Tweetstorm: Daniel Kunka on “Lincoln” and the Value of Reading Scripts

The other day screenwriter Daniel Kunka (@unikunka) posted a series of tweets about the script for the movie Lincoln to make a point about the value of reading scripts. Reprinted here by permission.

Years ago, I came up with a screenwriting mantra: Watch movies. Read scripts. Write pages. In general, I think folks do a pretty good job with Part 1 and Part 3, but reading scripts… that’s where most aspiring screenwriters, I find, lack discipline. That’s why I continually harp on the subject here on the blog. So when I see something from another writer, one like Daniel Kunka, who has sold big spec scripts and made the Black List twice, I’m all over that.

Besides I don’t think I’ve read a clearer and more succinct rationale for reading scripts than this:

The reason why the advice is “read screenplays” is because by reading it, hopefully you’re absorbing it. Screenplays more than any other writing have a structure and a form and by seeing it, it makes it easier to do it.

Per another one of my mantras — 1, 2, 7, 14 — you should be reading at least 1 script per week. You’ve got 150+ movie scripts from the last 5 years — free and legal — available right here on my blog. I’ve provided this series: How To Read A Screenplay: Parts 1–7.

Why not take Daniel Kunka’s advice and read the script for the movie Lincoln, then make a commitment to read one movie script per week.

It will benefit your understanding of the craft in a huge way.

In 2011, Daniel Kunka sold the spec script “Agent Ox”, in 2013 he sold the spec script “Bermuda Triangle”, in 2014 he sold the spec script “Yellowstone Park”, and in 2015 he sold the spec script “Battle of New Orleans” both of which went on to make the Black List. Recently he sold a script to NBC for a mini-series called “The Ark”.

To read my June 2013 interview with Daniel, go here.

Twitter: @unikunka.

To read all of the screenwriting tweetstorms I’ve aggregated on GITS, go here.