Quoted from KevinLenihan Just making sure I didn't screw up: were we supposed to pick one? The voting sheet I had just had us rate each script as pass, consider, recommend. I actually liked that I didn't have to pick a winner. Unless I screwed up and was supposed to.

Yeah I recommended three and considered two.

As far as having production potential as a short, I really only saw one that way. Though I did not quite read them all.

But I didn't want to use production as a criteria.

So if the script displayed just plain old excellent writing, I gave it a consider, even if the story didn't do much for me.

Or if the writing was flawed but reasonably well written, and the story had certain merits, it got a consider.

All in all I had 11 make the cut. Pretty good for an OWC!

Quoted from RJ Ok - read them all and commented on all bar 3 - 1 pisser and two newbs who had a lot of comments about things I didn't want to harp over again (already commented on another one that I really shouldn't have because I didn't have anything constructive to offer and didn't want to do it again). Was tossing up between two, but have now chosen - Good luck to everyone Renee

You didn't comment on mine, Renee and now my feelings are hurt.  Mine was definitely not a pisser - not really sure how anyone could/would think it is.

Quoted from Dreamscale You didn't comment on mine, Renee and now my feelings are hurt.  Mine was definitely not a pisser - not really sure how anyone could/would think it is.

I definitely thought yours was Magick in the Machine, but I guess I was wrong because she reviewed that one!

I gave a recommend to several, but I don't remember exactly how many. I also had quite a few considers. Some passes too, but they were mostly from beginner writers, I'm pretty sure.


Anyone who knows Jeff even just a little should be able to figure which one he wrote.  

Quoted from Neighbour I definitely thought yours was Magick in the Machine, but I guess I was wrong because she reviewed that one!

Nope...not mine, but that was a pretty good one.

Quoted from Angry Bear Anyone who knows Jeff even just a little should be able to figure which one he wrote.

Easy there, Pia!  You're funny...but I guess you do have a point, based on what you said Friday night.  The more I think about it, the funnier it is.

I voted based on how the scripts measured up to each other rather than to industry standards. It seemed only fair for a contest where we're trying to find an overall winner to give more weight to those scripts I would consider to be contenders (recommends) than to those scripts I enjoyed but weren't quite at the same level (considers) from within this pool of scripts. I think I gave four recommends and about ten considers. The rest were either a pass or I didn't get a chance to read.

I did find one that Bflywings didn't comment on...but that couldn't be Jeff's, because he did review it and said it was one of the better entries. The irony in that would be too delicious.

Quoted from ReneC I voted based on how the scripts measured up to each other rather than to industry standards. It seemed only fair for a contest where we're trying to find an overall winner to give more weight to those scripts I would consider to be contenders (recommends) than to those scripts I enjoyed but weren't quite at the same level (considers) from within this pool of scripts. I think I gave four recommends and about ten considers. The rest were either a pass or I didn't get a chance to read.

I am in complete agreement with you, Rene.  Any challenge has to take into account the pool of entrants and judge thsoe entrants against each other.

As I said earlier,m I "graded" each script on a 1-5 basis, but I did give out one score of 0, because the writer didn't complete the script.

I gave a consider to scores of 3 and 4 and a recommend to scores of 5.  In reality, I was probably being rather "easy going" to giving 3's a consider, as many only received a 3 because they were clearly better than the 1's and 2's.

I probably should have only given out 2 "considers" to the two scripts I gave a 4 to, but hey, I'm a nice guy...right?  

I'll also say this - I gave numeruos 1's to scripts I baled on early and several of them may not really have deserved such a low score, but something really pissed me off early, causing me to throw in the towel, so take that into account.

I definitely did not comment on my own. I don't see the point in that at all.

Quoted from Grandma Bear I definitely did not comment on my own. I don't see the point in that at all.

Oh Pia...

I didn't comment on mine. I can go and do it now, if you want me to though...  

Quoted from Grandma Bear I definitely did not comment on my own. I don't see the point in that at all.

Same here. Never have, never will. I'm not trying to fool anyone, I really don't care. It's all about getting feedback from my peers.

I don't care if you do or don't, but in years past, I think it was a given that peeps would.

In fact, sometimes, peeps would trash their own script to "fool" others.

I've used different writing techniques, different sentence structure, etc to throw peeps off my scent in the past.  Hell, I've even stuck Stevie's name document properties before and tried to use Aussie slangs.  

I don't normally comment on my own until near the end of the anonymous period. And then I try to keep a neutral tone. If you don't comment, people will know it's your own work.

I broke my rule this time. I don't care about votes, which will be obvious later. But if I am going to go through the trouble of reading 30 scripts and give time consuming notes, I want to get reads. If the first review essentially says this is unreadable garbage, not many will be inclined to read. I mean it's impossible to not see the first comment.

As far as your non-apology...I have established more than enough credibility here with my reviews that my motives should not be questioned. And you are still questioning them.

I place a higher priority on creativity and story than you do. I don't think you would question that. You spend a lot more energy on execution(let's just call it execution so we can avoid the 'what constitutes good writing' debate). They both have a place here. I'm not saying you don't consider character and story, but it's further down your list.

I have never and would never attack excellent work...and again, my credibility on that is long established.

However, I will raise issues with work that, though expertly written, suffers from other flaws or just doesn't move me. With the script review that you raised your accusation, have you read the other reviews? The majority of readers felt more or less the same as I did. So my remarks ended up being indicative of how others saw the story. Your remarks ended up in the minority. There were people much harder on the work than I was.

As for the positive reviews I gave to scripts you took apart...take another look. Often I agreed that the writing needed much work. But I managed to find positive things to say about the story...and you know what? Sometimes a newish writer needs to hear that. This isn't the Gong Show.