Or, maybe that should read, ‘Screenwriters, Read Screenplays.’  Either way, if you’re looking to improve your writing, read well-written screenplays.

Lucky for us, during the awards season, the studios offer copies of their awards contenders online in hopes of bolstering their chances at nominations.  One of the key traits of good writers is, they are avid readers, so there is no excuse not to read as many screenplays as you can get your hands on.

Original “The Godfather, Part  II” screenplay in the National Museum of the Cinema, Turin, Italy

For budding screenwriters, these scripts are practically free screenwriting classes.  To learn how the masters craft, study the structure, pacing and the language, and your writing is sure to improve.

As the awards draw close, the list will grow.  However, bear in mind that the scripts (in PDF format) will only be available for a limited time.  So consider creating yourself a library of screenplays and save them now.

Some of the screenplay contenders for the 88th Academy Awards, with online screenplays, free and legally:

• The Revenant – Screenplay byAlejandro Gonzalez Inarritu & Mark L Smith, Based on the novel by Michael Punke

A24

• Ex Machina – Alex Garland
• Room – Emma Donoghue, Based on the Novel by Emma Donoghue
• While We’re Young –  Noah Baumbach

BLEEKER STREET MEDIA

• Danny Collins –  Dan Fogelman
• I’ll See You In My Dreams –  Brett Haley & Marc Basch
• Trumbo – John McNamara, Based on the biography by Bruce Cook

BROAD GREEN PICTURES

• 99 Homes – Ramin Bahrani & Bahrani Azimi
• I Smile Back – Paige Dylan and Amy Koppelman, Based on the novel I Smile Back by Amy Koppelman

DISNEY

• Inside Out – Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, & Josh Cooley, Original Story by Pete Docter & Ronnie Del Carmen)

DREAMWORKS

• Bridge Of Spies –  Matt Charman, Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

NETFLIX

• Beasts Of No Nation –  Cary Joji Fukunaga, Based on the novel By Uzodinma Iweala

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

• The Diary Of A Teenage Girl – Marielle Heller, Based on the Novel by Phoebe Gloeckner
• Son Of Saul –  Laszlo Nemes and Clara Royer
• Testament Of Youth –  Juliette Towhidi
• Truth –  James Vanderbilt based on Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power by Mary Mapes

UNIVERSAL

• Steve Jobs –  Aaron Sorkin, Based on the book by Zwalter Isaacson
• Straight Outta Compton –  Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff, story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff

WEINSTEIN COMPANY

• Carol –  Phyllis Nagy

ADDITIONAL CONTENDERS:

• Brooklyn – Nick Hornby
• The Martian – Drew Goddard
• Anomalisa –  Charlie Kaufman
• Creed – Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington
• The Big Short – Adam McKay & Charles Randolph
• The Danish Girl – Lucina Coxen
• 45 Years – Andrew Haigh
• Spotlight – Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
• The Hateful Eight – Quentin Tarantino
• Joy – Annie Mumolo & David O. Russell
• Love & Mercy – Oren Moverman, Michael Alan Lerner
• Sicario – Taylor Sheridan

Of course, please note that these scripts are copyrighted material and are provided free for educational purposes only.

We don’t know when the distributors will take them off the Internet, so don’t wait to download the scripts.

FOR THE CURIOUS:

‘Who’ll make the cut next [Oscars] February?‘ by category on IdieWire