I'm still feeling quite confident. I'm currently on page 50 and I'm hoping to make it to, or as close as I can to, page 60 by tonight.

Usually I'd be able to get it done over the weekend, but I've got a mate over from Oz who I haven't seen in over ten years, so tomorrow will be a day spent at the pub. Sunday will inevitably be a write off. Monday and Tuesday too probably.

I'm not much of a drinker these days, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do I suppose. And it is pretty sunny here, so at least I might get a tan to compliment my hangover of doom.

Swings and roundabouts.

Remember guys/girls, this isn't a contest and if you do get stuck, usually that happens in act 2, feel free to ask questions here about your story. maybe we can help out.

I'm hoping to have my first draft, aka the vomit draft finished by Sunday. I didn't get anything done yesterday. Started out with me hauling two garbage bags and other stuff to bring to work through the garage to my car. I couldn't see where I was stepping and ended up falling done the step onto the concrete floor. I'm lucky I didn't break anything, but I sprained my ankle. Then I laid sod in the afternoon. Dumb idea in Florida in the afternoon in July! I almost died of heat exhaustion. A tough physical day for me that left me without reaching any writing goals. Good thing there's beer though.  

Quoted from Dreamscale Increase your page length first!     74 pages is a bad sign, my friend.

I understand that.  It reads as if it's 30 pages, literally a breeze.  I've not edited it yet though.  I'll leave that until deadline week.  More than likely I'll add something to take it to 78-80 pages.

The reason it's shorter than the vomit is because I removed a lot of the cliche BS that plagued the opening 10 on the forums.  Like the docks being close, the cop (Ramirez) confronting Swanson about running a red light, the ENTIRE airport sequence.

Not to worry, I'll find something to pad it out.  Maybe another flashback (as that shows the bulk of the story) or a second car chase, maybe a brawl between Swanson and Newman/Swanson and Petrovic.

Quoted from c m hall You are writing and recording music! That's wonderful! if the scripts are inspiring your music, that's great but one thing is not more important than the other -- creativity is precious, work on what gives you the most joy

Hi Catherine,

Yes, I agree. I should pick one or the other, not pick music over screenwriting that is, just focus on one at a time so I don’t feel so overwhelmed. These OWC’s, Feature Length challenges, etc.  Actually do get the best of my time in a lot of ways, and I think taking it on in the summer months is just begging to fail, simply because there’s soooo much going on. Time will tell how it works out over here, thanks for the feedback.

As well, not sure if you, or whoever has a script on the go for the challenge, but if so, best of luck!

Quoted from Leegion I understand that.  It reads as if it's 30 pages, literally a breeze.  I've not edited it yet though.  I'll leave that until deadline week.  More than likely I'll add something to take it to 78-80 pages. The reason it's shorter than the vomit is because I removed a lot of the cliche BS that plagued the opening 10 on the forums.  Like the docks being close, the cop (Ramirez) confronting Swanson about running a red light, the ENTIRE airport sequence. Not to worry, I'll find something to pad it out.  Maybe another flashback (as that shows the bulk of the story) or a second car chase, maybe a brawl between Swanson and Newman/Swanson and Petrovic.

Do what I've done, add more for the antagonist. Originally I planned to only have him as a voice on the phone, now I've given him more of a role. Only written two extra scenes so far, but I've added four pages. Plus, I've got a few more to fit in with him so I could end with an extra eight/ten pages total. It doesn't appear to have harmed the story either (or at least I don't think it has, time will tell).

But maybe you've already got a bigger role for him, though it did seem like your antag might mainly be a voice on a phone too.

Quoted from Leegion Not to worry, I'll find something to pad it out.  Maybe another flashback (as that shows the bulk of the story) or a second car chase, maybe a brawl

IMHO, it's always easier to trim than to "pad". Just adding pages in order to reach a certain page count, can be detrimental to your script unless you actually "pad" it with vital stuff for the story itself. If it's not vital to the story, people can tell and get bored, because it adds little or nothing to the story. It's just fluff.

If you use FD you can use the Loose version in your formatting. That might lengthen your script 5 pages without changing the script itself.  

Quoted from rendevous Try that How NOT to write a screenplay book by erm... hang on, Denny Flinn. It helps enormously…

Hey Ren,

Thanks for that, I did a search on it (Denny Flinn) and it looks to have some pretty good reviews, I’ll try to find a copy kicking around the net later on. One that I bought many moons ago that I highly recommend is ‘Psychology for Screenwriters’ by William Indick. It helps immensely with storytelling, and is literally packed with information for developing 3D characters.  Now, I just need a way to lose the consistent psychedelic rhetoric in my tales and I’ll be good to go, maybe…

Quoted from ArtyDoubleYou Do what I've done, add more for the antagonist. Originally I planned to only have him as a voice on the phone, now I've given him more of a role. Only written two extra scenes so far, but I've added four pages. Plus, I've got a few more to fit in with him so I could end with an extra eight/ten pages total. It doesn't appear to have harmed the story either (or at least I don't think it has, time will tell). But maybe you've already got a bigger role for him, though it did seem like your antag might mainly be a voice on a phone too.

Definitely got a bigger role for Petrovic.  But I do like what you're saying.  I could make an extra call, extend a conversation or show more of the kidnapped family...

Quoted from Grandma Bear IMHO, it's always easier to trim than to "pad". Just adding pages in order to reach a certain page count, can be detrimental to your script unless you actually "pad" it with vital stuff for the story itself. If it's not vital to the story, people can tell and get bored, because it adds little or nothing to the story. It's just fluff. If you use FD you can use the Loose version in your formatting. That might lengthen your script 5 pages without changing the script itself.

Hence its 74-page length.  Zero padding as it stands.  Every scene vital to the story.  That's why I lopped off 15 pages from the 89-page vomit.  I could extend a scene, add a little more action or some dialogue.  But there's not much else I could add as the story exhausts itself in those 74-pages.  You pretty much know everything by 65.

That as may well be Lee... but you're still going to need to add some more 'vital' scenes to make a whole script.

Quoted from DustinBowcot That as may well be Lee... but you're still going to need to add some more 'vital' scenes to make a whole script.

I already have enough vital scenes to show the story.  I need to think on it.  I like that it's short as it's a quick read that delivers good on its name.  But I'll think on what to add to make it a few pages longer.

Hey,
good to see some chat about the challenge.

Several of you are phenomenally productive.
If I'll make it anyhow, mine will be a vomit draft with puking guaranty. There's meat for 45 p by now. 20 of them (vaguely) executed. I write 3-5 pages a day at the moment, which gives hope to move further. Maybe the penny drops and I'll soon find out what happens in the script's end. Then, there's a chance to finish anyhow.

Also, my script drifted into the action genre. I try to bring a darker tone inside to counteract that and make it an action-thriller at least. The race against the clock seems to be more of my problem and less of the characters. It finally won't start before the second act.

So, lots of problems. It's fine.

Here's the fresh logline which gives an insight into the new basic prerequisites of my story. It tells what I would like to pitch, still it's too long, and of course not - how I want to pitch it in the end:

In 2030 - after the nuclear powers extended their shields to perfection - constant deterrence hinders armies, spies and agencies to operate within other counties. A new UN-constitution was declared which allows taking out individuals for political interests in an official chess game.

So, that's a bit from the Killing Lottery...
Cheers and have a good weekend!

Quoted from PrussianMosby In 2030 - after the nuclear powers extended their shields to perfection - constant deterrence hinders armies, spies and agencies to operate within other counties. A new UN-constitution was declared which allows taking out individuals for political interests in an official chess game.

Your logline describes the setting but not much of the story itself. So what happens after political assassinations become fair game? What's your story in this interesting world? Let's say for example that a female assassin is sent to take down a politician and her plan involves faking a romantic interest in him. But after she gets to know him she realizes that he's about to put in motion a plan to make the world tension-and-conflict-free again. In that case the logline would be something like that:

"In the future where the tension between nuclear powers is at its highest and the new UN-constitution makes political assassinations permissible, when a contracted killer finds the truth about her mark that he might be the only man who can stop the impending nuclear apocalypse, she vows to protect him in his journey till the last drop of her blood." - Till death take me apart

Haha, I got carried away a little there. The language is a bit cranky but it's just an example to explain my point of view.

Cheers

I hit 70 pages today. 20 pages behind of where I wanted to be. Kicking myself being a lazy procrastinating fun loving beer drinking loser!!!  

2.5 weeks left. Time to get the 9 tail out, beat myself into submission and just finish this f'n thing!!!

Been slacking myself. Back has been playing up recently so I've been off my tits on codeine. Busy making money too. And I have a week's holiday coming up.

Vomit is done and I'm almost done with the first act for draft 1. Still a lot to do... but when I put my mind to it, I can get 'er done in a few days.

Quoted from realxwriter Your logline describes the setting but not much of the story itself. So what happens after political assassinations become fair game? What's your story in this interesting world? Let's say for example that a female assassin is sent to take down a politician and her plan involves faking a romantic interest in him. But after she gets to know him she realizes that he's about to put in motion a plan to make the world tension-and-conflict-free again. In that case the logline would be something like that: "In the future where the tension between nuclear powers is at its highest and the new UN-constitution makes political assassinations permissible, when a contracted killer finds the truth about her mark that he might be the only man who can stop the impending nuclear apocalypse, she vows to protect him in his journey till the last drop of her blood." - Till death take me apart

Good input. I wasn't sure if the situation comes across, so I focused only on the story's world.

But, it seems to be understandable what I'm doing, so indeed I should put more story inside the logline. The first part of your example also shows that I can make it shorter. Thanks for the feedback