I don't want to start an arguement but I feel this might.  

I was reading through the OWC's and something came up about one script that was clearly set in England, and was so reviewed as not meeting the challenge of the Halloween festival.  It was suggested that the writer should have done some background reading and written in from a US perspective.  I have to disagree with this, not only is a week not long to write anything, especially with other comitments, but to then have to research what US festivals are is ridiculous surely?

I think you should be able to write your own interpretation of such festival.  Do we want all the entries to be set in America?  As I'm in the minority, I feel this is kind of bullying, either write it in America or you fail the challenge.  Maybe I'm reading to much into it but I've just thrown my toys from my pram lol.

Agree with you 100% here.

Very good point, alffy.

I'm regreting this thread already.  Not for what I think but I don't want to isolate us Brits from the American's.  I just felt quite strongly that it is a little unfair to expect us to learn about American cultures in such a short space of time, like the OWC.

Quoted from alffy I'm regreting this thread already.  Not for what I think but I don't want to isolate us Brits from the American's.

Eh...I looked through the thread and did not see that much of an argument brewing.

The worldwide community here is a huge asset.  There isn't a single person on the boards that would deny that.

But the challenge was for a Halloween Festival, and if there is no festival, then it is a fair crit to say, "There is no festival".

And many people acknowledged that it was a fine story despite that.  I would not read too much into it.

Quoted from alffy I just felt quite strongly that it is a little unfair to expect us to learn about American cultures in such a short space of time, like the OWC.

"Quite strongly"...really?

Had the challenge been set at a cricket match, I would have spent 5 minutes on Google and been good to go.

You do have a point, but to be fair, I think it is a small point.

Quoted from bert Had the challenge been set at a cricket match, I would have spent 5 minutes on Google and been good to go.

I'm British, and I don't understand bloody cricket!

A small point is better than none I guess lol.

Quoted from bert Had the challenge been set at a cricket match, I would have spent 5 minutes on Google and been good to go.

I did ask what a Halloween festival entailed but still really didn't know what they were about.

Quoted from bert Eh...I looked through the thread and did not see that much of an argument brewing.

No, I was thinking ahead.

anywho, I've got it off my chest now lol.

Quoted from alffy ...It was suggested that the writer should have done some background reading and written in from a US perspective.  I have to disagree with this, ..., but to then have to research what US festivals are is ridiculous surely? I think you should be able to write your own interpretation of such festival.  Do we want all the entries to be set in America?  As I'm in the minority, I feel this is kind of bullying, either write it in America or you fail the challenge. ...

I agree with you Alffy, this is ridiculous.  I was once told that I should write for an American audience or I won't get anywhere.  You should write how the festival is celebrated in your area.

And as Halloween originated from Ireland I feel it's my festival that the world has taken on, thanks to the Irish.

When we see Halloween from America, it feels like they've given it a commercial makeover.  That's the perception from back home.

Hate the game, not the player.

Andrew

I've also posted this in the "Boy Who Cried" thread

Just looked up festival in the encarta dictionary:

festival
1.  time of celebration: a day or period of celebration, often one of religious significance  
2.  program of cultural events: a program or series of performances or other cultural events, usually held at regular intervals, often in one place  

According to this first definition, any script in this OWC that is set on the day is set during a festival.

I would have to say that I agree with Alffy, for a weeks work one shouldn't expect someone to do heavy research, however, I do think Halloween is a pretty simple Google if their script were set in the US.  But one shouldn't expect all the scripts to be set during an American type celebration of Halloween - or in America. I'm all for seeing an international flavour.  

However, if you are submitting your script to a contest that has American judges - be they peer or not - then you should expect a certain (sometimes large) percentage of them to look at the script through American-centric eyes.  It should be no surprise when they think all words should be spelled with American spellings (otherwise they are a typo). It should also be no surprise when they think everyone's Halloween festival should be the same.

You should expect this behaviour because it isn't going to change and if you don't expect this behaviour then you should now.    

alffy, look I'm sorry mate, but i see your point, BUT i don't, if you get me.

In this day and age of mass communication( electronically, at least) I would fiind it hard to believe people wouldn't know a bit about Halloween.
Sure, it's not an English thing - or Australian for that matter - but it's always been common knowledge through books and films, etc, as well as Google.

I've always known a great deal about the USA, even before I went there a few years back, about it's history and traditions, through reading since i was a kid. Now, obviuosly I'm a lot older than you so had a head start.
As I mentioned on another thread, Stephen King's books were a great learning tool for all things american.

I thought your script was alright( your name was still on PDF properties). Sure, there wasn't much to do with a 'Festival', but I really liked your teen life dialogue, unique to England. I've always known heaps about Britain, throgh watching old comedies and stuff in the 70's, and then following the football (up the Villa!).

When I do an OWC, i always write it set in the US, mainly so people don't guess who's doing it!
Maybe in the future though, a specific theme could be set in England, or Australia, or Denmark, etc, just to make things more interesting.
Cheers alffy.