Horrific Tales of my Childhood

Genre: Horror (or any subgenere thereof)
Rating: Children / Young Adult / Adult
Budget: Open

Retell your favorite Fairy* Tale as a horror story. Please include the source. Here is a list of fairy tales for inspiration.
*Can be children's fable, myth, poem, or song.  

You have seven days to write a screenplay between 6 and 10 pages. The screenplay must be properly formatted and in PDF format .

The scripts are due on Friday, October 14th at 11:59PM EST and must be submitted to: SimplyScripts.com/owc.

Timeline:
October 7 at around 8 est  - Theme and Genre announced.
October 14th at 11:59PM EST - Scripts are due to SimplyScripts.com/owc
October 16th - Scripts Posted
October 21st - Writer's Choices submitted
October 30th - Names and writer's choice revealed.

The Gist
6 - 10 pages, properly formatted & saved as a PDF file, Script submitted anonymously, Free to submit*, This isn't a contest. There are no prizes. One entry per person.

*Free to submit. But, you are committing to reading and ranking five scripts randomly assigned to you.

You can revise your script as many times as you wish up until the deadline.

Participants are strongly encouraged to read and comment/review on the scripts submitted.

Do not put your real name on your script. However, please use your real name when submitting your script. (After the challenge closes you can either have your script removed or resubmit with your script with your name on it.

Please put (c) 2016 on the bottom left corner of your title page.

Best of luck and I hope you guys have a lot of fun with this contest.

There will be a Writer's Choice wherein the participants (and only the participants) will be asked to select the three scripts he or she likes the best.

- Don

Nice - some of those old fairtytales were horrifically scary!

I can do that. Awesome!

I have my tale picked out, this is going to be fun.

No OWC fantasy draft this year, Don?  

I think it's important for writers to note that Don has specified:

*Can be children’s fable, myth, poem, or song.

Not just horror slant on Fairy Tale.

Not that I'm saying I'm in or not, but I will read regardless.  

Theme is fabulous. So many possibilities. I wonder if half the ordeal won't be just picking one.  In any case, I think I'm down, even just adapting something straight and milking the horror elements. Will come out my way no matter what I do.

Great choice for this one, Don. This should absolutely bring in a hell of a lot of good ideas. =)

I can't help but think of the movie Shrek when I see all of these.  That doesn't help me think of horror.  Crap!     I bet there will be some good ones this time around as well.

Quoted from Jeremiah Johnson I can't help but think of the movie Shrek when I see all of these.  That doesn't help me think of horror.  Crap!     I bet there will be some good ones this time around as well.

Jeff,

No. Just, no. No Shrek. Here is something to clear the snot out of your head, Chpped Off Hands and The Red Shoes.  

As James has pointed out, you can do a straight adaptation of any one of a number of children's stories that would make someone wet his/her pants or, as Libby has pointed out, you can take something out of R.L. Stevenson and with a twist or two (or not) can be pretty scary.  

Fantasy draft? fantasy draft?

- Don

Quoted from Don Jeff, No. Just, no. No Shrek. Here is something to clear the snot out of your head, Chpped Off Hands and The Red Shoes.   As James has pointed out, you can do a straight adaptation of any one of a number of children's stories that would make someone wet his/her pants or, as Libby has pointed out, you can take something out of R.L. Stevenson and with a twist or two (or not) can be pretty scary.   Fantasy draft? fantasy draft? - Don

Ha!  No, I meant that, in Shrek, the fairy tale creatures all showed up at his swamp.  That's all.  The rules of the OWC are clear to me.  Just thought it was funny.  No, I'm good with it even though I'm not great with horror.  That won't stop me though.  Don't worry about me, I'm not as dumb as I look!

I've got a fairy tale, a twist, a title, a pseudonym, and an ending, all on day one. All I need now is to write the damn thing, lol.

I'm in the middle of a short script, going to finish that first then look at this.

Great idea for a theme though. I'll get my thinking hat on.

*Puts on hat of thinking*

My thinking hat is telling me I'm in Slytherin! Wrong hat!

First draft done and I'm really happy with it. Love it when things just come to you. Now I have a week to tinker.

That crappy mug is mine!

I've already submitted mine. It's not great.

Quoted from AlsoBen I've already submitted mine. It's not great.

Then why submit it, Ben? You've a whole week to tinker with it, work the story, fix it up. Just seems to me you're jumping the gun a little.

Oh there's too much to choose from!

Ben - re-write, re-write, re-write!

I was thinking I can re-submit if I decide to rewrite before the week is up.

But I generally need longer than a week to stew on something enough. I'm relatively happy w/ it anyway.

Apart from the bit where you say it's 'not great' ? or is that a bluff?!?

That's me being dramatic

I love the theme, and saw a couple of tales I like.
There, I said it therefore I jinxed it.

Good luck to all!

Got a big clean-up job this weekend after the hurricane, two short films to make sure they get finished with editing, two feature re-writes and two features to read....but hell, I'm a sucker for the October, especially, OWC. If I write something, it will probably be like I did things in the old days, written on Friday night.  

Good theme, but like the Urban Legend one...really, REALLY hard to come up with something new.

One thing I've learnt though is that one of the my favourite horror stories, The Man Who Drew Cats by Michael Marshall Smith, which won the British Fantasy Award...was just a rip off of the Boy who Drew Cats...an old Japanese fairy tale.

Hope it's not too bad after the hurricane Pia?

A lot of the takes I think would require more that ten pages.
There was one that I did recall from my youth because the story was siple enough, and I got the feeling that that story will be chosen by many.

I'll give it a go as well as another tale, decide which one I like better and submit the better of the two.

Quoted Text hurricane Pia

:p

Great challenge.

How or why anyone would be done and submitted already is pure stupidity.

I will check out the list of ideas and start thinking.

I will be in!!!  

Quoted Text How or why anyone would be done and submitted already is pure stupidity.

It literally is not a big deal

Quoted from AlsoBen It literally is not a big deal

Hey, least you got yours made. Wish I was like that. I'm probably gonna agonize over every minute detail right up until 11:59 next Friday night, lol

Quoted from Don Please include the source.

Any special way we should indicate the source?

Henry

Quoted from Stumpzian Any special way we should indicate the source? Henry

Title of the story or link to the story upon which the script is based.

-Don

Quoted from Don Title of the story or link to the story upon which the script is based. -Don

Put it on the script itself or just on submission form?

(Not that I have a clue about what my source will be.)

Excellent theme, by the way.

I've finished my short script. It's been AGES since I've written one and I'm so rusty, I was thinking of submitting it to SS to get some feedback, is that still ongoing or frozen while the OWC is on?

Now onto the OWC. I've started to look through the list of Fairy Tales and there's SO MANY! Plus, they all seem to originally be horror stories anyway!

For once I'm spoiled for choice and at a loss because of this lol!

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films One thing I've learnt though is that one of the my favourite horror stories, The Man Who Drew Cats by Michael Marshall Smith, which won the British Fantasy Award...was just a rip off of the Boy who Drew Cats...an old Japanese fairy tale.

I really liked that one "The Boy who Drew Cats" when I went through the list but decided to leave it alone as I thought there would be many who liked this one too.
Too good! And lots of visuals.

Check out that story I mentioned. It's a really good version of it.

There's still plenty to work with on that one...just have to find your own unique touch, as always.

Quoted from Stumpzian Put it on the script itself or just on submission form? (Not that I have a clue about what my source will be.) Excellent theme, by the way.

In the submission form at simplyscripts.com/owc.  There is a place to indicate source material.

- Don

Not getting any inspo from this yet so may have to pass. Will scan thru a fairy tale list again to see if anything grabs me

Quoted from stevie Not getting any inspo from this yet so may have to pass. Will scan thru a fairy tale list again to see if anything grabs me

Same, I've looked through them all, and Googled others, but I've got nothing.

Looks like I'm out at the first hurdle.

Quoted from stevie Not getting any inspo from this yet so may have to pass. Will scan thru a fairy tale list again to see if anything grabs me

You are not limited to the list. Is not Peter Cottontail a children's story?

Co'mon, Stevie!

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Hope it's not too bad after the hurricane Pia?

I'm not on the coast, so it wasn't too bad. Got LOTS of trees though, so a BIG clean-up was needed. Was doing a little thinking while doing that. Got my story figured. Wrote most of it while having a cold one afterwards. Then, a friend told me I was losing my touch. That the old me would've finished by now...so, I did!  

Thank God my daughter still has all her kids books. I found a nursery rhyme that, when taken out of context, is pretty damn creepy.

Here we go again!

Quoted from irish eyes https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fairy_tales

And, you are not limited to Fairy Tales.  Songs, Poems - Robert Louis Stevens A Child's Garden of Verses.

- Don

Hi, Don.

Just to double, triple clarify, and only because the last OWC I apparently was out if the perimeters. If I took a story off the list you provided I am 100% within the guidlines?

Quoted from Warren Hi, Don. Just to double, triple clarify, and only because the last OWC I apparently was out if the perimeters. If I took a story off the list you provided I am 100% within the guidlines?

Yes...you are good.

Best advice is not to ask questions.  Interpret it your way.  Take a story, poem, whatever and add your own twist.

That's what I'm doing, at least.

Quoted from Warren Hi, Don. Just to double, triple clarify, and only because the last OWC I apparently was out if the perimeters. If I took a story off the list you provided I am 100% within the guidlines?

What Jeff said. btw I have much, much looser standards when it comes to OWC parameters than other people...

_ Don

Quoted from Don You are not limited to the list. Is not Peter Cottontail a children's story? Co'mon, Stevie!

Lol I just twigged about this, Don. Look, I will look thru the lists again. I want to do a proper horror one lol

Still at a loss for inspiration?

http://io9.gizmodo.com/5914283/10-creepy-details-glossed-over-by-modern-versions-of-fairy-tales

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/12/the-real-story-behind-eve_n_4239730.html

That should be enough inspiration, Stevie, for your Peter Cottontail Bunnyman.

Anyway, as for me, I've got a question about the rating. How far can I take this? Can it be gory?

Thanks.

Quoted from ChrisBodily Anyway, as for me, I've got a question about the rating. How far can I take this? Can it be gory? Thanks.

There are three ratings: Children, Young Adult and Adult (and all that it implies).

- Don

Quoted Text Best advice is not to ask questions.  Interpret it your way.  Take a story, poem, whatever and add your own twist.

Hey, Jeff.

This is what I did with the last OWC and you were one of the people that told me I was out of bounds haha.

That's why I thought I'd check.

Thanks, Don and Jeff

Quoted from Warren Hey, Jeff. This is what I did with the last OWC and you were one of the people that told me I was out of bounds haha. That's why I thought I'd check. Thanks, Don and Jeff

Warren, yeah, I hear ya, but the last OWC had only 1 parameter, and it was very clear, and you didn't honor that 1 parameter.  But...you did write a good script, though.

Prussian - it says

Retell your favorite Fairy Tale as a horror story

I think any re-telling could be in any period of time you want it to be, current, ancient history, etc - but it's gotta be Horror...

That's my understanding anyway.

Anthony

Prussian, greetings. Here in the US, we watch American football all day on Sunday. I'm sure no one saw your question earlier. There are only a handful of actives here now anyway. It wasn't personal. Now good luck with your horrific fairytale. Get to work, my old friend!

Prussian - much as I love SimplyScripts, I don't just sit around answering posts on here all day.

I have a life and everything

Quoted from PrussianMosby Great theme. Actually a german domain, so no excuses to not participate for me. I just got not much time at the moment. Whatever, I try and only hear to Don's advice "your favorite". Is there something about modernization of those tales? I wouldn't think so, it's not mentioned, so it should be authentic I believe.... another question mark here Best of luck to all

"based on" so if you want to modernize it, that is fine.  

- Don

Quoted from PrussianMosby Wow, nobody answers, so I take that all back. You haven't made your peace with my ancestors, I feel . Dustin would say that I cry like a baby as always. I'm not welcome

Hi Alex,

I've spent the afternoon making some huge changes to the site and also Sunday afternoon in America is usually spent watching Football (brown, oval shaped football).

- Don

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Prussian - it says Retell your favorite Fairy Tale as a horror story I think any re-telling could be in any period of time you want it to be, current, ancient history, etc - but it's gotta be Horror... That's my understanding anyway. Anthony

Anthony nailed it.

Quoted from stevie Lol I just twigged about this, Don. Look, I will look thru the lists again. I want to do a proper horror one lol

Twigged?  What is that in American?

- Don

Quoted from Don Sunday afternoon in America is usually spent watching Football (brown, oval shaped football).

I was pulling weeds around my koi pond. It's about as much fun as watching football, if not more fun.  

Quoted from Don Twigged?  What is that in American? - Don

It means he "cottoned on". Ooh, that's UK origin too. Anyway: realized, grasped. We Aussies love to liven things up.

Considering most fairy tales are already horrific wouldn't a retelling make your story full of fluffy clouds, bright rainbows and  pink unicorns.

Completed my first draft. It's 11 pages (12, if you include the title page)? Can scripts go a hair beyond the 10-page limit, or do we have to trim?

Thanks.

Quoted from ChrisBodily Completed my first draft. It's 11 pages (12, if you include the title page)? Can scripts go a hair beyond the 10-page limit, or do we have to trim? Thanks.

NO! I did once and was SLAMMED for it! People didn't want to read it and many refused to because it went over 10 pages.

My submission is 180 pages, will that be a problem?

It's the Shrek script twice in a row

Quoted Text My submission is 180 pages, will that be a problem? It's the Shrek script twice in a row

I think it clearly meets the guidlines, fine by me.

Quoted from Grandma Bear I was pulling weeds around my koi pond. It's about as much fun as watching football, if not more fun.

You're pulling weeds wrong, Pia.

Wait...maybe I'm watching football wrong.

Oh this changes my whole outlook on life!

Quoted from irish eyes Considering most fairy tales are already horrific wouldn't a retelling make your story full of fluffy clouds, bright rainbows and  pink unicorns.

That's what I was thinking, too.

I had to find a different source for my script when all I saw on Don's link were tales of incest, cannibalism, and human trafficking.

Thanks Brothers Grimm!

Jordan

I'd have two days to write something, because I'll be on a meeting until Wednesday. Not sure I'll find the time for this one, but good luck to all who participate.

I just read a fairytale where a woman rides this large bird and the bird is hungry. They have to arrive on time, so the woman cuts her tigh and feeds the bird. How nice of her!

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films Check out that story I mentioned. It's a really good version of it.

I tried to purchase it but something is wrong with my kindle. Will try again - I'm curious to read it. Unless it's a total rip off and no addition at the end. But let's hope it's not. Thanks.

Just pumped out 4 pages of something. I'm definetly rusty, haven't wrote in a long time and my dialogue's a little on the nose and I'm struggling to make that transition from a thriller to a horror right now. I'm sure I'll get there though. It's an unconventional fable/ tale but hell, I like writing it.

Ouch. Had a little Wodka Red Bull scenario yesterday. Hell do I know why I drink that stuff only few times a year. Better back to routine now. I'm sorry for my unnecessary output

Maybe Trump was referencing this... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_Little_Pussy

Not a scobby doo at the moment

Just trimmed up my script. Actually, "trim" is too delicate a word. I Jason'd the hell out of this script to get it to 10 pages and still make sense.

Second draft. A very impressive second draft, but then again, I always revise as I write, anyway. This may be the version I submit, unless I can think of anything to tweak or polish.

Finally finished the first draft. Jesus, that was painful. Never written a short/horror script before.

Quoted from ChrisBodily Just trimmed up my script. Actually, "trim" is too delicate a word. I Jason'd the hell out of this script to get it to 10 pages and still make sense.

I always add to mine. Need to add to this one too - otherwise it's just beats - said this done that...

Quoted from khamanna always add to mine. Need to add to this one too - otherwise it's just beats - said this done that...

I just need to add 10 more pages to my 0 and I might have something

Quoted from irish eyes I just need to add 10 more pages to my 0 and I might have something

6 will do. Strive for the minimum!

I think this is the first OWC where I've had so much to choose from, it's genuinely stumped me.

Finally found a fairy tale which sparked an idea. I wonder how close to the complete tale we have to be? Setting it in modern times seems to be OK from previous responses but I'll only be utilizing certain elements from the original story. It will be interesting to see if readers cry foul or fair play.

Now I've got to write it, I've got one hour spare Wednesday, two on Thursday and one on Friday so this is going to be a rough one....but that's how I like it, oooh Matron!

Quoted from irish eyes I just need to add 10 more pages to my 0 and I might have something

I hear ya, Mark.  Nothing here yet, either.

But, this morning, as I lied in bed, I started thinking and then dreaming and it all seemed to come together.  Too bad I had to wake up!  

Quoted from Dreamscale But, this morning, as I lied in bed...

I never tell lies in bed. (Almost never.)

Quoted from Stumpzian I never tell lies in bed. (Almost never.)

Damn...thinking back, I have to say I've lied many, many times in bed!!  HA!!

Quoted from irish eyes I just need to add 10 more pages to my 0 and I might have something

after the vomit draft i have just spewed, which isn't even finished and doesn't yet know its conclusion, i feel I'm in a negative position - I've got to take away before adding back.

hey ho, a few more days left. how bad could it get....

Sent mine in, not sure if I should have. SHIT. PANIC. PANIC. PANIC.


Mine's muddled and it's a bit rushed. Tougest OWC ever, I struggled hard on this.