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Well, although I actually like this better than the first pack of posts, there are many issues here as well...most likely the old talking heads going on and on far too long.
Just too much dialogue up front with nothing going on around the characters.
Other issues are some typos and missing words that really detract from the read. Just really doesn't work for me in a reality like way, either, and this is obviously trying to be realistic...at least I think it is. I don't buy the premise, the logistics, or the finale.
Biggest issue though is that there is literally nothing about vegans and carnivores discussing their ways.
This had the potential for being really good, but, I dunno, it sort of went another way. The writing was ok, I didn't really have a prob with it.
It just seemd the guys went downhill too fast. Maybe if we know they are stranded for much longer and are that more desperate. Need a decent re-write to give it more substance.
i'll say this now though - this is possibly the toughest OWC since I've been onboard. Not everyone can write drama(meself included) so the results are always going too be a bit muddled between drama and comedy, or drama and thriller, etc.
I really wanted to like the whole story. Based on the logline I actually thought this was going to be a story on cannibalism a-la Donner Party. Then when it turned out the unthinkable would be eating their dog I was even more intrigued. Really tough story there and even though the dialogue I think went long as they were arguing, I liked what I read. It was emotionally-charged and intense.
Unfortunately, the script went a few pages after that and it just went downhill for me from there. Suicide, I think, was a cop-out. I mean, you put these guys in a really difficult position and it ends with both of them dying. Honestly, it was a real let-down ending.
That said, the writing is crisp and I really did like the initial conflict with the dog. The second half I would have liked to see something else.
But I'll remember this. A real horrific conflict just to think about and a good take on the theme. Nice work.
On the emotional level it's pretty good. I really liked the ending and think you built up to it just beautifully. I liked that though being a vegetarian you kept middle of the road and didn't get preachy.
I'd get rid of large chunks of dialogue at the beginning. wondering if you could cut some of it (dialog)...
Definitely drama. A couple of suggestions. When Calvin tackles Vaughn the knife sticks into Vaughn's stomach. Also you could've taken it a step further and show a rescue helicopter just as Calvin takes his last breath.
This story had real potential that wasn't realized, IMO. Being stranded in the wilderness could have made for some compelling drama, but a lot of this just came off as campy for me.
The dialogue really bogged down the story toward the beginning. The two characters just told the story, instead of it unfolding for the reader. A lot of it was also really on the nose:
"It’s okay to pass on filet mignon when you go out to some shitty chain restaurant. You don’t have to scarf down a cheese steak everyday or get pepperoni on your pizza just to see the next morning."
When Vaughn pulled the dog skull out of his bag, I have to admit I chuckled. I know I wasn't supposed to, but maybe that's just me. The ending was real strange. Slicing yourself apart and feeding yourself to the wolves? Just didn't buy it.
Part of me thinks this was a serious entry, part of me thinks you are taking the piss. The ending was gratuitously written, but clearly had a visual in mind. We never really contextualise why the boys are in such a situation, so it creates an unbelievable scenario - they're about to eat their dog, but we have no idea why, nor a reason to care. The situation seems a little too sensationalist and contrived - as if you wanted a shock value, rather than a story. Clearly the boys were conflicted by the decision to eat their pet, so when one of them blurts it out, it feels completely unnecessary and would be much more effective as subtext. The line itself was comedic, which makes me think (along with the gratuitous closing) that somebody may be taking the piss or just confused as to their intentions.
I thought this was okay, I liked it for the most part except for the ending. I didn't feel that their situation was desperate enough yet to resort to those extremes and it seems suicide is kind of a cop-out ending that you see in so many scripts these days. Nine times out of ten it doesn't work I'm afraid, and this was not the exception to the rule. Good effort though.
While there was no vegan vs. carnivore in the story, I've actually had similar discussions (aka: arguments) with my wife. At what point will a meat-eater say that eating meat is wrong?
Unfortunately, I thought the characters weren't developed enough to keep the story interesting. They sounded pretty much alike, which took away from the story.
How does a guy bleed out from a wrist wound caused by an accidentally thrown knife at close range? I didn't feel that either character had reached the point of desperation to eat their dig. Too much talking for two guys about to cash in. A major disconnect was that one of the brothers was a vet. That's just creepy.
I think this was a difficult premise to fit into fifteen pages without having to have the characters explain everything. How'd they get here, how long have they been here, etc. It just always ends up sub par when the story doesn't unfold naturally. So yeah. Some very on the nose stuff here. Seems like a premise better suited for a feature.
The ending(s) peter out a little too quickly. I think it's important to know what happened between eating the dog and Calvin dying and between Calvin dying and Vaughn dying. I don't mean the characters explaining it either. It needs to be shown. As of now, you really don't get their descent into desperation. It all feels kinda luke warm at this point. Once again. Better for a feature.
Calvin's death seemed to come a little too quickly. Vaughn's, I didn't take issue with as much. It seemed to make a strange sort of logic, at least to me. Along the lines of him giving his body to the animals for taking the body of another. If not, I'm pretty sure he was gone (psychologically) at this point anyway. I wouldn't imagine his actions are coming from sound mind.
Anyway, kind of an under-realized and over-ambitious entry. But not entirely bad.
At the start of this I thought it wasn't going to go anywhere and just have a lot of banter about the right/wrong of the situation, but as I continued on, I started to feel it was decent writing.
I guess my questions would be
What are they doing lost in the woods without a cell phone? Without a gun?
How did they get lost?
I'm kind of wondering why no one is able to get to them sooner. This one has me thinking that you could do some interesting things with this one if you care to.
You would need to provide some logic to the following, but:
How about if the boys were younger and they got lost because the dog ran off and they chased it?
And then why wouldn't anyone come looking for them?
Because they lied to their parents initially and their parents think that they're staying with relatives or whatever you can imagine the scenario to be.
And then of course, if they are forced to eat the dog, the catalyst for their whole predicament, it would be one of those ironic situations where it's as if fate is mocking.
I think that the plausibility for two boys lying in order to kind of be working on a dare and wanting to "be men" is actually a very strong and interesting premise if you go with my brilliant suggestion.
Seriously though, the idea of what makes a man could be incorporated into this. Why being manly isn't the ability survive on one's own, but being able to survive out of the spirit of collective help. The "no man is an island" idea.
Yes, I definitely think you could work with this. I think you did well for an OWC.