I am endeavouring to read at least one screenplay a month– Not a big target, I know, but it is difficult to fit screenwriting around a fulltime job and staying married.
Anyway, I finished Charlie Kaufman’s script of Being John Malkovich the other day. It’s one of a number of classic scripts in the collection I have built up over the years. Usually come Oscars® time, many of the nominated scripts are published online.
It does raise a question, though: Do you learn more by reading good scripts, or by reading bad scripts?
Is it better to learn from the best and try to emulate?
Or should I leave my collection of Academy Award® nominated scripts to sit on my digital shelf for a while and read bad scripts? (and if so, where would I source them?)