SimplyScripts Discussion Board
Blog Home - Produced Movie Script Library - TV Scripts - Unproduced Scripts - Contact - Site Map
ScriptSearch
Welcome, Guest.
It is July 1st, 2025, 10:11pm
Please login or register.
Was Portal Recent Posts Home Help Calendar Search Register Login
The primary purpose of the SimplyScripts Discussion Board is the discussion of unproduced screenplays. If you are a producer or director lookng for your next project, the works here are available for option, purchase or production only if you receive permission from the author.

NOTE: these screenplays are NOT in the public domain and MAY NOT be used or reproduced for any purpose (including eductional purposes) without the expressed written permission of the author.

New to SimplyScripts? - Tell us about yourself! | How does this discussion board work? - FAQs! | Submit Your Script
The answer to: Who wrote what script in the June 2025 One Week Challenge? <- click back there


The July 2025 One Week Challenge comes, soon.

How do I get my film's link and banner here?
Short Script of the Day | Featured Shorts Available for Production | Guidelines and Censorship | Produced Script Database | Oscar Winning Screenplays through the Ages | WGA Top 101 Screenplays

Forum Login
Username: Create a new Account
Password:     Forgot Password

SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    One Week Challenge    January 2019 -  One Week Challenge  ›  Valen Crimes - OWC
Users Browsing Forum
No Members and 1 Guests

 Pages: 1, 2 : All
Recommend Print
  Author    Valen Crimes - OWC  (currently 2178 views)
Don
Posted: February 2nd, 2019, 12:26am Report to Moderator
Administrator
Administrator


So, what are you writing?

Location
Virginia
Posts
17346
Posts Per Day
1.94
Valen Crimes by B. Hynde Bars - Short, RomCom - A party business has issues, but from what? A computer virus or a deep-seated Valentine's fear. Perhaps it's AMORaphobia and unfulfilled dreams. Whatever it is: Revenge is sweet on an ugly street where two struggling love birds play a different kind of role. 10 pages - pdf format

Writer interested in feedback on this work



Visit SimplyScripts.com for what is new on the site.

-------------
You will miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
- Wayne Gretzky
Logged Offline
Site Private Message
Mr. Blonde
Posted: February 2nd, 2019, 11:07am Report to Moderator
Administrator


What good are choices if they're all bad?

Location
Nowhere special.
Posts
3063
Posts Per Day
0.52
A couple strange formatting things right off the top: the date being listed in the slugline instead of a super or something like that. Then, "MALE CUSTOMER", but he's immediately referred to as "BUCKO". Some other strange choices so far: You use "wha-haut" and "whahaut" interchangeably and I'm waiting to see if it matters that Jack isn't married to Janet, otherwise why refer to him as a "common law boyfriend"? After the explanation you give, not necessary to include. You can get across that they've been in a relationship for a long time without getting married without ever bringing it up.

I'll be entirely honest when I say that, by the time this was over, Joe Louis just beat the shit out of me. I couldn't make sense of the plot, the word phrasings, the (I assume) jumps in time, except that she and Bucko (I'm guessing) did the Valencrimes Virus? From a pure writing standpoint, it feels like a veteran of the site, but there were a lot of misspellings and almost no commas anywhere to be found. It was tough to read through and one that I didn't particularly enjoy, not because it's bad but because it's... dense.


Logged
Private Message Reply: 1 - 22
Dreamscale
Posted: February 2nd, 2019, 5:43pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients


It's all about the rum

Location
Arizon
Posts
11688
Posts Per Day
133.94
Let's start with the logline - WAY too long, detailed...and strange.

Title page is cool and I like the fake writer's name.  Let's see what we have here...

Don't put a date in your Slug.  If it's important, you need a SUPER

When you intro a chararcter, yuo need to set the age and description off with commas, or parenthesis.

How old is the "MALE CUSTOMER"?  Mistake here - as this is obviously Bucko...or whatever his whole name is.

No clue what's supposed to be going on here, but the dialogue ain't working for this Kid, the story/plot doesn't seem to be there, and I'm gonna bail early, sorry to say.

*
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 2 - 22
Gary in Houston
Posted: February 2nd, 2019, 6:21pm Report to Moderator
Old Timer



Location
Texas
Posts
1313
Posts Per Day
0.29
Ok, first one out of the gate, let's see what we got...

As always, just my two cents...

This is a strange sequence to begin with.  The dialogue and action sequences are really off-kilter.

Okay, so it was a dream.  What was the point of the dream?  Will it have any applicability to the rest of the story?  

Jack and Janet seem to have strange interactions for people that are living together.  Not sure how to view that.

I'm trying to follow  the story, but it's just all over the place and the dialogue is nonsensical.  I really do not get anything going on here at all.  There doesn't seem to be a plot, other than the Valencrimes virus seems to be affecting Janet's shop.  That's about all I'm getting out of it.   Sorry, but congrats on getting an entry in.

Best,
Gary


Some of my scripts:

Bounty (TV Pilot) -- Top 1% of discoverable screenplays on Coverfly
I'll Be Seeing You (short) - OWC winner
The Gambler (short) - OWC winner
Skip (short) - filmed
Country Road 12 (short) - filmed
The Family Man (short) - filmed
The Journeyers (feature) - optioned

Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 3 - 22
eldave1
Posted: February 2nd, 2019, 9:04pm Report to Moderator
January Project Group



Location
Southern California
Posts
6967
Posts Per Day
1.75

Quoted Text
INT. TRENDY PARTIES BOUTIQUE - FEBRUARY 10, DAY

JANET 30s wears her garb of the day. A long Welsh dress and
apron with a stove-pipe hat. She decorates the window with
shiny red hearts, but with a half-hearted work ethic.


A bit rough out of the gate. I would not put a date in a header - s/b a SUPER and you need commas or ( ) around the age.

Bucko was never intro'd as a character. JANET


Quoted Text
Mr. William Lockheed The Third of
The Wonderful Casting Company


You need a , or a . after Lockheed.


Quoted Text
JANET
Wha-haut coma? You one of those
Mandella affected? Ooooh, the truth
is out there


Haven't a clue what this means.

The more I read the more I get lost. I'm just not getting the references.

This wasn't for me - sorry.


My Scripts can all be seen here:

https://dlambertson.wixsite.com/scripts
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 4 - 22
LC
Posted: February 2nd, 2019, 10:08pm Report to Moderator
Administrator



Location
The Great Southern Land
Posts
8654
Posts Per Day
1.41
Utterly mad in an ingenious way but tough to get through too.

Loved the sequence on page 8.

You have talent but need more focus imho.
And more romance for a RomCom.

Were there chocs, roses, and red?
Probably. Everything else was in there.  


Logged
Private Message Reply: 5 - 22
Warren
Posted: February 3rd, 2019, 8:30pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients


A man who has taught his mind to misbehave

Location
Sydney, Australia
Posts
3890
Posts Per Day
1.17
Hi Writer,


Quoted Text
JANET
Wha-haut coma? You one of those
Mandella affected? Ooooh, the truth
is out there.


I understand the words but have no idea what the mean when put together in this order.


Quoted Text
creepy images of TWO MEN IN BLACK


I don't know what I'm meant to be seeing here. What are they doing that makes it creepy?

I’m going to step away from this one on page 4. Sorry but it has absolutely nothing going on to keep me invested, at least nothing I can understand.

I went back and read the comments to see if I was missing the point, clearly Libby sees something here, I'm not sure what.

All the best.


Logged
Private Message Reply: 6 - 22
Vincent
Posted: February 3rd, 2019, 8:57pm Report to Moderator
New


Posts
29
Posts Per Day
0.01
Needs plenty of work, from the too-long logline to the clunky dialogue and the clumsy descriptions. Plus, where's the romance in this romantic comedy. (The comedy needs some punching up, too.) Back to the drawing board.
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 7 - 22
irish eyes
Posted: February 4th, 2019, 10:34am Report to Moderator
January Project Group


There`s too much blood in my alcohol

Location
Upstate New York
Posts
1874
Posts Per Day
0.34
Ahh fancy title page with a long winded logline

I have no idea what i just read and I got through to the end...ROMCOM? I don't think so
Neither romantic or funny... or chocolates, flowers and red for that matter.. Or maybe the welsh costume was the RED but i don't think some other readers would know that.

Very tough read didn't enjoy it sorry

Good job on entering


Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 8 - 22
Philostrate
Posted: February 4th, 2019, 2:44pm Report to Moderator
New



Posts
341
Posts Per Day
0.13
Christ!

This one was tough, tough, tough...

Full of nonsensical dialogue.

Libby saw something, but I've no idea of what was going on.

Sorry, but this one wasn't for me.

Good job on entering, though.


Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 9 - 22
Cameron
Posted: February 4th, 2019, 3:25pm Report to Moderator
Guest User



Hey Writer,

Wow, not sure where all that was going and then went.

It kinda bumbles along, full of tally talk that just doesn’t really say or go anywhere. There was some kinda romance there, comedy was lacking for my own taste (obviously completely subjective). You basically could hack lines out of this and make it a 5 page work, but I’m still not sure it’d resolve itself with the current through line.

Not for me but you might get some other takers,

Cam
Logged
e-mail Reply: 10 - 22
IamGlenn
Posted: February 5th, 2019, 2:58pm Report to Moderator
January Project Group


:)

Location
Dublin, Ireland, Europe, The World.
Posts
693
Posts Per Day
0.17
Hi,

A lot of creativity gone into that title page.

First slug is not right. "Int/ext. Location - Time of day" will do.

Sorry, about halfway through and not a clue what's going on. The dialogue is crazy and everything just seemed a bit bonkers.

G'luck,
Glenn


Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 11 - 22
ghost and_ghostie gal
Posted: February 5th, 2019, 10:13pm Report to Moderator
Old Timer



Location
Yup, that's me, myself, and I up in the corner
Posts
1762
Posts Per Day
0.30
On the upside, you're hitting the zany sauce pretty hard, and I likes me some zany.  I think some of it is genuinely, and organically funny.   On the downside, I had a hard time following what the heck was going on, so my interest wandered.

I think this needs a significant overhaul, from content to writing... with a sharp focus on what is relevant to the story, on what establishes story -vs- what doesn't establish story... and then cull the excess stuff.  This is JMHO.

Kudos for finishing.


Logged
Private Message Reply: 12 - 22
ReneC
Posted: February 7th, 2019, 12:13pm Report to Moderator
Old Timer



Location
Vancouver, BC
Posts
1630
Posts Per Day
0.32
I'm guessing this is written by someone who isn't fluent in English. The grammar suggests a different primary language.

There are some really good lines hidden away in here, but they're lost in the mess. The dialogue is nonsensical and the story is really hard to understand. The humour is kinda there, or at least you tried with the dialogue.

If you are new to screenwriting, you're off to a great start, aside from the language barrier. There are some mistakes in the formatting, but nothing that can't be fixed simply by reading more professional screenplays to see how things are done.

Good effort.


Logged Offline
Site Private Message Reply: 13 - 22
Matthew Taylor
Posted: February 7th, 2019, 12:33pm Report to Moderator
Old Timer



Location
Shakespeare's county
Posts
1893
Posts Per Day
0.77
Hello Writer - This is my last one soooo... please make it a good one

That title page - hideous

Wait, you have written that she mistakes this guy for someone else BEFORE it actually happens, gave me a head scratch moment - Also, remember that the reader is also an intelligent being (most of the time) In other words, we all know a bell above a shop door signals a customer has come in and let us see that she mistakes the guy for someone else, don't tell us first.

The conversation, why can't she call him Bucko? he literally just told her that was his name - and she is rude as fuck for a shop owner, but not in a 'Black Books' funny kinda way.

I'm trying to follow this - I just can't. I don't know what's going on - whats crypto? where did the computer come from?

Wait all that was a dream? come on, is it relevant at least, I'm gonna skip ahead and find out... nope not relevant, no Bucko and no Men in Black in the rest of the script.

This is my last one, I'm fatigued, I can't go on anymore

Best of luck to you

Matt


Feature

42.2

Two steps to writing a good screenplay:
1) Write a bad one
2) Fix it
Logged
Private Message Reply: 14 - 22
Spqr
Posted: February 7th, 2019, 2:15pm Report to Moderator
New


Posts
478
Posts Per Day
0.08
The script opens with a 3-page dream scene that doesn't seem to connect with Janet and Jack's relationship. And there's the 2 1/2-pages spent with Lady Stuck-Up that also has no connection to the relationship. And the final page is about the street people. As far as I could tell, it was pretty much business as usual for this couple, and the relationship wasn't impacted in any meaningful way with what went on.
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 15 - 22
PKCardinal
Posted: February 8th, 2019, 2:32pm Report to Moderator
January Project Group



Location
Kansas
Posts
1626
Posts Per Day
0.59
I'm sorry, but I was so completely lost, I don't have anything to say.

Except, there's a certain, persistent zaniness to this that, if controlled, might someday lead to some very interesting work.


PaulKWrites.com

Ashes - Semi-contained psychological horror thriller/Feature
The Hand of God - Low budget, semi-contained thriller/Feature
Wait Till Next Year - Disney-style family sports comedy/Feature

Many shorts available for production: comedy, thriller, drama, light horror
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 16 - 22
AnthonyCawood
Posted: February 8th, 2019, 7:56pm Report to Moderator
January Project Group



Location
UK
Posts
4676
Posts Per Day
1.10
I like the cover, I'm a fan of mixing it up a bit here.

As previously noted, no dates in scene headers...

Okay so this is very whacky, not sure all of it is landing for me but some of it is raising a smile.

Some of it may be funny by accident but I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt.

Until about page 7 when it loses me and I lose track of what's happening.

There's an almost Marx brothers quality to the staccato way some the dialogue develops, especially in the dream sequence... but ultimately no cigar.


Anthony Cawood - Award winning screenwriter
Available Short screenplays - https://www.anthonycawood.co.uk/ShortScripts
Available Feature screenplays - https://www.anthonycawood.co.uk/FeatureFilmScripts
Screenwriting articles - https://www.anthonycawood.co.uk/Articles
IMDB Link - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6495672/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Logged Offline
Site Private Message Reply: 17 - 22
SAC
Posted: February 8th, 2019, 9:48pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients



Location
Upstate NY
Posts
3532
Posts Per Day
0.78
Writer,

Ohh-kay, so that happened. What the hell was this all about? Snookums? Wookams? Methinks not. Why? I was in a coma! Hmm. I still can’t figure this script out! Why? Valencrimes! Oh yes. Then there’s that utter nonsense. The what? Nonsense! You know, as in the characters? Yes! We’re they French? No. Does it matter. Well, one was. Who! Wookams, you turd! Oh right. Dafuckwasdisabout? Dunno. Maybe nothing? Yes! A dream! Maybe. Crypto currency is your fancy? Yes! Who’s? Snookums! Who? Yes! A gang of hoodlums down the street. Watch out. Hey! Where did Buckhoveritz go? Who? Buckhoveritz. Dunno. Maybe he’s with Jack. Oh yes... Wookams!

Steve


Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 18 - 22
jayrex
Posted: February 9th, 2019, 2:34pm Report to Moderator
Old Timer


Cut to three weeks earlier

Location
London, UK
Posts
1419
Posts Per Day
0.21
This was hard to follow.

Not a fan of upper case font in dialogue nor underlined words.  And when you read the dialogue word "EX-claMATION", it made me cringe.  I almost thought this script was a pisser.  No offence if this was a serious effort.

I suppose the wackiness could be seen as comedic.  But with a story that's hard to follow.  It makes it feel like there was no story.


Logged Offline
Site Private Message Reply: 19 - 22
khamanna
Posted: February 10th, 2019, 12:27pm Report to Moderator
January Project Group



Posts
4640
Posts Per Day
0.80
It wasn't straightforward and easy to understand for me.

The plot is too much and in my opinion, dispursed. The way you chose to begin is also random. She doesn't recognize him, yet he came to her for help or whatever.

Also, I don't see any romance in here. So, for me you didn't honor the requirement at all.
Logged Offline
Private Message Reply: 20 - 22
Conz
Posted: February 14th, 2019, 9:46am Report to Moderator
January Project Group



Posts
349
Posts Per Day
0.07
I won’t judge a script by its title page, but the style coupled with the title, writer and the “blah blah blah” makes me think you think you’re quite clever.  As someone who delusionally (which is not an actual word according to Microsoft word?) thinks he’s quite clever, I may be a little harder on this.  … but I’ll hold back until I start reading.

I think I was right.  Bucko… at least she has a normal name. Half page in I’m not sure what’s happening.

This is absurd… intentionally, but nevertheless

Feel free to hate me, but I don’t want to finish this. Not hating on the attempt or the style, I’m sure people like it, I just don’t have the patience.


I'd list my "work" here, but I don't know how to hyperlink.  

"Career" Highlights
-2, count em, 2 credits on my IMDB page.  
-One time a fairly prominent producer e-mailed me back.  
-I have made more than $1000 with my writing!
-I've won 2 mugs... and a thong.  (polaroids of me in thong available for $10 through PM)

@vc_wg - because I crave attention
Logged
Private Message Reply: 21 - 22
Sandra Elstree.
Posted: February 20th, 2019, 7:34pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients


What if the Hokey Pokey, IS what it's all about?

Location
Bowden, Alberta
Posts
3661
Posts Per Day
0.56
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review. I appreciate your time.  

A good writer shouldn't have to explain anything; so there's obviously been a lack of transmission on my part.

Here's some of what I had in mind. For those people who felt like they were in the dark, I apologize. It was not my intention.

So let's see...


This is a story about Janet, a lady who has an aversion to Valentines’ celebrations. Nevertheless, as a party shop owner she must rise to the challenge to decorate her shop.

One day, near the big event, she awakes from a disturbing dream. At first she believes she’s front and center with an important casting director, but it’s all just her subconscious wishful thinking as the dream shifts and she learns it’s some guy with an almost unpronounceable name ( ) who calls himself Bucko.

Bucko is really her longtime common law husband, but in the dream, he’s an unhappy customer who bought a defective Jailbird costume at Halloween. Ridiculous! Why’s he bringing it back now?! What’s this guy trying to pull anyways?! Making up lies he was in a coma. Well maybe he was, but that’s besides the point. He’s a big black and white striped pain in the keister as far as she’s concerned.

But then... the ominous sound of shots from outside and Men in Black are slinking about.

Bucko has apparently been involved in some kind of crypto currency scam and he’s usurped Janet’s password to do it.

There is an “almost” romantic interlude as they hide away from the Men in Black, the big time criminals, but in the haze of the craze:

Janet awakes with a snort.

It’s Status Quo now and she as usual, puts on one of her costumes for work while her common law boyfriend tries to wrap his mind around the concept of her cranky demeanour.

The problem appears to have its roots in two things: A computer virus dubbed Valencrimes which  ruins the otherwise smooth running of the business and has her doing more talking to people than she would otherwise like.

And secondly, the whole marriage conversation will inevitably crop up between her and Jack aka that Dream Pest, Bucko.

We learn that Janet has had a secret dream of being an actress, hence her love for dressing up in costumes, assuming different personas and working with the themes in the shop.

Jack comes up with a small solution to one of her problems: Do a youtube video.

In the meantime, it’s back to work: Jack has been on a Folsom Prison Blues song kick and that’s just another irritant that had made it into Janet’s dream as Jailbird Man.

After dealing with a snooty customer, Janet is finally done and she’s ready to take out her frustrations not only through the making of a youtube video, but getting a little personal satisfaction in the realm of “pay back” to a group of street people that hang out downtown and bully people for handing over money. (this part is based on a true story).

Janet and Jack dress up like them and infiltrate the horde. Janet, impersonating one of the gang, gets fifty bucks from one of them to “apparently” go get them fried chicken. And, just to be nice, she gives him some Valentines’ chocolate, in the form of Ex Lax.

In Janet’s final transformation, she peels off the homeless garb, revealing her new improved Valentines self, wearing a sexy red dress and a satisfied smile.

I imagine that Janet and Jack might finally tie the knot, but I never indicated that.

There’s something strangely satisfying about karma though... When Mr. and Mrs. Stuck Up get swarmed by the hoard. And Wookims dolls out some of his cash, it's good. But I do feel sorry for Wookims because he has to be married to the snoot.

So there's the attempt.  

Thanks again!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bfPwtUTP4k



A known mistake is better than an unknown truth.
Logged Offline
Site Private Message Reply: 22 - 22
 Pages: 1, 2 : All
Recommend Print

Locked Board Board Index    January 2019 -  One Week Challenge  [ previous | next ] Switch to:
Was Portal Recent Posts Home Help Calendar Search Register Login

Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post polls
You may not post attachments
HTML is on
Blah Code is on
Smilies are on
Powered by E-Blah Platinum 9.71B © 2001-2006