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All the bullshitters would finally tell the truth. Still though, the writers that pm others would likely insist they know which review is which. They'd still get around it. They're only cheating themselves, but for some that's enough.
Jeez, it's only a challenge for a mug. A mug I'd kill for, but even so...
Sadly, I can't see me getting a mug this time around either, but I'm happy with what I wrote and am actually currently rewriting it. A script I wouldn't likely have written without the challenge.
Have read all but two I think.
Thanks again, Don. Great to see the buzz on the boards around OWC time.
I know I keep talking about MoviePoet, but it truly had the best voting reviewing system I've ever seen. When reading the scripts, the scripts came up in random order. There was no list to chose scripts from. This resulted in all scripts getting an equal amount of reads. Good ones as well as bad ones. You couldn't skip ahead to the next script either. The system wouldn't let you get to the next one until you had voted and written a certain amount of words in the comment section. If anyone told you which script they had written and you wanted to read it, you just had to wait until it came up in the cue. This did, lead to quite harsh comments some times, but the praise felt real too.
Good luck everyone. It seems the entries submitted this time are pretty good over all.
I'm reading comments that scripts don't meet the challenge, when all that is required is "Trapped in a taxi". Does that mean fingers in the door? Surely, if the driver hates his job and needs to pay the bills, then he is 'trapped' as much as the ones where the passenger gets locked in?
There have been a lot of comments on scripts that take place outside of a taxi not meeting the challenge.
I feel like this question and answer deserves a repost as they very much do meet the requirements of the challenge.
I think the issue is more that people did not see this post.
It clearly say it does not entirely have to take place in a taxi and that the interpretation will be left to the writer. Don says he "thinks" it should play a significant part not that it must, at least that’s the way it is written and the way I read it.
I feel that anyone that has discounted a script just because it is not set entirely in a taxi needs to have another think about the scripts they have passed on, or not.
QUESTION
“I'm not usually one that asks questions but:
Does the entire script have to take place in the Taxi?
Or does the being trapped in a taxi have to be a key part?"
ANSWER
"No, the entire script does not have to take place in the taxi. With regard to being trapped in a taxi as having a key part, I'm going to leave that up to you. I think it should play a significant role.
- Don”
I saw the post.
I think there were a couple of scripts that did not meet the challenge of the parameters.
Of course the ENTIRE script does not have to be trapped in a taxi - but it should be central to the story - not just incidental. It also said low budget - there were a couple that stretched that rule.
I'm reading comments that scripts don't meet the challenge, when all that is required is "Trapped in a taxi". Does that mean fingers in the door? Surely, if the driver hates his job and needs to pay the bills, then he is 'trapped' as much as the ones where the passenger gets locked in?
Really? C'mon now.
I think The Don made it pretty clear what the parameter(s) were, and it was physically trapped in a taxi.
As usual, many decided not to adhere to this very simple requirement.
I've "looked at" 24 and will hopefully finish the rest by tomorrow.
Criteria - these always get debated, but I would agree with Jeff that as its called 'trapped in a taxi', that should be fairly central to the story. As though you could have a close guess on the criteria having read the story. Some miss the mark. I recall the elevator script with no elevator!
As it happens if there was a great script that drifted off the criteria you may find it was forgiven when perhaps when it shouldn't, but that's life.
Voting and reviewing - I think this is a pretty good system. I don't engage with any PM's, never have, and I don't know if this happens much. I simply don't know. If all were anonymous then I feel there would be positives and negatives. Some would review more honestly, if they hold back now, but others would let rip without restraint and without seeking to add positives in terms of what works or not. I gain so much from comments of what didn't work, what needs improvement etc some accountability is good.
If we look back over the past few years, there have been few scripts that I thought didn't deserve their place. The system works adequately well.
Except for this OWC when readers are clearly missing the genius of my script ...
The Elevator Most Belonging To Alice - Semi Final Bluecat, Runner Up Nashville Inner Journey - Page Awards Finalist - Bluecat semi final Grieving Spell - winner - London Film Awards. Third - Honolulu Ultimate Weapon - Fresh Voices - second place IMDb link... http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7062725/?ref_=tt_ov_wr
I think The Don made it pretty clear what the parameter(s) were, and it was physically trapped in a taxi.
As usual, many decided not to adhere to this very simple requirement.
I've "looked at" 24 and will hopefully finish the rest by tomorrow.
It is all a manner of risk assumption on the part of the author.
One should assume that:
If you are not trapped in a taxi for a good portion of your script, you're going to lose some votes due to perceived rule violations.
If there are mental traps (I hate driving a taxi) vs physical ones - you are going to lose some votes.
If you have special effects - you are going to lose some votes.
But that's the nature of the game. Write what you want but live with the consequences.
I wrote Altered Egos for the last challenge (A made up Super Hero). I got some - outside the rules" comments because it also contained a good dose of real heroes and therefore they thought it violated the challenge. I didn't - but certainly good see it as a risk. It should be chalked up as an "oh well".
I don't really mind about the mug. I have one. In fact, I'm drinking from it right now - a nice arabica from Nicaragua.
I find it annoying that writers can't enter a script and take what's coming without their egos being bruised too badly. I experienced this in an earlier OWC where I knew I'd written a bad story. However when the reviews came in telling me what I already knew, I was offended by it. Not that much... but it was enough for me to take notice and I had to teach myself not to take it to heart.
Some writers here can't do that and they resort to tactics like giving their script away early - obviously this means that reviewers will be less inclined to drop further bad reviews. The other trick is to pm members and share which script is theirs - even going as far as to give each other recommendation votes... not for any desire to win, but purely so that things look good on the surface. Obviously digging deeper and reading the script will lift the thin polish off the turd.. but none of that matters to these writers.
I find it annoying that writers can't enter a script and take what's coming without their egos being bruised too badly. I experienced this in an earlier OWC where I knew I'd written a bad story. However when the reviews came in telling me what I already knew, I was offended by it. Not that much... but it was enough for me to take notice and I had to teach myself not to take it to heart.
Some writers here can't do that and they resort to tactics like giving their script away early - obviously this means that reviewers will be less inclined to drop further bad reviews. The other trick is to pm members and share which script is theirs - even going as far as to give each other recommendation votes... not for any desire to win, but purely so that things look good on the surface. Obviously digging deeper and reading the script will lift the thin polish off the turd.. but none of that matters to these writers.
Dustin is right. I often wonder as well why negative reviews upsets peeps. And usually, it's plain as day what a poorly written script is and deserves.
Back in the day, SS'ers often PM'd and E-Mailed each other as to which entry was theirs. There were alot of little clicks, and these peeps definitely went out of their way to not bash a friend's script.
I go out of my way to tell peeps not to tell me which is theirs until after I've commented on it already. It's definitely not fair to do this sort of thing.
It is all a manner of risk assumption on the part of the author.
Exactly. I'm guessing every single challenge there is some debate about the rules. If you want to avoid the risk of losing votes, pick something that is indisputably trapped. If you don't care about losing votes or are willing to risk it because you have an amazing story, then accept the consequences.
I am going to be very forgiving in applying the rules. Others will be very strict, just the way it goes...
Quoted from Dustin
The other trick is to pm members and share which script is theirs - even going as far as to give each other recommendation votes... not for any desire to win, but purely so that things look good on the surface.
Didn't know that happened and I don't like the sound of it one bit. But at the end of the day, it's just hurting that writer. He/she is losing honest, potentially valuable critique to get validation instead. It won't help them in the long run.
I think any author will identify with a script that is similair to theirs in reviwing it re the criteria.
Because I always adhere to the requirements (life discipline and i loathe any type of 'cheating') then if the script has to pretty much include 'trapped in a taxi' as the main theme then my script will have it to the letter.
I've read about 18 so far and only about 5 or 6 have that criteria.
My antibiotics finally seem to be kicking in and I am feeling better so I'm trying to review as many scripts as I can. I've really enjoyed them for the most part, a top OWC so far. I wish I'd felt better last week, would have loved to have taken part but I have no idea what story I would have come up with!
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