A part of the skill in being a screenwriter is that we write stories that translate well to the screen. Producible scripts are the whole point. It's certainly a consideration of mine when writing and reading other scripts.

As far as the contest goes though... I see these OWC's as a bit of fun and also a challenge. The two I've entered have both been subjects I don't like. Time Travel and Animal Attack... all I need next is a romance and it's a full house of shit I don't like. I'd still have a go though... and I'd stick to the rules.

I'm not sure if most entered this OWC with the hopes on getting their submissions off the page. For myself, this is about comradery, ideas, and learning from mistakes. All the scripts were really creative and thoughtful efforts, ones that I've learned a lot from. I appreciate everyone sharing their great work.

Quoted from oJOHNNYoNUTSo I'm not sure if most entered this OWC with the hopes on getting their submissions off the page. For myself, this is about comradery, ideas, and learning from mistakes. All the scripts were really creative and thoughtful efforts, ones that I've learned a lot from. I appreciate everyone sharing their great work.

If my entry doesn't get filmed in 4 or 5 different languages, animated and live action, I'll be shocked, confused, hurt, and my anus may even be sore, as my entry is the Moby Dick of rogue shark attacks.

You get me?

On a serious note, I hope no one expects their efforts to do anything other than showcase their talent or lack thereof, and/or provide practice wiritn in a theme/genre, they may not be comfortable in.

Reading feedback should help with their own writing, while giving feedback should help not only others, but their own writing as well, as seeing others mistakes, should raw attention to our own issues.

On a side note, if I incorrectly called anyone's script a pisser, I apologize, as sometimes it's unclear or leaning in that direction based on choices the writer made, either knowingly or mistakenly.

And, if otehrs incorrectly labeled a pisser as a serious effort, hopefully you will learn the signs to be on the lookout for, so in the future, no one writes a serious entry that comes off as a pisser.

Quoted from RayW Will someone please just tell me what lens to look at these gems at so that I can at least feel like I'm not wasting votes?

With all the effort you spent analyzing the scripts, I think it wouldn't be fair to use any other lens except your own.  

Quoted from RayW C) And pretty much accept that we all know none of these will ever be filmed, so just toss budget concerns out the window? We do? Yes/no?

Hey Ray - whilst I completely get your point... I think a lot of people get that this is an excercise, and as such if you're learning from it, you improve the writing end. Okay the budget end matters, but with OWC's there is no budget set before we start writing. If the OWC's were to say $5-500, or $10k-15k, then that would be different.

Maybe there should be a budget range in the future? Having said that though, if a producer does like something, they do have the option of saying 'pare it down' and/or 'I'm just going to film it to the budget I have'.

I have to say I do appreciate the HUGE work you've put in here, and it's really useful to see how someone might break down the costs, and to see how factors we've included affect the cost.

One final thing though - a lot of scripts that get picked up here are filmed by students - they have colleges behind them so don't have to face real-world costs, but can still, none-the-less, put stuff on film.

I totally see the OWC as a writing exercise. This one especially because for a short, it would be hard to have anything in the water be low budget...unless it was a bathtub.  

I like Ray's reviews though. Really good insight and something to keep in the front of your mind while you're writing something you hope will be produced.

Looking forward to the writer reveal on quite a few of these. This is my 7th OWC and the writing in this one is very impressive.

I attempt to write stories in screenplay format. I've not yet written a script with budget in mind or any hopes of production. I'm still learning so I see these OWC as writing excercises in a free online class.

Some people reading my scripts will be angry, resentful, full of rage at life (or just had a really bad day) and this will reflect in their review. There may be one pet peeve on the first page which makes them bail or just rant at how crap it is. But the same can be said from a judge on a panel at a script writing competition or a producer at a studio. It's all good practice for real life.

Others will give it a fair try despite some basic mistakes and give me some good, honest, yet biased personal feedback. I say biased because it's their opinion, plus they may have their entry that they want to WIN and that needs to be taken into account.

Others will look at it from a strictly formatting perspective or from a production point of view.

All of it is valid and priceless. Everyone review the way YOU want to review, warts and all. I think I've learned more here in the last couple of months then I did on my own for years getting family and friends reviewing.

Quoted from oJOHNNYoNUTSo I'm not sure if most entered this OWC with the hopes on getting their submissions off the page. For myself, this is about comradery, ideas, and learning from mistakes. All the scripts were really creative and thoughtful efforts, ones that I've learned a lot from. I appreciate everyone sharing their great work.

Not in its current form, no.  This was more about participation for me.  So I just entered something.  

Personally, I entered mine to get some exposition, to receive some feedback to see if this style of storytelling would work, but it did not.  This happens when you only use 15% of your original material.

This OWC afforded me the luxury of knowing what folks like and dislike.  For me, watching the flow of negativity towards a certain style is a great learning curve that I will adapt to and overcome with future projects.

I also found out that using certain "phrasing" does not sit entirely well with readers who prefer more familiar descriptions.

Those are the things I'll take away from this OWC.  The negativity?  Not so much.  

Quoted from Leegion I also found out that using certain "phrasing" does not sit entirely well with readers who prefer more familiar descriptions. Those are the things I'll take away from this OWC.  The negativity?  Not so much.

Your 100% right and Simon actually gave me a nudge as this all unfolded, but may have been a bit too late. I wasn't trying to be harsh w/some of these, and it def makes me look like a butthole. I've just got do better with being more thorough instead of reacting with my first thoughts.

It's ironic that after all the hard work of writing these OWC scripts every few months, they end up just gathering web dust on my computer, never to be touched again.

Although every now and then I read a few old ones.

Well done to DJS for the shark theme. Something different like the time travel one - they were both great.

I still would love to see my idea of a set theme but perps get randomly allocated a genre and we see what happens. Would produce some wonderful ideas I feel.

Ah, the old OWC.

Why do I like entering these? Well here goes...

# It's one of the toughest, brutal, yet honest, script competitions you can experience - at the end you often feel you have survived something. I can't think of another that you see in real time, experiencing every comment as it arrives

# IF...you are prepared to learn, this is one of the best forums to do so....as an amateur

# the challenges are just that, decent, unusual challenges

# I love being part of something - you really feel that with an OWC

Overall I feel I have improved the most because of the OWC's. For a beginner they are like a fast track.

Should you write with production in mind?

I never used to, but now I do. Ray will disagree but Ray is also looking at the scripts as they are. I don't believe writers should writer production ready scripts. I feel that writers should be seeking to impress the producers with a concept, an idea, without stupid cost, it's then up to the producers to find a way of making it work.

It's probably just me, but every time i write now I want a chance it could be something bigger and better.  It forces me to challenge the script, not be complacent.  Doesn't always work but I like the challenge.

Voting

I don't vote on these as scripts as they would in a big competition. I vote on these under the challenge of the OWC. And to be honest I don't really knock those that wander off the OWC path, as along as they are sound and decent.

I have learned so much from this competition and this forum, I just feel grateful to take part.

I think it's safe to say that everyone who enters the OWC is at different stages when it comes to learning the craft. Some struggle with format, others with OTN dialogue, some may have figured out both but have a hard time writing an engaging story. The OWC can be brutal for some but it's the sole reason my writing has improved from the time I joined S.S. to now. I agree it's never fun to see people bail on your work early or to see harsh comments regarding something you wrote but remember you can't satisfy everyone. Write a script that pushes the envelope than the peeps who are sensitive will be offended, if you write about puppy dogs and ice cream than the hard core action writers will be bored with the script and probably will be out before they hit the second page. It's trying to find the median between the two that's the challenge for me and I hope anyone who feels bad after this OWC doesn't take the harsh comments and give up. Continue to learn the craft, correct the mistakes and come back to the next OWC ready to kick some ass.

I'm surprised others who purposefully ignored challenge parameters didn't follow the trend of the 1 pager and withdraw from challenge for the vote. Even though that was a strong 1 page they still withdrew.  I assume, now, it would have got some votes for best overall.

It seems the pissers will get votes for best overall entry that could have went to non rule breakers.

Shouldn't the pissheads remove themselves? Maybe I'm confused on how this works? I'm not trying to start something though.  Get me? Hehehe.  Jokes, eh.

Just sayin... otherwise why not have a Freestyle OWC with no parameters?

LF: In all the time of the OWC that I've been around 'Pissers' never even rate in the serious voting. They're just a lark.

And the voting that's up at the moment for everyone who read, (even if they didn't enter), is not the serious voting, so I wouldn't fret.

I knew I should have done a card shark!