Just completed the voting.

Is it normal to do the pass/consider thing for an OWC? Just asking as the last one didn't have this, as far as I remember.

I like the idea, I just wish I knew about it when I started reading and taking notes.

In terms of guessing who wrote what, I don't really know people here but I may throw a couple of names around if this starts.

Quoted from Reef Dreamer Just completed the voting. Is it normal to do the pass/consider thing for an OWC? Just asking as the last one didn't have this, as far as I remember.

This is the first time I've seen the pass-consider-recommend thing used.

I have 5 more to read. Of the ones read, 1 Recommend and 8 Considers.

Maybe because Screenplay Readers use that? Might be business standard for readers.

You only have 1 recommend Kevin?  I have several, but I don't think I'm allowed to vote since I didn't enter.  

Whoa, just opened up the voting link. Never saw that before. Dammit, I had my three faves. Now I gotta go back through my comments to see what I thought about the others. Curse you Don!

It is pretty cool if every script gets a score card or something like it at the end. Maybe this would work better if sent out at the opening of the OWC. We could keep it minimized on our PCs and rate the scripts as we go. Just a thought. See how it works this go around.

James

Open Casket got my recommend. In theory, some others could be made into a better film, but they need enough reworking that 'consider with revisions' seems more appropriate. Open Casket's ready to go. I have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I have a guess, based on writing style, but I'm not even gonna go there. I'll wait.

There were others that were very well written and had some strong points, but also really didn't make sense. I noticed a lot of people liked Forever Thine. It was nice, but wasn't really a sensible story. Tricking a ghost into scaring the wife to death like that was already a little too weird, but even accepting that scenario, she was dying already, so didn't really make sense.

Jeff really liked the one with the multicolered spirits, and there was good stuff there,  but again, too much doesn't make sense about the priest's actions or dialogue. And the story seems confused itself. It's implied the girl did something with the priest they should feel guilty about, but then never explained and she is presented as a complete innocent.

No one seemed to like Morley House, but I think that one was very well done. I'm not too comfortable with a gun wielding ghost, so that should be changed.

A bunch others, like Asylum and Eternal Suffering had really strong aspects that can be fixed in the next draft. I think Asylum has already achieved that, but the voting is on the present version.

There were a lot of scripts that I gave a pass, but that had their strong points. These ones either needed a lot of work, or the premise just doesn't work.

That's my amateur analysis! Sorry, no charts like Ray, but there's only one Ray, everyone knows that!

1 Recommend and 9 considers from me. I only got a little more than halfway through these. Surprised I only got 1 PM for a read from people whose scripts I haven't hit yet. Makes me think alot of people aren't reading out there. Almost got as many reads from people who didn't even participate.

My one recommend was The Open Casket as well. It's the only script I read that I had zero problems with. The recommends I think need at least one rewrite.

Won't be surprised if the Casket runs away with this one.

James

I'm making a guess: Balt wrote Open Casket.

Some others on my consider list: Open House, Allured, Veil, and Lonely Tenant. Plus, I have 5 more to read, and at least one of those received excellent reviews.

Since I didn't submit a script (or did I?  Hmmm...), I can't vote.  If I could, I would have 1 recommend, and maybe 3 or 4 considers with major rewrites.

I don't want to be mean or come off as an ass, but IMO, the VAST majority were not well written, thought out, set up, etc.  I totally understadn 1 wek isn't alot of time, life gets in the way, and this was a challenging challenge...

BUT

...there's just no reason why so many scripts were submitted without even a single edit.  Misspellings and typos shouldn't exceed 5 for a 10 page script.  No excuse for it.  Grammar is another issue in and of itself.  Technical stuff is also a whole different ball game.

Anyways, I do send my apologies if my words offended or upset anyone, as that is never my aim.  I see mistakes, I point them out...or in some cases, I just stop reading if it's so obvious and flagrant.

Kudos to all who entered.  And a special cal out to all who didn't, but read a bunch of scripts.  Very cool!

Several months back I started a thread the purpose of which was to explore what makes a good short. In that I suggested that for me an effective short is able to leave one lasting impression, whether that be an image, an idea or an emotion. It was just one way of looking at it.

A curious thing with trying to evaluate these shorts with a sheet that was given a few days after we started was that sometimes I couldn't remember anything about a story, even some of the good ones. So I'm going to go back now and take a quick look.

Dance: scorpion in omelette; dance in basement
asylum: playing cards with ghosts
Sanctuary: empty house of dead people
Payer: a girl who is denied dreams
Morley: rich white girl bangs slaves
Revenant: grove where ghosts wait for loved ones
Eternal suffering: let's do the time warp again
Lonely Tenant: a ghost that plans ahead; a huge apartment with one tenant
Angels: rainbow spirits, American parachutes at the end

I can't say why I remembered these. In some cases it might be because I read the story more recently. In some cases, I don't even approve, like the scorpion. And looking the list, there are some stories that I remember liking, but couldn't now tell you much about them. My favorite was Open Casket, but I don't recall an open casket. Was there one?

I have Allured checked as a 'consider', but I can't remember the story. I just know I must have liked it.

My top three (leaving mine out it) are as follows....

* Forever Thine (Kevin brought up some legitimate logical issues with the script, but they're such an easy fix - and I love the story in all other aspects...)
* Open Casket
* Veil of Blood

Can honestly say I have *no* idea who wrote these scripts.   Curious to find out (especially since Pia sat out this one, and I would've figured one of these to be hers...)

Enjoyed whimsical aspects of Allured and Dance as well, though certain things in the stories led me to view them as considers, as opposed to recommends...  

Yet others had aspects I liked, even though the full script didn't work for me.  Examples of those include Falling Angels, the 'rewind' script, and the one with the abused lesbian daughter...

There are a few that I absolutely didn't like for stylistic reasons - but those of course will remain unnamed!  

I had Veil on my list of considers, so it got a thumbs up from me. But funny thing, despite reading it twice, I can't remember one thing about it. Some scripts leave an impression, some don't. Some scripts leave a bad impression too, so not always good that  remember!

Thine I remember, but mostly because I wasn't buying what that script was selling. Tricking a ghost to scare your wife to death...no, I can't take that serious. But the writing was good, I think I remember that. And that could be turned into a very funny little skit. Picture Steve Carell as a bumbling guy with a dominant wife who terrifies him, and he makes a deal with a ghost to scare her to death. That could really work!

I have been very strict with how I've judged and I've only given three recommends as per the old schedule. I passed on many because I didn't think they even attempted at "gothic" no matter how you want to interpret it. Hey, if someone made "french fries" into gothic and I could see it through context, they would have had me; so if you want my vote in an OWC from now on then at least try and do the theme.

Nevertheless, even after saying that, there was one script that I could argue on that point even in my own head, but it was so well written that I had to vote for it. Once the names are released, I'll get in touch with the author and I'll do the accolades thing-- probably on that waking up thread. See if they notice.  

I have seven considers. That's all I'm going to say for now because I don't want to sway anyone's vote.

Really nice job everyone. Even on the ones I had to pass on. Maybe even especially on the ones I had to pass on.

Sandra

Quoted from greg I'm making a guess: Balt wrote Open Casket.

I think Balt said he didn't enter at one point. Could be wrong. Was too busy drinking and trying to make a dent in his massive biceps at that point.

I'll guess DARRENJAMES... Not the SEELEY one. He came back not once, but twice to make points about that one. Just a guess... Wouldn't put it past Eoin either.

Then again, what did you write, Greg? .

James