One of the things I like about MoviePoet is that it tells you how many scripts that user has reviewed.

If there's a way to do that here, it would let us know how many people are here to help. It'd weed out the good guys from the bad.

(For the record, I've reviewed 111 over on MP )

Quoted from ABennettWriter One of the things I like about MoviePoet is that it tells you how many scripts that user has reviewed. If there's a way to do that here, it would let us know how many people are here to help. It'd weed out the good guys from the bad. (For the record, I've reviewed 111 over on MP )

While it's not entirely the same thing, you can check out a members posts in their profile. That'll at least give you a little info about who you're dealing with.

Quoted from ABennettWriter One of the things I like about MoviePoet is that it tells you how many scripts that user has reviewed. If there's a way to do that here, it would let us know how many people are here to help. It'd weed out the good guys from the bad. (For the record, I've reviewed 111 over on MP )

You can look at a person's posting history via their username.  A new person could have only 10 posts, but they might all be script reviews.

No I get you Rob. I think the method now is fine. Every script a person reviews simply helps that screenwriter improve. And for those who don't review, their easy to tell from those who do read so, we should refrain from commenting on their scripts.  We don't need people to sign up to weed out reviewers.

Gabe

Quoted from Grandma Bear That is your opinion, but perhaps not the author's...

Apparently since I haven't seen any of these gems on the big screen, I'm not the only one with that opinion. Any person on this website who will not take constructive criticism to better their work and actually believes they wrote the next oscar winner is absolutely delusional!!!

Quoted from Pants This person was the inspiration behind the creation of this thread.

Oh, you should've checked out Alien5Writer then. Mama mia...

Quoted from sniper Oh, you should've checked out Alien5Writer then. Mama mia...

Heh, I remember him.  Not sure if I got in on the action with him (can't remember that far back properly) but I definately remember that he was.. lets say bad.

True I may not be the best reviewer in the history of this site but I do try my best. I just have great difficulty putting my feelings in words. I know if I like or dislike something but it is hard for him to articulate these feelings.  But at least I try and that must count.  

Personally I feel the best kind of crits and reviews to help you grow as a writer are the ones that tell you what you are doing wrong as these point out the areas which need fixing.

Quoted from Shelton You can look at a person's posting history via their username.  A new person could have only 10 posts, but they might all be script reviews.

I've seen people with twenty posts or more and they haven't reviewed any scripts.  They review movies, music and join in on the anything-but-screenwriting threads.

I've also seen people with ten or fifteen posts who only post in threads for their scripts.


Phil

Quoted from Pants Could someone explain to me why so many people post their scripts on this site and then cry when people critique them? Is that not one of the points of this site?

I've had people ask me to review their scripts and get nasty when they don't receive positive reviews.  I can only guess that they don't like the fact that I disagreed with the praise their mothers bestowed on their work.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe I've seen people with twenty posts or more and they haven't reviewed any scripts.  They review movies, music and join in on the anything-but-screenwriting threads. I've also seen people with ten or fifteen posts who only post in threads for their scripts. Phil

Yes, Phil, I'm aware of this.  I just didn't feel it was necessary to lay out every possible scenario in getting my point across.

I'll try it in Frankenstein-speak

Point...check...history

I submitted a script once and got also sorts of suggestions about what was wrong with it and what should be done to make it better etc. So I followed some of the suggestions and did a few rewrites. Then one day, somebody, who hadn't commented on the thread, sent me a pm and said: "I’ve been following this thread and have watched your script get progressively worse. Don't listen to these people they have no idea what they're talking about. The changes they’ve suggested have ruined what made the story good in the first place.”

So I guess it can be confusing sometimes. However, just as writers shouldn’t be too precious about their scripts, reviewers shouldn't be too precious about their reviews, and get upset if a writer says: "Thanks for the read, but I won’t be making the changes you’ve suggested”.

Yeah I somewhat agree with you Chris.  People should at least read reviews and thank the people who took the time to sit down and look at their "masterpiece" whether they ultimately decide to use any of the suggestions provided or not.

Of course if these suggestions are to spell things properly and you decide not to listen then I don't see you getting very far.

That's interesting Chris. I've never heard of that happening before.

Pants keep telling us we don't write anything worth being filmed by Hollywood here so we should take any critique we can get, but we're not professional reviewers here either...

Personally I listen to all criticism, good or bad, but only change if the suggestions feel right to me.

Yeah it was, Me. The guy ended up offering me some suggestions of his own. I took some of them on board and discarded the rest.

The majority of comments I've received have been regarding format and story structure - I don't think you can go wrong listening to this sort of advice and changing your script based on it.

When people are giving you different ideas - like a better ending or changing a character's personality then I guess you gotta decide for yourself. It's your script at the end of the day so you can't let it become a communal project.

I really don't understand people reacting badly to honest reviews of scripts they have posted on here.