “coverage” on your screenplay–that is, a summary and their impressions.
To get a sense of what professional readers might think, you can hire services to do mock coverage for you. (Learn more about getting coverage here)
Common Spec Scripts Mistakes to Avoid
In addition to the standard mistakes that appear in all screenplays, there are some pitfalls that you want to avoid when writing specs specifically.
First, do not put a WGA registration number or copyright information on your title page! If you want to protect your script in this way, that is completely your prerogative, but having it on the script that you distribute tends to read as “amateur.”
Second, do not request an NDA when sending out your script! Similar to the previous point, it comes across as paranoid and, again, amateur.
And finally, spend time polishing your logline to make sure that it reflects the script you ended up with in the best possible light. Your logline will often be the first (or even only) piece of writing read by whoever you’re sending it to. Demonstrate the appeal of your script succinctly in order to get it through the door.
How to Get Your Spec Script Noticed
You’ve developed an original concept. You’ve put in the hard work of writing the thing. You’ve revised and polished and honed in on that logline. Now, how do you get your spec read by people who can actually hire you?
One of the best ways–honestly, the only way–is to develop your network. You can do this through competitions, networking events, and of course, online communities.
If you’re looking to expand your network and meet fellow creatives, we hope that you will get involved in Kinolime. Join our community to get feedback as you develop your script–and submit to our free screenwriting contest once your spec is ready! We would love to see what you come up with.