Why do I get the feeling that this is all related to people taking my very first post in this thread as serious?

The point of a review is to help the writer or at least it should be. You can write a negative review and still be helpful to the author.

People saying scripts are shit and embarrassing should be banned. I have no hard feelings toward the ones saying it but at the same time they are lucky I cannot ban people.

This site is full of amateur writers who come here for help. Honesty (Jammingirl) is the best way to help them as long as you "try" to help. I read a couple of your reviews and think you get the point of help even when you dislike something.

I know people are never going to fix up the OWC entries but the least you can do on something so short is give it a shot. If someone read a feature you wrote and just said "Liked it" you would not be happy.

Mike, your first post read as a joke. It does bring up a good point around the joking.

JamminGirl,

This thread was not aimed at you. I see nothing wrong with what you have said anywhere. It is more about people who seem to think telling someone their script is stupid, boring and shit without giving any reasons why is a constructive and positive thing. That is not you as far as I am aware.

Why do some people associate harsh reviews with honesty and tactful reviews with dishonesty? That doesn’t make any sense and it isn’t true. A review can be harsh and dishonest or a review can tactfully and professionally rip a script to shreds. Honesty or dishonesty in a review has nothing to do with how harsh it is.

Just because a reviewer is harsh doesn’t mean they’re honest.


Breanne

Quoted from Breanne Mattson Why do some people associate harsh reviews with honesty and tactful reviews with dishonesty? That doesn’t make any sense and it isn’t true. A review can be harsh and dishonest or a review can tactfully and professionally rip a script to shreds. Honesty or dishonesty in a review has nothing to do with how harsh it is. Just because a reviewer is harsh doesn’t mean they’re honest. Breanne

Exactly, you're going to get bad reviews because some people are new to giving reviews and others just aren't very good at it. I'd hope that the fact that all scripts are submitted as anonymous would lead to more honest reviews since nobody has a grudge or sycophantic need to lie about their reaction to the script. Just don't take it personally, it's only a one week writing excercise.

I wouldn't take the reviews given personally. You have to remember that playing into reviews for some people is their personal perception of the story you're telling. Not every story is for everyone. I've seen this full on on one of my scripts (not an OWC). I had gotten a very, VERY wide range of reviews based on how people view the matieral and the situations of the characters.

It was a drama as well and the opinions ranged from perfection to garbage. Why the range? Well, people who just read through the story liked it because it did have some drama to it, and the characters were decent. People who were more analytical noticed some odd behaviors from the characters in a variety of situations and felt that they tended to be a little too "blind" to what went on, and in some cases only performed for the sake of the plot. Finally, those who had been close to similar situations in their own lives hated it because I failed to represent how such things would really happen.

What does that mean? Reviews are subjective. Even on this OWC, I've gotten ranged from a great to a decent story to garbage. Yeah, Dreamscale garbaged both scripts, but we just take him as a more reasonable version of a guy named Balt who talked about porking chickens in the butt. I'm hoping he wouldn't mind giving me some more details as to why once the anonymous time is over and I can ask directly since he didn't say why he hated it.

Like I said, though, ranges of opinions are common and don't take them personally. It's natural to feel frustrated, but it's all part of the gig. If I took every bad review personally, I'd've quit a long time ago. You just have to take it an get better over it.

I'm tempted to comment on my weird (really weird) OWC comments, but as I haven't read any of the entries yet, it wouldn't be right. I'd also just give mine away, so I'll wait...

Quoted from George Willson a guy named Balt who talked about porking chickens in the butt.

I remember him. At least, Balt had a certain sense of humor.

Balt was honest beyond honest. If you got a compliment from him, it really meant something. I see Dreamscale the same way. He tends to be very critical of what he reads, but if you strike his fancy, he defends you to the death. It's like the ultimate challenge: "I got Dreamscale to like it."

Quoted from George Willson Balt was honest beyond honest. If you got a compliment from him, it really meant something. I see Dreamscale the same way. He tends to be very critical of what he reads, but if you strike his fancy, he defends you to the death. It's like the ultimate challenge: "I got Dreamscale to like it."

Really?  Is that your barometer for success?

Quoted from George Willson Balt was honest beyond honest. If you got a compliment from him, it really meant something. I see Dreamscale the same way. He tends to be very critical of what he reads, but if you strike his fancy, he defends you to the death. It's like the ultimate challenge: "I got Dreamscale to like it."

So he's like the Simon Cowell of SimplyScripts?

Quoted from Shelton Really?  Is that your barometer for success?

No, that's not my barometer of success. Geez, let's try something where there's hope of success at least. Like finishing something. It's a challenge, just like any other.

Quoted from Sham So he's like the Simon Cowell of SimplyScripts?

Sure feels that way sometimes. And like Cowell, when he likes something, you tend to take notice.

Of course, he has a weak spot for horror, so he allows a lot for that genre...

AAAAAAAAH! All this arguing on the review threads is really annoying!

We're members of a screenwriting forum, for Chrissakes! The world economy is crumbling, the planet itself is overcrowded and overheating! And worst of all, Newcastle are going to get relegated.

Life's too short for all this bickering.

Okay, and it's out of my system. It's my mission to read and score every entry - no idea why I'm putting myself through that. Perhaps it's to distract myself briefly from my feature, which I'm starting to worry is very, very boring. Onto the next OWC script!

Good lord!  Is anyone going to stop this back and forth commenting.  Some are calling people "bullies" and yet being a bully themselves.

Dreamscale has always been a stimulator for comments on this site...some people don't get him and even might have a true disliking for him...but I'm going to have to stand in the gap here.  He has been my writing partner on a couple of projects we have done here  on SS (we both live in the same town and time zone).  There have been times he has shared things that I didn't care to hear, but it has challenged me.

I think Dreamscale is a lot like Simon Cowell on American Idol.  People love and hate him at the same time. He is often the object of booing,snearing or redicule...but without him the show wouldn't be what it is...and to be honest...he's often quite right.  

I think there is some serious personality conflicts going on here that is resulting in childish behavior and it's not all coming from him...

I think Dreamscale should share his thoughts with the writer once they are revealed...IF the writer wants to grow or know what he is basing his comments on.


Now my review....

I like your way of scoring Jon. Good stuff, my friend, good stuff...

(everyone thinks it's all good, happy, positive.... until... : )

You still need a haircut though!

BOOM!

I definitely feel like the back and forth nonsense needs to cease. Seriously, I clicked on Edmund to see what the fuss was about since that thread had four pages of comments, and it turned out to be the same bickering we've seen between Dreamscale and some others that's been going on for a week now (at least). Come on, guys. A script thread is not the time or place and it's way off topic.