Theme: A really good villain is one you'd never suspect.

Write a really good, very evil villain, but they must be someone no one would suspect (until the end).

Genre: Halloween (drama, war, sci fi, comedy, horror, romance, etc)

Rating: Adult, YA, or Family

Scripts due to simplyScripts.com/owc on Friday October 15th at midnight edt

Write a properly formatted 12 page or less script on the theme provide.

It's an anonymous challenge. Do not put your name on the script. Provide a pseudonym on the title page as well as "copyright (c) 2021".

Each writer will be assigned between 5 to 10 scripts they must read (at a minimum) and vote on for "Writers' Choice". Writers are encouraged to read more and vote on more. Giving feedback to other writers on the discussion board is highly encouraged!

Schedule:
10/15/21 - midnight edt - scripts due
10/16/21 - midnight scripts posted for reading and reviewing
10/22/21 - Writers' Choices ballots due.
10/23/21 - guess who wrote what.
10/30/21 - midnight Who Wrote What and Writers' Choice announced

Any questions can be directed to the Discussion Board

Gotta love villains! Excellent challenge, Don!

Alright alright all right!

Ought to be a really good one, Don. One thing has me curious and just hoping for clarification, though I think I know the answer.

Quoted from Don Write a really good, very evil villain, but they must be someone no one would suspect (until the end).

"Someone no one would suspect". That's referring to characters in the script, not the readers, is that right? Like, you're not expecting a group of Keyser Sozes, right?

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Ought to be a really good one, Don. One thing has me curious and just hoping for clarification, though I think I know the answer. "Someone no one would suspect". That's referring to characters in the script, not the readers, is that right? Like, you're not expecting a group of Keyser Sozes, right?

I was thinking the same thing.

Because if it is the reader, then after reading the requirements they will suspect the most unsuspecting of characters, which means I would then have to make the most suspectful character the bad guy... no one would suspect that, right?

Great challenge. Will try to give it a shot. No surety.

Quoted from Matthew Taylor I was thinking the same thing. Because if it is the reader, then after reading the requirements they will suspect the most unsuspecting of characters, which means I would then have to make the most suspectful character the bad guy... no one would suspect that, right?

I literally just had this conversation with my wife. There goes my big reveal: The bad guy IS the bad guy!

But, now that they know that I know that they know... I have to go back to making the good guy the bad guy.

Of course, now that I've said that I know that they know that I know... maybe the good guy is the bad guy, but he's really a good guy just looking like a bad guy because he's catering to his bad side which makes him a bad guy despite being a good guy but his good side overcomes his bad side which makes him a good guy, but he's done bad things which make him a bad guy.

Nobody will suspect that.

Except that I just wrote it all out... which means....

Very interesting.  I will give it a think.

Quoted from PKCardinal I literally just had this conversation with my wife. There goes my big reveal: The bad guy IS the bad guy! But, now that they know that I know that they know... I have to go back to making the good guy the bad guy. Of course, now that I've said that I know that they know that I know... maybe the good guy is the bad guy, but he's really a good guy just looking like a bad guy because he's catering to his bad side which makes him a bad guy despite being a good guy but his good side overcomes his bad side which makes him a good guy, but he's done bad things which make him a bad guy. Nobody will suspect that. Except that I just wrote it all out... which means....

Yeah, that.

P.S. Fuck your three mugs. You're the real villain... Lol.

Love, love the lil' pumpkin... Ooh, and I just noticed on my PC the lil bat.

Nice one, Don!

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Yeah, that. P.S. Fuck your three mugs. You're the real villain... Lol.

I wanted press on "quote" for this message but instead clicked on "report". but it didn't get reported I think, I didn't go all the way reporting you, Sean. Although it's hard to be sure what I'm doing at teh end of the day.

Funny, I agree with you on Paul being a villain. Look at him showcasing his three mugs! That's the villain we didn't think of as a villain

Nice one, Don. this one might get more response from writers, too!

Quoted from khamanna I wanted press on "quote" for this message but instead clicked on "report". but it didn't get reported I think, I didn't go all the way reporting you, Sean. Although it's hard to be sure what I'm doing at teh end of the day. Funny, I agree with you on Paul being a villain. Look at him showcasing his three mugs! That's the villain we didn't think of as a villain

Mwaaahaaahaaa. I'm soooo thirsty!!!! Need more mugs!!!!!!

Quoted from Mr. Blonde "Someone no one would suspect". That's referring to characters in the script, not the readers, is that right? Like, you're not expecting a group of Keyser Sozes, right?

Yes, the characters in the script don’t suspect, but if you can make it so the reader doesn’t know until the end, then good in you.

Don

Quoted from PKCardinal Mwaaahaaahaaa. I'm soooo thirsty!!!! Need more mugs!!!!!!

You lived long enough to see yourself become the villain, Paul... Lol.

maybe.
One takeaway is letting the audience know who the villain is in advance, and the "good" characters won't know until it's too late.

Quoted from DarrenJamesSeeley maybe. One takeaway is letting the audience know who the villain is in advance, and the "good" characters won't know until it's too late.

Yep. Dramatic irony. Works very well in Horror especially.

https://nofilmschool.com/Dramatic-Irony-Definition-and-Examples

I'm intrigued, but I've been a little involved with Seinfeld and The Sopranos, preparing to watch The Many Saints of Newark. Plus, I'm pretty much always watching something every single day (new stuff, classics released before my lifetime, and making up for 35 years of lost time). On top of all this, I've already been writing a script with such a character, but haven't actively worked on it in a while.

I guess I'll consider my options.

Ooh I bet this OWC is going to be absolutely rammed!

This OWC has reminded me of an idea I played around with a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. This may be the perfect opportunity for me to explore it.

I have to bow out of this one as well. Can't come up with an idea.

But I will contribute by reading the entries.

Me too. Usually some silliness comes to me right away. Not this time

Alright. Challenge accepted.

I'm definitely in!

Didn't get chance to write over the weekend and that's my writing time, but I'll see if I can do something in-between work. Not giving up yet.

I've been going over the notes I wrote for the idea I'm hoping to base this script on and the date of the document is 2000! Bloody hell I feel old.

So, the genre says Halloween, the topic is villain and it can be comedy, drama, horror, etc. I’m guessing that the time frame has to be Halloween or somewhere near the holiday? If so, how much does Halloween factor into the story?

Quoted from SAC So, the genre says Halloween, the topic is villain and it can be comedy, drama, horror, etc. I’m guessing that the time frame has to be Halloween or somewhere near the holiday? If so, how much does Halloween factor into the story?

As much or as little as you want. Halloween doesn't have to be a integral factor in the plot. At the very least it has to be mentioned or alluded to in someway.  

Don

Quoted from Don As much or as little as you want. Halloween doesn't have to be a integral factor in the plot. At the very least it has to be mentioned or alluded to in someway.   Don

Thanks for clearing that up.

Only a couple more days... Who all is in?

Quoted from Zack Only a couple more days... Who all is in?

Not looking good for me. Damn, two challenges in a row!

Quoted from JEStaats Not looking good for me. Damn, two challenges in a row!

C'mon, Dude. You've got this! Watch a couple of good horror movies for some inspiration.  

First draft done. Gonna sleep on it and give it a tidy up tomorrow before the deadline.

Hello hello. I haven't taken part in this for a long while. But I saw the challenge today and something popped into my head so I'm in!

Good luck everyone.

Quoted from Anon Hello hello. I haven't taken part in this for a long while. But I saw the challenge today and something popped into my head so I'm in! Good luck everyone.

Nice! Good luck.

Quoted from Anon Hello hello. I haven't taken part in this for a long while. But I saw the challenge today and something popped into my head so I'm in! Good luck everyone.

Happy to have you back. Looking forward to seeing what you've got for us.

I'm writing for the first time in years. Thank you!

Now to try get this over the line in time.

Good luck to all.

I'm going to have to stay out of this one as work is pretty crazy at the moment.

Shame cos this one looks like it'd be a lot of fun.

Good luck to everyone who takes part.

I'll try and get some reads in if I can.

Submitted. Just remember, Don... You asked for this.

Had a ton of fun writing this one up. Maybe too much fun. And I'm super stoked to see what you fine folks have up your sleeves for this challenge.

Quoted from IamGlenn I'm writing for the first time in years. Thank you! Now to try get this over the line in time....

Great to see you, Glenn.
You can do it!

Quoted from Zack Submitted. Just remember, Don... You asked for this. . ...

I feel an NC-17 rating coming on.  

Quoted from LC Great to see you, Glenn. You can do it!

You too, Libby.
Story is done. 13 pages to be shaved to 12 tomorrow.
Looking forward to this.

Too many things on a playe...
not enough time.
I doubt if I'll get an entry in.
Maybe it'll show up after the OWC.

I'm having way too much fun writing this also. Got it down to a smooth 28 pages.

Only 12 hours left... It's crunch time!

Submitted mine. I love this moment when I'm overwhelmed with feelings of excitement and hope at the potential possibilities of my creation and I can visualise the produced masterpiece so clearly in my mind. Then, of course, i'm dragged smack back to reality after the first few comments.

Quoted from MarkRenshaw Submitted mine. I love this moment when I'm overwhelmed with feelings of excitement and hope at the potential possibilities of my creation and I can visualise the produced masterpiece so clearly in my mind. Then, of course, i'm dragged smack back to reality after the first few comments.

We all feel that way, bro. We all feel that way.

Quoted from LC I feel an NC-17 rating coming on.

I aim to please.  

I wonder if we will get many scripts outside of the horror genre?

Quoted from MarkRenshaw Submitted mine. I love this moment when I'm overwhelmed with feelings of excitement and hope at the potential possibilities of my creation and I can visualise the produced masterpiece so clearly in my mind. Then, of course, i'm dragged smack back to reality after the first few comments.

Lol I just watched the squid game (which I recommend btw) and decided I wrote a masterpiece in Russian in the past which kind of resembles the squid game in some way. So I’m furiously translating it into Russian right now

I’m laughing at myself and still going at it

Anyway, good luck everyone! I’m ashamed i can’t come up with anything lately

Work has been super hectic of late, nearly missed the deadline entirely but managed to write something in the last couple of hours... I apologise in advance!

Only 3 hours left! C'mon, peeps! Get it submitted!

Libby and Kham, are you ladies getting something in?

Zack, I'd have to start thinking fast with less than 3 hours to deadline. Highly doubtful.

Was busy working on ideas for the penultimate sequence of The January Project...
Thanks for thinking of us girls.

Not sure who of the female persuasion might be in.

Appreciate the Yoko and Zack cheer squad duo.  
God, I love that dog.

Quoted from Zack Only 3 hours left! C'mon, peeps! Get it submitted! Libby and Kham, are you ladies getting something in?

I think Marnie might be.  

Quoted from Zack Only 3 hours left! C'mon, peeps! Get it submitted! Libby and Kham, are you ladies getting something in?

No, I couldn’t think of anything and just gave up. Good luck to all

Okey dokey. Done and submitted. Got my hazmat suit and gas mask ready for the comments...

Got mine in last night. Now I'm thinking it was the biggest load of crap I've ever written. Looking forward to the reviews.

Good luck to everyone. Can't wait to get started reading and reviewing.

Quoted from IamGlenn Got mine in last night. Now I'm thinking it was the biggest load of crap I've ever written.

Yep. Knocked mine out. Slammed it straight in thinking it was a work of genius ... now I see a new flaw every hour that passes. It's the nature of writing to think something new is good as you write it. And the nature of reflection and rewrites to realize it isn't.

But that's what makes this challenge so fun!

I’m assuming the the rule is you don’t vote for your own?

Quoted from Anon I’m assuming the the rule is you don’t vote for your own?

You assume right.  

Quoted from LC You assume right.

Pretty sure Trump voted for himself twice. And according to Trump - Biden did several million times.

But we're better than that ...