Quoted from jayrex Not sure if letting others do half the work is a good idea.  Maybe 3/4 of the job might be fairer.

I don't know if page-length is always a fair indication of work put in. I do completely agree there should be a minimum-page count, though - it would just stop the rush of one-, two-, and three-page scripts that annoy everyone and subsequently get an inordinate amount of attention at the expense of other entries.

The other rule (and I know the OWC isn't about rules) that I really, really hope is enforced is the 'Helio rule'. Or if not a rule, at least an honour-based understanding. One entry each. If everyone knows they only have one entry, they're going to put all their efforts into that. If they know they can enter two or three, they'll split their focus and I'd argue the end results will be poorer. You've got two good ideas? Pick the best.

Those two very simple tweaks would cut out a lot of the tension that always seems to happen. Let's leave the tension-making to the genre and theme, eh?

There will be a one script maximum.

And please don't announce this to other boards.  It would be great if we could keep the number of entries under twenty, especially if they're twenty entries from members on SS.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe There will be a one script minimum.

Minimum? This time, the selectee is the person to enter the most scripts. As long as they're 75% of the maximum length, and aren't "pissers".

Quoted from dogglebe There will be a one script minimum. And please don't announce this to other boards.  It would be great if we could keep the number of entries under twenty, especially if they';re twenty entries that are members on SS. Phil

Dang it!

I really wanted to enter, but I can't be bothered writing a script.

Quoted from dogglebe And please don't announce this to other boards.

Do people actually do this?

A lot of the moviepoet members drop off their scripts, here.  I, for one, don't want to read forty scripts based on finding a relic in grandma's underwear drawer (or what the theme is) when half of them are from people aren't SS members who don't read other scripts.

And, please, no pisstakes.  If you can't do the genre/theme, don't write something else and submit it as a OWC.  The spirit of the OWC is to write something you may not consider writing in a specific amount of time.  If a director approached you, looking for an adolescent horror script involving a hamster cage, and you wrote a slasher script about a hamster cage, this director wouldn't want your script.  


Phil

If I knew the genre and theme I might try my hand in it -- But it wouldn't be horror or all out horror if I did.  I'm currently, 3 years on going with my autobiographical comedy and I don't want to get off track with it.  As with "Coffin Canyon™", I am holding it to no set time it is done or complete, just when it gets there.  I've worked on "Coffin Canyon™" for nearly 10 years and each draft is so much different and better than the one before it.  I actually wrote 4 drafts in One year on it.  My comedy hasn't even been through 2 drafts yet.  A OWC would be nice for a change of pace and because the commitment isn't all encompassing, but again Theme is everything.  12 pages would be good, maybe 10.  And a tame, kid orientated "spooky" theme rather than an all out horror theme.

Depends, I guess.

Hmmm...
Just data:
http://www.the-numbers.com/market/Genres/Horror.php

http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/budgets.php
Under "Most Profitable Movies, Based on Return on Investment" almost half are horror films.
Think BIG! boyzNgirlz.

Worm fodder:
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HorrorTropes

There has been a lot of speculation regarding the rules and such for the October OWC.  I'd rather have waited until the genre and theme were announced before laying out the rules and the future of the OWC.  

These rules are subject to change at the last minutes:

Going forward ALL OWCs will be run and advertised solely on the discussion board with the exception of the October OWC.  There will be no announcement on the main site (simplyscripts.com) nor a newletter blast.  However, once the deadline has been reached, I will be blogging about the entries on the main site.  There will be no iScripting of a selected script since iScript won't be getting the exposure they normally get by having the announcement and newsletter.  The whole anonymity will be preserved.

The October OWC, however, will be open to all comers and be advertised across other sites as well as a newsletter blast.  One selected script will be iScripted.  As usual, that selection process will be totally unfair.  I will pick three scripts that I liked and send them over to iScript to select the one script that best showcases their talents.   There will be no anonymity on the October OWC.  Everyone will know who submitted what from day one.

There will be a maximum and minimum number of pages.  There will be a limit of one entry per person, however if you think you can get away with a second submission without me catching on, go for it.  If I catch you out, tho, only your first entry will go up.  

Don

I promise I will NOT do a pisstake...

I will write two because I hate when I'm told what I can't do!

Quoted from Grandma Bear I will write two because I hate when I'm told what I can't do!

Pia, you're too old to be a pissy bitch.

I will write 2 pissers...at least!

Quoted from Stevie I promise I will NOT do a pisstake...

Quoted from Dreamscale I will write 2 pissers...at least!

Since...

Quoted from Don There will be no anonymity on the October OWC

...we'll know soon enough who the pissers are.

And they will be dealt with accordingly.

Quoted from Don Everyone will know who submitted what from day one.

Now I'll know, before I read a script, if it's written by an SS member....


Phil