GENRE:  drama
THEME:  a secret revealed at a family picnic



Phil

Submit your script to the one week challenge/excercise/thing...

You must write a script (properly formatted) 12 pages or less (courier 12 point font).

This month's theme and genre:

Genre: Drama
Theme: A secret revealed at a family picnic

The scripts must be received by Friday, April 10 at 11:59 pm e.d.t.. Please do not put your real name on your script, however, please use your real name and real e-mail address on the submission form below. (After the exercise closes you can either have your script removed or resubmit the script with your name on it). Please put "(c) Copyright 2009" on your script.

No gambling!

No running with scissors.

This is completely Free to enter

This is only an exercise. There is no prize for winning (after all, we all win if we have fun). There will not be an official judging for the best script (after all, we all win if we have fun). All submitted scripts will be posted anonymously for a few weeks before the writers are revealed.

One script may be selected to be audio performed by iScript.com.  The selection process is totally biased and completely unfair.

Click Here to submit your OWC script

I can't wait to see how many people write about a cheating wife/husband. Last resort guys, last resort

--Julio

Cheating wife/husband?  C'mon, that's pedestrian. Look into the really dark cobweb filled corners of the human psyche.  

A secret revealed at a Kidman family picnic...that could be a goer.

I have my last line already!

MOTHER: "Hmm? Oh, the milk? I made it myself."

ALL look down at their empty glasses, then up at Mother.

I'll pay that one jonny

Every secret i can muster i end up writing in a comedy way.

Think drama Bryan. Think Drama!

This is going to be rough.

Just a quick question - does the secret have to be revealed to the characters? Or, can it be withheld, and revealed only to the audience?

It can go either way.


Phil

I don't mind revealing (since there tend to be quite a few submissions to this) that I actually submitted one this time. Oh. Ah. I had fun writing it. What can I say? To me, that doesn't take any of the fun out of it. It only tells you that one of them out there happens to be mine. It also means I'll read most (if not all) of the submissions. I hope everyone else who submits will do the same.

I'm not sure I'll have the time to enter this time, but I'll still try to read them.  

Quoted from Grandma Bear I'm not sure I'll have the time to enter this time, but I'll still try to read them.

With about 50 hours left, you're not sure if you'l have the time to enter?

Should the next OWC be more difficult?  With a greater page limit?  Who, here, wants it longer and harder?


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Who, here, wants it longer and harder?

Probably everyone...

I'm skyping you tonight, Blondie....


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe With about 50 hours left, you're not sure if you'l have the time to enter? Should the next OWC be more difficult?  With a greater page limit?  Who, here, wants it longer and harder? Phil

I don't think it's about length or difficulty. The problem may be in the similar nature between this and another OWC.

My opinion, open up the page limit to whatever the person feels like writing. Some people enter to have fun and others for the challenge but if you make it difficult you'll discourage the fun participation and whether that matters to you or not they will be the ones to keep this afloat in the long run.

I'm hoping to get something together for this, even though I am not thrilled with the subject matter.

Question...I thought I saw somewhere earlier that the page length was up to 15, now it seems it's at 12.  Which is correct?

I think things are cool the way they are.  1 week is good for 12-15 pages of an unknown subject.  I wouldn't think about making it harder, as I feel it's tough enough to write about something you have no interest in, in a 1 week time frame.

It is fun, challenging, and great practice.

I'll read them all whether or not I actually write one.  It's also fun to try and figure out who wrote what.

Cool stuff, I say!

Quoted from theMADhatter I like the idea of a feature in a month. I may not participate, but it's a good idea. If people complain, maybe you could do a month-long feature and week-long short side-by-side. Maybe even have the same theme/genre. It would show an interesting comparison.

I know I'm a newbie, but I have to agree. I enjoyed this writing exercise as a needed break from my regular writing. For those of us transitioning into doing this as a full-time gig, little exercises like this are relaxing and fun.

Quoted from dogglebe I hope you have cheese to go with all that wine. The next OWC would be in July, when school is out.  Of course, Pia suggested that the OMC and the OWC be two different things.  How does everyone feel about this?

No, I'm a working stiff and have to choose between the wine and the cheese. The wine makes me forget that I don't have cheese.

And naturally, I'm good with having them simultaneously or back to back.

Quoted from michel BEEEEP! Sorry. It's not. (i.e. a lot of writers turned this one down just because of the word drama) Shorts require more care than features. In feature you may take your time to expose an idea, to develop it.

They're just different animals. It's not that you can take your time to expose an idea in a feature, it's that a feature allows you to do more with a bigger idea. The OWC we had with partners had me and my partner with an idea far, far too big to fit in 15 pages. We could have gotten into it quickly and made it move through its pages, but with the short restriction, it wasn't allowed to properly develop.

That's how most of my ideas tend to go, hence I do better with features because I enjoy the unfolding of the storyline more than getting right to the point and possibly missing out of what could have been.

And don't let the word "drama" scare you. That's the most general term that exists in the realm of storytelling. EVERY story should have drama from the fantasy to the romance to the horror. If it doesn't have drama, it isn't a story. Maybe that'll help.

You're correct, George.  Drama is very basic.  All genres have drama in them.  Just check out the insane filing system used at Blockbuster...their drama section contains blatant horror, scifi, action, romance, etc.  I've asked several employees to help me with their logic, and the answer's always the same...it's the way we're told to do it.

Interesting...

I am sure we have had this conversation before. A comedy is a funny drama, a horror is a scary drama, a Michael Bay film is a shit drama etc...

Drama is short for dramatic, it effectively means that it is a staged production. Every genre is a really a sub-genre of drama. But when we talk about drama as a genre we really mean something that is played straight, that uses character, conflict and plot to tell a story in a realistic manner. Dramas can be funny but they are usually funny in a real life kind of way.


Now Darma on the otherhand is a secret organization that has a colony of people living on a moving island, we are not quite sure yet why but I am sure we will find out soon enough.

Quoted from George Willson EVERY story should have drama from the fantasy to the romance to the horror. If it doesn't have drama, it isn't a story. Maybe that'll help.

So, if I follow your reasoning, I can write a comedy about secret revealed to a family?

Screw page counts and screw running time... so long as you think creatively you can pretty much work with whatever requisites that you're given.
However, a well-drawn blue print is essential to any structure.

On another note...
I agree with electricsatori.  I enjoyed partaking in this challenge as well; it was refreshing, and it allowed me to step away (mentally) from another project.  I find that stepping away from your work and allowing your subconscious mind to freely take a stab at it can really help.  ...for me anyway.  Hence, I feel that a One Week Challenge would be more beneficial than a One Month Challenge.  ...again, for me anyway.  It's kind of like when the boss brings in donuts to work! (...feel free to conclude the simile as you see fit!)

...oh yeah, I'm C.J.  

Michel, your drama can be funny, but like Giles said, it should be played straight, thus it could be a funny drama, or a drama with humor.

Okay people, you have about 48 hours left.  Just so you know.


Phil

I scratched my original idea. Way too dark and disturbing for you nice people here. I will try to think up something else though.  

This will be my first entry, and I have gone pretty dark...

I could have written a feature-length script in the time it took me to read all this. . . .

Anyway, the muse struck and I submitted my OWC script.  In for a penny, in for a pound!

Quoted from steven8 I could have written a feature-length script in the time it took me to read all this. . . . Anyway, the muse struck and I submitted my OWC script.  In for a penny, in for a pound!

Yeah but it would have stunk!  NOBODY can write a good feature in the time it took to read that thread.

I dunno. This thread is not only a pain in the butt to read, but it's way too long for its own good. Kind of like Lawrence of Arabia. Okay, the horses run. We got it. Yeah, pretty vistas. We got it. Yeah, look at the horses run again. And run. And run. And run. And are we done yet? Look, another vista. Nothing's happening...

You started it! So you can clean up your mess, otherwise you can't have any pudding.

Quoted from Murphy You started it! So you can clean up your mess, otherwise you can't have any pudding.

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!?

I swear, I've been haunted by lines from the wall ever since Reading Cornetto's Baby Blue.

Please check out my script. It's called "??????????" based on the OWC... I started it 12:00AM and just ended at 9:13AM. It's now 9:27AM.
It's 11 pages, written with Final Draft so even though I'm a "newbie" here, the format is good.

Let me know what you think guys!

Que?

whaddya mean que? What I wrote above you. Do you think it's published yet?

Quoted from JamminGirl whaddya mean que? What I wrote above you. Do you think it's published yet?

No, it's not published yet.  

Did you submit it as a script for the OWC?  If so, it won't be up until the weekend, most likely.  If not, it will probably be longer since the regular uploads take a back seat.

Jammin Girl, if you notate in the submission that it's for the OWC, then it'll get posted with everything else, and will definitely be read, since most people who submit these shorts also read the vast majority of them. It's a pretty easy way for someone new to get a lot of reads. And if you read and comment on them as well, then you'll not only be known once the exercise is over, but we will have seen what you can do. It's a win-win.

Incidentally, if you didn't note it in the submission, you can shoot webmaster@simplyscripts.com an email on it, and Don will get it in with the rest of them.

Quoted from Shelton No, it's not published yet.   Did you submit it as a script for the OWC?  If so, it won't be up until the weekend, most likely.  If not, it will probably be longer since the regular uploads take a back seat.

I used the OWC form to submit it. Didn't know I should've mentioned it specially... I went to bed since I spent all morning writing the script so I could've met the deadline.

Thanks George, I'll do that.

Quoted from JamminGirl I used the OWC form to submit it. Didn't know I should've mentioned it specially... I went to bed since I spent all morning writing the script so I could've met the deadline.

If you used the OWC form, everything is fine.  Script should be up over the weekend.

ok, so emailing the webmaster will prove redundant then...

....Isn't this anonymous?

Yeah, but apparently she's new. Let's give her a chance...

My Soulshadows script is finished so I'll put on my thinking cap right now.

Quoted from BryMo ....Isn't this anonymous?

Yes, it is anonymous, but some folks don't want to play the anonymous game, which is ok.  Also, some folks say they will enter, but don't and other say they can't enter, but do.  That is all part of the mind game that is The One Week Challenge^sm

Quoted from JamminGirl ok, so emailing the webmaster will prove redundant then..

Correct.  While I won't confirm or deny who has entered, which is part of the fun of The One Week Challenge^sm, let me just say JamminGirl that you have nothing to worry about.

Don

Approx 24 hours left to sort my dialogue - I'll probably need much more!

I am a geek, but, this is exciting

Finally getting started with the actual writing.  My planning stage takes longer than Mike's entire feature script writing!  Damn, I wish my brain was bigger...and less alcohol drenched.

Never fear though. I will deliver on the drama theme.  I'm going to try my best to keep the body count down to a minimum.

Hope we get as many entries as it appears we'll have.

PS  Do dramas need dialogue?  I was thinking of going with nothing but sound effects and grunts.  Will that work?

Dialogue is not necessary.

I still haven't thought of anything. All my ideas so far are way too dark and unpleasant.

be yourself Pia

Dialogue is needed with my descriptions!

I'm just a Mahmet wannabe

In all seriousness - this is really enjoyable.

Pia, please go with the dark and unpleasant idea.  The darker, the better...the more unpleasant, the better.

Sounds like we already have some dark stuff here.  Mine will be pitch black dark...with only grunts, and loud irritating noises.  I'm going to go for the majority of my script to be set against a completely black screen.  The grunts will be the heavy drama part.  I sure hope it works...

Quoted from michel be yourself Pia

I was...  

Okay Jeff, but if anyone complains I'm gonna blame you!!

Get your Prozacs ready people!  

I accept complete blame.

What do you think of my idea so far?  I think it's going to be visually quite stunning with the blank screen.  The grunts and other noises should be quite uplifitng as well.

I may even try to film this myself because baed on what it is, I think I can do it.  I worked up a storyboard earlier and it looks pretty cool so far...it's all just jet black, but I may try to throw a few characters in at the end.

Thanks Don. BryMo, my apologies.

Quoted from Andrew Approx 24 hours left to sort my dialogue - I'll probably need much more! I am a geek, but, this is exciting

Geez, I don't know why I thought today was the 10th. I could've gone to bed.

I came up with my concept last night, while I lay in bed staring at the darkness.  I live next to a zoo, so the various animal's grunting that I heard inspired me to go with something quite different.

Hope you guys enjoy it!  I'm very proud of it so far...just wish I had an extra 20 or 30 pages to carry it out to its full, intended legth.  I think you'll get the jist of it very early on though.

Quoted from Dreamscale I came up with my concept last night, while I lay in bed staring at the darkness.  I live next to a zoo, so the various animal's grunting that I heard inspired me to go with something quite different. Hope you guys enjoy it!  I'm very proud of it so far...just wish I had an extra 20 or 30 pages to carry it out to its full, intended legth.  I think you'll get the jist of it very early on though.

Yeah, we get it.

I just started mine. If I finish it - it should be interesting enough. Wish me luck.

Good luck, Michael!  I have no doubt you'll get it done, and I bet ya it's gonna rock.

Just started mine too. See what happens!

Is it to late to write the elevator comedy?

I've seriously got nothing.

C'mon Higgonaitor, you have got 24 hours. I am sure you can come up with something.

Tyler, I think you should go ahead with the elevator comedy to throw people off.


Sean

I'll try to write mine tomorrow.

It's not pretty...  

Quoted from Zombie Sean Tyler, I think you should go ahead with the elevator comedy to throw people off

So Tyler is going to write the one about throwing funny people off a moving elevator. Charming.

Hig, if you're having trouble with this 12 page short in a week, I'm concerned you're going to seriously struggle with that full length feature in a month!

Maybe Mike should just write 5 featues in the month and we'll judge them all against each other?

Oh! Is this supposed to be a 12 page short.  I thought it was supposed to be the feature.  Darn! I'm halfway through the feature, guess I'll just have to start over.  

Quoted from Dreamscale Maybe Mike should just write 5 featues in the month and we'll judge them all against each other?

Or maybe you could not bother actually writing anything at all and just spend all your time telling people what shit writers they are.

Oh, I forgot, that is what you do.

Quoted from Dreamscale Maybe Mike should just write 5 featues in the month and we'll judge them all against each other?

To paraphrase Bea Arthur, "Thank you for being a fan."

Quoted from Murphy Or maybe you could not bother actually writing anything at all and just spend all your time telling people what shit writers they are. Oh, I forgot, that is what you do.

Can we all just get along? Please.

Quoted from mcornetto So Tyler is going to write the one about throwing funny people off a moving elevator. Charming.

I find it is SO hard throwing people off a moving elevator.  They just keep bouncing of the inside of the doors.  

Quoted from steven8 I find it is SO hard throwing people off a moving elevator.  They just keep bouncing of the inside of the doors.

You hafta think outside of the box.  


I'm sorry, I'm getting off topic here. I'm not afraid to admit that I submitted a script. I think mine will be easy to pick out (the worst one), but whoooooo knowwwwws.


Sean

Quoted from Dreamscale Hig, if you're having trouble with this 12 page short in a week, I'm concerned you're going to seriously struggle with that full length feature in a month!

Worry about yourself, please.

Once I get an idea, I'll be golden.

Quoted from mcornetto Can we all just get along? Please.

Group hug????

Can I pick who I give an extra big one too?  

Quoted from Higgonaitor Worry about yourself, please. Once I get an idea, I'll be golden.

IF you get an idea!! Don't count your chickens...

Quoted from Grandma Bear Group hug???? Can I pick who I give an extra big one too?

It will need to be me then Pia, my extra inches demand a larger hug.

Quoted from Murphy It will need to be me then Pia, my extra inches demand a larger hug.

I like extra inches!

Quoted from Murphy It will need to be me then Pia, my extra inches demand a larger hug.

We all know about your waist size.  I'm sure Pia will take that into account.

Giles, I thought you and me were gonna be cool to each other?  What happened, bud?

Who did I call a shit writer?

I guess my feeble attempts at comedy go over like fucking lead balloons in here, huh?

Hig, obviously, I was messin' around with ya. Lighten up, people.  C'mon now!

Quoted from Grandma Bear I like extra inches!

I would guess that not when they are on my man boobs however.

I'm worried that if Pia hugged me I'd see my own death.  My own sick, twisted, death involving rape.

Looking forward to your entry, Pia!

Quoted from Dreamscale Giles, I thought you and me were gonna be cool to each other?  What happened, bud? Who did I call a shit writer? I guess my feeble attempts at comedy go over like fucking lead balloons in here, huh? Hig, obviously, I was messin' around with ya. Lighten up, people.  C'mon now!

That's cool Jeff, no harm intended. You like dishing it out, you gotta be able to take it too.

What I think is everyone has to use more smilies.  We have a bunch in stock.

>

Not a problem, Giles, but I don't think I was dissin' anyone...especially not you.

Just trying to keep things interesting...and fun.

I don't want to get into a riff with you or anyone else...except...maybe...nah...no one!

Nothing to do with the OWC but neither do most of the other posts

If I were going to submit something, it would have been submitted tonight.

Isn't this the second time this thread has spiralled out of control? People...

I'm currently trying to cross the line from those-that-haven't-written-a-feature to those-that-have, so I'm afraid I don't have time to compete this time round. Which is a shame, because I was looking forward to it. I'm currently on about the page 30 mark, and I've been going for a week...want to finish it within a month, and prove Jeff wrong by producing something above C- standard!

I will read all of the entries, though. Looking forward to them - especially Pia's...

Can we start a Pete Rose list?

12 pages?!

Ah crap, I just went back to the beginning of the thread and noticed the 12 pages thing. I thought we had 15 pages. The page count keeps dropping. Well, I don't really feel like cutting it down now, so sorry about the extra pages.

Jesus George!  Has this thread really been that hard to follow?  

Right when I catch up, everything I read is gone...

Quoted from theMADhatter Right when I catch up, everything I read is gone...

Only because it was all irrelevant to the OWC.

Just under 14 hours to get your submissions in.

Quoted from seamus19382 Jesus George!  Has this thread really been that hard to follow?

No, it's just that I saw the theme and genre and didn't pay attention to the details. It's always been 15 pages. Didn't realize it had been reduced by 3. Oh well. I'm sure I won't be too overly crucified.