Quoted from Cameron Christ on a bike Dustin, you must be keeping the English tea industry propped up with that kind of drinking rate!

More like the African and South American coffee producers.

Congrats to the chosen few.

Pathetic that Conz commented on his own thread several times but didn't read a single entry...is that really possible?

Who were the other A-Holes who didn't read any?  Whoever they are, they should not be allowed to compete again.

So weak...

Quoted from Dreamscale Congrats to the chosen few. Pathetic that Conz commented on his own thread several times but didn't read a single entry...is that really possible? Who were the other A-Holes who didn't read any?  Whoever they are, they should not be allowed to compete again. So weak...

jesus christ, are you always like this?  one of my only takeaways from this contest was seeing your posts and thinking "jeez, this guy sure has a high opinion of himself."  you are one abrasive dude...

I don't post on this site much, I didn't think it was mandatory to read every single entry.  I honestly thought there were a few people up top who voted.  I saw the topic, saw the genre, opened a document and started plotting.  That was the extent of my thought process... so I may have absentmindly missed the rule that said i MUST read every single script and vote.  I can admit that.  btw, I also replied to my thread after the fact.

I actually did read about 8-10 of em, but I'll be honest the thought "I should keep reading more b/c i submitted one" never crossed my mind. I commented on a couple, but really had nothing of value to provide to others... not like the help you seemingly dole out - I'll get ino that shortly.  If that is the stone cold rules I probably would have opted against submitting.  I did this as a writing exercise.  That's not to say I'm belittling the challenge, I just didn't realize it was that hands on.  I'm not opposed to reading/giving notes, I do it on Talentville all the time.

you guys all seem like a tight nit group who always compete in these things. I actually felt like I was almost butting in to a private writing group.  I'm not here to upset any apple cart. I wrote a short once for one... like 4 years ago, and just so happened to stumble on this one a few days before the deadline.  I wasn't currently writing something, so it seemed like a fun exercise.

If i was just one of the random scripts that didn't win, would you even care that I didn't leave a few comments.  I can already anticipate you saying yes to that question, but I definitely don't even believe you would have noticed.  I guess I too could have left some replies like:

let's see, I'm just gonna click on a script's thread at random to see your constructive comments...

Quoted Text Your opening passage is extremely weak with many mistakes.  How can anyone "see" "the smell of stale beer and body odor"?  Really poor beginning.

Currently slogging through a whole lot of "by the book" "they say" screenwriting critiques that you once again, abrasively tell people are wrong.

Quoted Text Page 3 - The bad dialogue is going on...and on...and on.  But I'm not...I'm out on Page 3.

Quoted Text Wow...obviously a complete pisser...and quite a whacky one, too. Too whacky for this old whack, and I'm out on Page 2, as this is completely senseless.

I mean on mine - which I'd never tell you is amazing... but it won and people seemed pretty receptive to it overall - you were out on page 2, b/c of the use of "we" and us."  I don't care if you didn't like it overall, that's fine, but you read about 20% of it.  Oh, and then you took the thread on a sidetrack about yourself, mind you...  a sidetrack where you mentioned YOU DIDN'T EVEN ENTER A SCRIPT.  I'm sure you think you're speaking for the good of the board, but at least let people who lost give me crap.

and this is such a classic line:

Quoted Text I'm sorry if my words fall on deaf ears for you, but they'll help alot of peeps, whether they realize it or want to admit it

  

You think so.  I know you think so.  

back to the script...

... it's a short.  I'm not pitching it to Universal next week.  It's never getting filmed.  It's for a tiny niche topic on a message board.  You can literally tell exactly what I'm saying.  That is just typical by the book "screenwriting guru" babble.  Counter that all you want.  I'm not one of those "the rules don't apply to me" arrogant writers, I just find that type of stuff a bit over the top, and while I don't use "we" in longer scripts, I see it used everywhere.  I read scripts all the time (except here, sorry again, i know) ... but you're gonna turn around and tell me, "yeah well, once you sell a script, you can use all the 'we's' your little heart desires, etc..."

But hey, you could be a top dog in the industry for all I know.  Instead of regurgitating the same "THEY DON'T LIKE THIS" cautionary tales every other screenwriting on the internet tells, you might very well be the man on top who made those rules and chiseled them into stone.

man, I'm still writing?!  

one more thread click at random:  *skims for ski dude avatar* there!

Quoted Text OK, listen...when you have an insert, Flashback, or whatever, you need to end it and return to scene - you do not need or want to repeat the Slug you're already in.  Looks terrible, wastes space, and irritates. "who's" - Really?  Oh man...c'mon!!!

fine notes... worded poorly.  "looks terrible, irratates."  Yelling over a typo.  

this tough love approach to reviewing probably doesn't help as much as you seem to think it does.  lighten up, bro.

Actually, I literally just randomly clicked 5 scripts, and you stopped reading 4 of them.  That was usually paired with an insulting jab at the writer that all felt like they were 3 seconds away from a full on name calling session.  So in reality, you didn't read all the scripts either!*  ... ok, fair enough, you opened them all, but instead of just simply saying "not for me," you dig into people.

*I realize this is hypocritical of me, b/c this whole post in based on the fact I stopped reading the initial post in this thread after the script stipulations.  Didn't even read the "you are encouraged to read and vote part"  ... but I'm on a roll, let me ramble.

back to your regularly scheduled novel of a reply:

and look, that's your board schtick, it's apparent.  I've been a dick to plenty of "amateur screenwriters" I feel superiority over b/c I'm a slightly more advanced amateur screenwriter, but I always try to preface my "dickery" (trademark Conz) by giving them a little positive feedback as well.  A little encouragement.  I'm not trying to push anyone towards dellusion, but it doesn't hurt to give some good with the bad.  

I can't imagine you're like that in real life... man, I hope not.  I'm sure the frequent posters here are very familiar and comfortable with you at this point, and while they might humor you, I'm sure they roll their eyes - as you are probably doing at me at this moment - at your posts.

So if that longass diatribe is not a good enough excuse, I don't know what to tell you.  I'm the "a-hole" i guess.  Sorry if it's "bullshitty" Dustin.

If I decide to compete in the next OWC, I'll be sure to read more scripts.  I didn't realize I'd have my character called into question for not doing so.

I realize at this point I just spent a good 15 minutes writing up this reply, and I'm dreading your inevitable response.  You weren't even the only one to give me crap as I just noticed, but you were the aggressor, and I felt the need to stick up for myself (for way too long, clearly.)  

Carry on.  Thanks to those who voted for me, and whether you accept my apology or not, I'm sorry I didn't read every script and vote.  Don't take my mug away, I need the validation every morning with my coffee.

Quoted from Conz *I realize this is hypocritical of me, b/c this whole post in based on the fact I stopped reading the initial post in this thread after the script stipulations.  Didn't even read the "you are encouraged to read and vote part"  ... but I'm on a roll, let me ramble.

Being encouraged to read and vote should go without saying. I couldn't have a bunch of writers take time out to read my work and not try my hardest to do the same for them. I wouldn't need it spelling out for me.

Thanks for the bullshitty excuse though, at least you care that much.

Mr. Conz...where to begin, huh?

Listen...for starters, I was in Vegas all last week and the last thing on my mind was SS and this OWC from 4 weeks back.  When I returned, I had multiple Skype messages and E-Mails from peeps here who were pissed about you not commenting on entries, getting the "win", and not seeming to care about returning the favors of all the reads and comments you received, even after you were aware (and it's extremely unlikely you weren't aware of how an OWC works before you decided not to do any reading and commenting yourself).

A few of us may say everyone who enters should read all the entries, but it's obviously not that way at all.  SS has worked on a Quid Pro Quo basis since the beginning - someone throws you a bone, you should throw one right back.  It's just common human decency and courtesy.

I don't know if you read or commented on any scripts this time around, and even after you were made aware that peeps were pissed, you did nothing to change that, and instead decided to lash out at me, spending what most likely amounted to alot of time finding quotes from my reviews, even.  Quite funny, actually, but probably not achieving what you were after.

Life is give and take...don't be a taker, dude.  Try being a giver, and you may find that what you do take, tastes alot sweeter.

I apparently underestimated the magnatude of this competition.  I don't say that mockingly, I say that admittedly.  

I found out "peeps were pissed" yesterday.  I wasn't checking the forum every single day.  I came back when I got the email. The fact that you guys all seem to speak beyond this, means I am an outsider who doesn't really know the temperature of the forum.  I had some stuff here years ago, but a couple of shorts got "stolen" by some college kids and filmed them without asking.  It left a bad taste in my mouth, so I left for a while.

This competition is over.  Do you want me to go back and read them all now?  Would my "hey this is solid, I would have given it a 'consider'" do any good?

I ask this honestly, is anyone gonna go back and take the notes they got here into account and re-write these?  

I give plenty... just didn't in this case.  Again, sorry to say I feel an air of superiority radiating from your post.  like your brand of tough love "giving" is going to take all these people to the next level.  it reeks of that.

Hopefully the writers will be willing to let me live with my sin.

As I said... apologies.  thanks for the votes regardless.

Quoted from Conz As I said... apologies.

OK, guys.  He gets it.  I'm sure.  Please leave it at that.

To clarify:  There has never been any "rule" that OWC participants have to read anything...leave alone read everything.  Don has made that clear many times in the past.

Now, granted, people who read zero entries are totally showing their a$$ (IMO) -- but even that is not the case here.  Conz read a couple.

I've seen plenty of people submit, read nothing, and, in fact, never even post at all.

As least Conz had the decency to show up so he could get bitched at.  Be happy with that.

Hey, everyone.

Everyone entitled to his own opinion and I've got mine. So I'll give you my take on this:

I got 28 reads on mine. Thank you all very much. At about 15 it started getting repetitive though - the comments, I mean. It's not because you read the other comments before writing your own - I don't think that for a moment. It's because most of you take a script the same way - some things are outright wrong/right in a short and all notice - so it's essentially the same comment over and over. And maybe it's because we don't comment on OWC entries the same way we do on shorts outside of OWC. During OWC it's mostly this works and this doesn't.

Please don't think I'm ungrateful - I'm just saying the obvious.
Very often I wish you stopped commenting and offered to read the rewrite or something. And seriously, often I rewrite an OWC entry and there's no one to ask for a read since everyone else already read it.


And I know Conz read little. He said 8 to 10 and commented on 4 or 5. I'm alright with that.

I also understand those who take OWC very seriously - read every entry in full and comment in full.  You people rock and your opinions on the number of reads are fine with me as well. It's just I have my own too.

For the next time maybe we could agree on a certain number of entries we should read. We can do percentage wise - we need to read two thirds or more (or something).

Quoted from bert As least Conz had the decency to show up so he could get bitched at.  Be happy with that.

That's a lol

Roll on the next OWC, I look forward to the post results bickering almost as much as the reveals

I received a good chunk of comments on mine and I’m grateful for every single one of them. For everyone who said they didn’t like it, they said why, which gave me an idea of where I might have gone wrong. For everyone who said they liked it, it gave me hope that the story was half decent and maybe had potential. I always get a very mixed reaction on my scripts, which does sometimes confuse me lol, but I wouldn’t be able to learn without honest feedback so it is all good.

I comment on as many scripts in the owc as I can and I try to give a decent reviews as that’s my choice. Whatever anyone else does is up to them.

It’s been a good challenge and I enjoyed flexing my funny bone. Thanks to everyone who took part.

Quoted from MarkRenshaw I always get a very mixed reaction on my scripts, which does sometimes confuse me...

It really shouldn't, mate. Taste is subjective, even when talking on an individual basis. Being in the right frame of mind to be receptive to material is also a factor.

So long as some like it, you're doing the right thing. Even 1 in every 10... if 10 million people see it, one million will like it.

The only time we should worry, and perhaps even consider doing something else, is when nobody likes it.

You know how I look at it?

Yes, he should have read more.  But, he can't do that now.  If Conz has learned to give and take, and becomes an active member of this group, isn't that good?  

Look at it this way, he came into "our" house and won our competition.  I'd say that's on us, not him.  I'm not trying to create an "us" vs "them" mentality.  What I am saying is that it isn't anyone's fault save us.  Our stories weren't as good as his.

If we want one of the regulars to win, including myself, it's up to us to write better stories.  I don't resent Conz for writing his story, or for not commenting.  I do take it personally that a person who doesn't read or comment or share stuff outdid all of us (in a friendly competition way, not personally).  You beat me, and us, and that's awesome.

Next OWC, it's on us, and you, to raise our games.  You should defend your win.  It's on us to do better.  No one but Mark had any reasons why we came up short.  That doesn't mean that I'm coming down on anyone.  I put myself in that same list.  

If we all raise our skills, don't we all win?  If we want to make sure the next winner isn't someone who didn't read a lot of scripts, then isn't it on us to win?  

Conz could go on to have a successful writing career.  Who knows.  Any of us can.  We should respect that.  I think he learned that all people want is fair treatment, meaning you want me to read yours, then you should read mine.  

When I joined, I went all out to read others' scripts and didn't even ask for reads back.  People respected that.  But, what I never expected was to become friends with people.  Which, to me, means far more then who reads what.  

There are quite a few on here that I consider friends.  I'm glad.  Conz, I'm holding out an olive leaf to you.  You came into our "house" and beat us.  Congrats.  Now, defend your win, come back and try to do the same.  Please read some scripts and we'd be glad to read yours.  I will read anything you need read.  

I want to get better, and good relations are a solid way to learn one aspect of this biz.  There are a lot of great peeps on here, get to know some.

Dan

Quoted from Grandma Bear I think Don is just extremely busy with his day job due to a strike. Nothing bad has happened other than a LOT of extra work. Maybe we can entertain ourselves while we wait for Don to come back? Games? Feature challenges? Brawls?

I suggest games, features, brawls, pics of us in our underwear, remakes or sequels to work that isn't ours (I have a Frozen story), or something crazy, who wants to marry me??  

I have 2 stories to fix up.  But, I'm game for stuff.  I have a lot on my plate, and will do the best I can.

Dan

If you tally up the winners from previous OWC's and see who was a member and who was not, I would not be surprised to see the that winner was an "outsider" and has never even commented since.

I think some SS writers tend to write in a very similar vein, you've all learned from each other and thus write the same way.
You all think this is acceptable standard and going against this standard is what makes Dreamscale cream his panties, it's his thing, the one thing he likes to talk about as if he knows the ins and outs of an industry that could not care less.

Writers are the bottom of the barrell in most aspects of movie making.

I do think this is a great site, the OWC is an awesome competition ( not a challenge, everyone treats it as a competition, let's not beat around the bush, everyone wants to win) but outsiders might win more becauase they don't take as much "advice" from those  that apparently " in the know" around here.
Loads of people have been here YEARS, never had a script produced, not even a short -- and they are telling you how to write?

Just food for thought.

And Conz, well done on your win. Don't even waste time explaining yourself, you won fair and square. The losers just have to deal with it.

To add, if people are that upset, rename it the "OWC: Writers Have To Read 30-plus short scripts about the same fucking thing in a week".