This Saturday, July 28th, the genre and theme for the one week challenge will be announced.  Generally Dogglebe pretty much runs it, however I got a great idea from Bert that I'd like to incorporate into this months challenge.  To crib from Dogglebe, For those of you unfamiliar with the One Week Challenge, it's an 'unofficial contest' to see how well you work under pressure.  Imagine of a director came up to you and asked you to write a short script based upon an idea that he/she has and you have one week to write it.  Could you do it?

The unenforceable rules for the challenge are:

Entering is not mandatory, but it is free

You have one week to write a fifteen page (or less) script based on the genre & theme announced.

The script MUST be in a generally accepted screenplay format.  

Do not put your name on the script.  For the first week or so, the scripts will not have the writers' name on it so no one can pick favorites.

No betting!

Submit the script to http://www.simplyscripts.com/unpro_short_exercise_08_07.html (note, the page isn't live, yet)

The Schedule:

Genre and Theme announcement - 7/28
Submission due - 8/4 at midnight in your timezone (in other words, when I wake up Sunday morning it needs to be in my inbox)
Submissions posted to the site - starting 8/5 through 8/11 without names.

One script will be selected by some as yet to be determined criteria (either I pick, I get a screenwriter to pick or some kind of voting) and it will be recorded (assuming the writer gives permission to have his work recorded and posted to the site for a month) on MP3 by the fine folks at iScript.com

So, skip over to here and cast your vote for the genre.

Don

Quoted Text One script will be selected by some as yet to be determined criteria (either I pick, I get a screenwriter to pick or some kind of voting) and it will be recorded (assuming the writer gives permission to have his work recorded and posted to the site for a month) on MP3 by the fine folks at iScript.com

Amazing! Does the site hire actors to read the lines and a narrator to read the description? Or does just one person read everything? That's really cool!

Sean

Maybe it's an automated program of sorts. Either way, it sounds really cool.

Thanks for the link to that site. I have meant to record some of my shorts for some time, but everytime I try to do it I sound like the Swedish chef with a southern accent. Kind of ruins it...

Quoted from Zombie Sean Amazing! Does the site hire actors to read the lines and a narrator to read the description? Or does just one person read everything? That's really cool!

One person reads everything, tho they do do voices.

Quoted from ReaperCreeper Maybe it's an automated program of sorts. Either way, it sounds really cool.

Nope, not automated.  They are live human persons reading.  Check out the samples of their work - http://www.iscript.com/samples.php

Quoted from tomson I have meant to record some of my shorts for some time, but everytime I try to do it I sound like the Swedish chef with a southern accent.

That I'd like to hear.

Don

That's pretty cool how they read it.  The slugline and VO reading throws it off a little bit, but it's still cool.

Voting still continues on the genre.  I thought I'd drop a little hint as to the theme this month.  Here is the little hint:

Haha cool I clicked on it and is it supposed to be a puzzle? You should have done this earlier so for each day, you add a new piece until on the last day there's one piece missing...though people would get it probably before then, but they still wouldn't know the theme...or genre...or whatever...Unless water is the theme?!?!

Sean

Quoted from Zombie Sean ...Unless water is the theme?!?!

Nothing so mundane....

Quoted from Zombie Sean Haha cool I clicked on it and is it supposed to be a puzzle? You should have done this earlier so for each day, you add a new piece until on the last day there's one piece missing...though people would get it probably before then, but they still wouldn't know the theme...or genre...or whatever...Unless water is the theme?!?!

Sean,

You are right.  If I were smarter, I'd have started earlier and I would have dragged this thing out much longer.  In exchange for your insightful comments here is another piece of the puzzle:



Then again, even if you do get the entire picture, you won't have the context which is oh-so-important to this month's OWC.

Don

That script reader thing is awesome. I'm curious to see how my or someone else's written dialogue reads.

I hope I'm able to write the script and finish it on time because I'm extremely sick right now (you don't wanna know of what). So if any of you read my script and find it a tiny bit unfocused, you'll know the reason

I'd be dissapointed if water was the theme because it'd be extremely easy to write. I mean, what can you NOT do with water?

--Julio

Quoted from ReaperCreeper I hope I'm able to write the script and finish it on time because I'm extremely sick right now (you don't wanna know of what). So if any of you read my script and find it a tiny bit unfocused, you'll know the reason

Julio,

There are absolutely no excuses for not entering the Challenge.  Some of the better excuses have been:

"I have explosive diarrea" - Jeez, you are already spending most of your day sitting down, how hard would it be to have a pad and pencil in there with you"

"My doctoral thesis is due the same day" - Get your priorities straight!  There are half a dozen websites that will get you that Doctoral sheepskin, but only one chance in your lifetime to participate in the August 2007 OWC.

"My dog ate it" - Ate what?!?  You don't even know the theme, yet.

Don

lol. You know what Don? You actually inspired me to write it no matter the cost. Thanks!

I only participated in one of these in the past, but I'm excited about participating in this one.  The iScript incentive, coupled with the fact that there is only one August 2007 challenge, gives me an uncanny urge to participate.

tuxedo'd tom selleck look-a-like steps to the podium with an envelope.

he scans the audience,

empty chairs.

tom has a tough time opening the envelope.

tom: who glued this f***ing thing together?

he finally tears it open.

tom looks out to the empty seats as he pulls an ornate card out of the envelope.

tom: the genre and theme for the one week challenge is...

he looks down to a blank card. he turns it over, still blank.

tom looks off stage

tom: what the f*** is this? you trying to make me look stupid? It's the 28th for chrissakes!

voice (os): sorry, tom! where's that intern? (echoes) hey, can we get the right card here?