Suspense is key.

Something is coming.  

Oh boy!

I smell an OWC  or an Alien attack!  Either way it'll be cool

WOW!  YES!!!

And I see Zack is now a Moderator?  Zack, is this your OWC?

Looking forward to it!!!  

I'm a mod specifically for this OWC.

Got something pretty cool in mind for this challenge.  

Quoted from Zack I'm a mod specifically for this OWC. Got something pretty cool in mind for this challenge.

SWEET!!!!!!

I'm not good at guessing the hints, but I'm ready to go

Hoping to read some top-notch scripts.

Here's another hint for you guys.  

Zack, so far you're picking movies I love.

Quoted from LC Zack, so far you're picking movies I love.

You've got great taste in movies.  

This challenge should be right up your alley.    

And another one.







This is my personal favorite scene in a Friday the 13th movie.

You've piqued my interest. Hopefully, I have time to participate.

I haven't done one of these in a while, I hope I can join in. Already my nipples scream with delight at the hints.

Not up to me but can I suggest no minimum page count? My heart always sinks when I haven’t got time and hey - if you can write a story in 1-page it’s a good skill to practice!

Now I see. Lol. Congrats on moderating this owc and good luck with the turn over.

Gabe

Before I get too excited about joining in, I have a question - I go away for 2 weeks from the 13th May - am I going to miss the read/voting stage?

Matt

Quoted from Matthew Taylor Before I get too excited about joining in, I have a question - I go away for 2 weeks from the 13th May - am I going to miss the read/voting stage? Matt

You'll have plenty of time to participate.

Quoted from Anon Not up to me but can I suggest no minimum page count? My heart always sinks when I haven’t got time and hey - if you can write a story in 1-page it’s a good skill to practice!

NOT!!!!  Terrible idea.

You can't have a bunch of 1 page last minute entries along side 12 pagers that took time to conceive and write.

C'mon, man!

Quoted from Dreamscale NOT!!!!  Terrible idea. You can't have a bunch of 1 page last minute entries along side 12 pagers that took time to conceive and write. C'mon, man!

“I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”

-- Mark Twain

Personally, I think it would be hard as Hell to build suspense in a one-page script, but I know there are better writers here than me... so I'm okay with someone trying.

Aga, so it's not Sean!

It's Zack! What a twist.

Quoted from khamanna Aga, so it's not Sean! It's Zack! What a twist.

Bet you didn't see that one coming... =)

Quoted from FrankM Personally, I think it would be hard as Hell to build suspense in a one-page script, but I know there are better writers here than me... so I'm okay with someone trying.

1-page scripts used to be my favorite to write. If you wanted to, you could get a hell of a lot of story out in that one page.

I'd agree with Jeff - If there was no minimum page count then you would have to have a low maximum to keep the entries from being too disparate  - 1-2 pagers could be a OWC all on its own.

Although saying that, with the sheer volume of entries in the last one, I wish some of them were 1 pagers

Quoted from Dreamscale NOT!!!!  Terrible idea. You can't have a bunch of 1 page last minute entries along side 12 pagers that took time to conceive and write. C'mon, man!

Just 'cos you haven't got the skills to condense a story - doesn't mean they should be banned. Better chance of production with a good micro-script. And my only previous entry to this challenge won. It was 2 pages. And beat many other longer scripts - including yours  

You know what would be really suspenseful?

A countdown.  

Quoted from ReneC You know what would be really suspenseful? A countdown.

"There were eight seconds left. Hardly exciting." -- Dr. Ruth Leavitt (Andromeda Strain)

Quoted from ReneC You know what would be really suspenseful? A countdown.

Keep your eye on the 12th.  

Your fourth hint.







Jaws 2 isn't a great movie, but this scene traumatized me when I was like seven and it has always stuck with me. No oceans for this guy.

Quoted from Zack Your fourth hint. Jaws 2 isn't a great movie, but this scene traumatized me when I was like seven and it has always stuck with me. No oceans for this guy.

Seven? Nice parenting. Your folks and mine should get together, they let me watch Piranha and The Exorcist.

Quoted from ReneC Seven? Nice parenting. Your folks and mine should get together, they let me watch Piranha and The Exorcist.

The first horror film I ever saw was Leprechaun 3. I remember it vividly. It's awful. And SO good.  

HINT V: THE FINAL CHAPTER







Can we all just take a moment and remember how great the original Jurassic Park is?

Quoted from Zack Can we all just take a moment and remember how great the original Jurassic Park is?

No, we can't. But, that's a discussion for another day... Lol. =)

Quoted from Mr. Blonde No, we can't. But, that's a discussion for another day... Lol. =)

That day can't get here soon enough!

Zack, would The House That Jack Built fit in any of these hints?
Cause I'm going to watch this one tonight.

Quoted from khamanna Zack, would The House That Jack Built fit in any of these hints? Cause I'm going to watch this one tonight.

Good choice! Great family movie.  

There is a scene very early on that I think may the fit with this challenge. I'll see if I can find the particular scene I'm talking about.

This scene MOSTLY fits the challenge. Look, a free hint!

Quoted from Anon Just 'cos you haven't got the skills to condense a story - doesn't mean they should be banned. Better chance of production with a good micro-script. And my only previous entry to this challenge won. It was 2 pages. And beat many other longer scripts - including yours

Oh God...really?

Damn, guess I better stop writing for good, huh?  No skills, and and "beaten" by not only a 2 page script, but yours.  I guess I'm all done.

Never heard of The House That Jack Built, until now.

More hints, please Zack.

HINT PART 6: RESURRECTION





One of the best opening scenes to any horror movie. Anyone starting to catch on?

Obviously it's all about Easter... sorted

Yip, another of my favs.  

Surely you have to add that Steven Spielberg classic.
Unless of course I'm way off track...

Quoted from irish eyes Obviously it's all about Easter... sorted

Very good.  

Quoted from LC Surely you have to add that Steven Spielberg classic. Unless of course I'm way off track...

I think you're on the right track.  

Still not getting it, but I'm guessing it’s set in a vehicle of some sort?

I thought maybe a creature feature but that doesn’t work for all of them.

Quoted from Warren Still not getting it, but I'm guessing it’s set in a vehicle of some sort?

Getting warmer.

Genre: horror
Theme: serial killer
Must include: a vehicle, reference to stereotypical serial killers and doing something obviously stupid.

Quoted from JEStaats Must include: ... doing something obviously stupid.

I haven't seen that particular Friday the 13th Part MMDCLXI, but the teens didn't do anything obviously stupid there. Granted, they're teens in a horror movie, so I'm sure they did SOMETHING stupid, just not seeing it in that clip.

The kid picking up the hitchhiker, now that was stupid. He basically said so while doing it.

Uma Thurman's character (that is her, right?) is not too bright if you ask me, so not necessarily only the domain of teenagers.

Just gonna put this out there. Stupidity will not be a part of this challenge.  

Quoted from Zack Just gonna put this out there. Stupidity will not be a part of this challenge.

That's too bad, Steve Clark was looking forward to entering

Quoted from irish eyes That's too bad, Steve Clark was looking forward to entering

Yes! Florida Man, The Prequel - Salmon Surprise.  

Nice. Feels like I exclusively write OWCs these days. I'm in.

Quoted from Anon Not up to me but can I suggest no minimum page count? My heart always sinks when I haven’t got time and hey - if you can write a story in 1-page it’s a good skill to practice!

I like this with modification.  Past OWCs have included "stretch pages" - i.e., the story was effectively told in five page - than stretched to meet the requirement. I would be a fan of something like:

No less than 3 pages - not more than 12

Quoted from eldave1 No less than 3 pages - not more than 12

I've got no issue with this.

1/2 page minimum.

2.175 page maximum.

Maximum of 17 characters.

Quoted from Dreamscale 1/2 page minimum. 2.175 page maximum. Maximum of 17 characters.

Don't forget a minimum of 12 locations.  

Quoted from Dreamscale Damn, guess I better stop writing for good, huh?  No skills, and and "beaten" by not only a 2 page script, but yours.  I guess I'm all done.

It's for the best.  

Quoted from eldave1 I like this with modification.  Past OWCs have included "stretch pages" - i.e., the story was effectively told in five page - than stretched to meet the requirement. I would be a fan of something like: No less than 3 pages - not more than 12

Sounds good!

Pages: 4
Run time: 206 minutes

It takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish...

Another hint for ya.

I'm not getting these hints at all lol

All I'm getting from them is vehicles and peril from an unknown/stranger adversary

Quoted from Matthew Taylor I'm not getting these hints at all lol All I'm getting from them is vehicles and peril from an unknown/stranger adversary

You getting more out of these hints than you realize.  

They're all about building anticipation. Things the audience can see coming even if the characters can't.

Beyond that...I guess we'll see soon enough.

Quoted from ReneC They're all about building anticipation. Things the audience can see coming even if the characters can't.

Someone's paying attention.  

Quoted from ReneC They're all about building anticipation. Things the audience can see coming even if the characters can't.

Yes...exactly.  Although "anticipation" may not be the right word here.

Quoted from Anon It's for the best.

It probably is, but I'll soldier on and continue with my poor writing choices and defeats to the likes of you.

And the countdown begins...  

Is the suspense getting to you guys yet?

Aha! Zack, l love me some Duel and Mr Weaver on a long winding road.  

Let me ponder what you might post next. Or is that the final hint?

Think I may have one more hint for you guys. Having trouble finding the scene at the moment.

Last hint.







The Strangers 2 is one of my favorite horror sequels. Seriously underrated film.

Thanks for posting all the enjoyable hints, Zack.

Looking forward to seeing what you've got lined up for this OWC.

Quoted from Zack The Strangers 2 is one of my favorite horror sequels. Seriously underrated film.

ZACK!!!!  NO!!!!  Strangers Prey at Night...IMO...was so bad.  I actually was so excited about it coming out and so upset as I watched it.

Quoted from Dreamscale ZACK!!!!  NO!!!!  Strangers Prey at Night...IMO...was so bad.  I actually was so excited about it coming out and so upset as I watched it.

Yeah, I know I'm in the minority with this one. It just really surprised me with how much fun it was. I stand by my statement.  

Quoted from Dreamscale ZACK!!!!  NO!!!!  Strangers Prey at Night...IMO...was so bad.  I actually was so excited about it coming out and so upset as I watched it.

Have to agree here. The Strangers is one of my all-time favs, this sequel was an embarrassment to the original and should never have happened.

So no goats are involved?

What about Snakes on a Plane?  Would that be getting close?

Gary

Quoted from Gary Howell So no goats are involved? What about Snakes on a Plane?  Would that be getting close?

No rules prohibiting goats.  

As for Snakes on a Plane... You're on the right track.

Quoted from Warren Have to agree here. The Strangers is one of my all-time favs, this sequel was an embarrassment to the original and should never have happened.

I feel like I watched a different version of The Strangers 2 than everyone else. Seriously don't understand the hate it receives. The pool scene alone makes it a must watch.

It's not a better film than the original, but I'd argue it's more entertaining. It probably doesn't hurt that it was filmed in my town.

Locked up in a closed space with a killer/killing force then!

I'm probably repeating someone here or every one of you.

I think it's going to be a romcom about vehicles.

Not much longer! Hope you guys are ready.

Quoted from MarkRenshaw I think it's going to be a romcom about vehicles.

There are some things about the Cars universe we were never meant to know.

Guess what? Another hint!







Planes are vehicles too!

Quoted from Dreamscale Yes...exactly.  Although "anticipation" may not be the right word here.

Anticipation is the right word. Suspense is when the audience is in the dark. We either see what's coming, feel it, or are stuck in it and don't know the outcome. But we're in the know the whole time.

Suspense; a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

True, the outcome is not known, so suspense does work. So does anticipation, since these scenes all set up an expectation.

How about dread? So much dread in those...

Suspense, anticipation, dread... I don't want to give away too much so close to the reveal, but you're definitely on to something, Rene.

Quoted from Zack Yeah, I know I'm in the minority with this one. It just really surprised me with how much fun it was. I stand by my statement.

You defending The Strangers: Prey at Night versus me against Jurassic Park. There's a really terrible battle right there. =)

I'd say this hews closer to anticipation (the audience has a good notion of what's coming) than suspense (the audience knows "something is up" but not what to expect). In either case, you can still surprise the audience with the actual execution.

Peripheral to this dramatic irony, which is when the audience knows something the characters don't. There's no real dramatic irony in the Hitchhiker scene... the driver sees the same indicator light that we do. But there is in the Friday the 13th scene because we suspect that Jason is in the vehicle from the beginning and know for certain once the girl is grabbed, but the driver is oblivious.

"There is a distinct difference between "suspense" and "surprise," and yet many pictures continually confuse the two. I'll explain what I mean.

We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let's suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, "Boom!" There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o'clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: "You shouldn't be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!"

In the first case we have given the public fifteen seconds of surprise at the moment of the explosion. In the second we have provided them with fifteen minutes of suspense. The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story."

- Alfred Hitchcock

Was that another secret hint? Are we doing a Hitchcock OWC??

Quoted from ReneC Was that another secret hint? Are we doing a Hitchcock OWC??

Ha! I'm not classy enough to host a Hitchcock OWC.