Welcome to Round 3. For those of you who have survived this long, I present an olive branch of peace to you all. I hope you accept it because this will be the last nice gesture you will receive from me for the rest of the tournament...

Genre: Horror.

Location: Airplane.

Object: Hand Sanitizer.

Good luck.

+++ Submit to SimplyScripts.com/OWC +++

That's quite hard....

Oh, no...not the HAND SANITIZER!!!

Awesome!

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films That's quite hard....

Rick, I give you my word. With next week's challenge, you will be begging for the halcyon days of having to write a horror on an airplane with hand sanitizer...

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Welcome to Round 3. For those of you who have survived this long, I present an olive branch of peace to you all. I hope you accept it because this will be the last nice gesture you will receive from me for the rest of the tournament... Genre: Horror. Location: Airplane. Object: Hand Sanitizer. Good luck. +++ Submit to SimplyScripts.com/OWC +++

The problem here is the location.  Every single script will either adhere to this or push the limits and 17+ will all be in the same locale.'

You're call, brother, Sean, but bad parameters from this Kid.  These will be a slog and 3/4.

Quoted from Dreamscale The problem here is the location.  Every single script will either adhere to this or push the limits and 17+ will all be in the same locale.'

Really? The following are all kinds of planes: Cessna, Airbus, DC-9, 747, C-130. You think the experiences will be the same on all of those? I think, if all the scripts are the same or similar this round, I will be very disappointed.

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Really? The following are all kinds of planes: Cessna, Airbus, DC-9, 747, C-130. You think the experiences will be the same on all of those? I think, if all the scripts are the same or similar this round, I will be very disappointed.

OK...we'll see...

I've got 3 different ideas already! Gonna sleep on it.

Quoted from Dreamscale OK...we'll see...

Not saying they won't be all the same. Just saying that there are plenty of choices. Whether or not they're taken...

This may make me unpopular and not appearing to be in the spirit... Apologies in advance.

Sean, I think it's great (and obviously the big challenge part of the Tournament) picking unusual objects and locations.

Just gotta say though, if you make the combo too far fetched and unlikely, I fear the results are going to be pisstake entries, unlikely to be genuine horror e.g. really scary, unlikely to be picked up by a producer. and unlikely to be a Short script you'll want to do anything with other than discard when the Tournament is over.

Sorry, I know it appears I'm whinging, but I'm just not convinced there'll be great, riveting, Short horror scripts come out of this lot.

I'll think on it but unless that combo can elicit something not groan worthy I may concede defeat.

P.S. Does the plane have to be airborne?

That's a tough one, holy crap.

And go...

Quoted from LC This may make me unpopular and not appearing to be in the spirit... Apologies in advance. Sean, I think it's great (and obviously the big challenge part of the Tournament) picking unusual objects and locations. Just gotta say though, if you make the combo too far fetched and unlikely, I fear the results are going to be pisstake entries, unlikely to be genuine horror e.g. really scary, unlikely to be picked up by a producer. and unlikely to be a Short script you'll want to do anything with other than discard when the Tournament is over. Sorry, I know it appears I'm whinging, but I'm just not convinced there'll be great, riveting, Short horror scripts come out of this lot. I'll think on it but unless that combo can elicit something not groan worthy I may concede defeat. P.S. Does the plane have to be airborne?

This is fair criticism. The truth is that I had made a list of 153 items, 48 locations and the 5 genre styles. Then, I blind chose 5 items and 5 locations, then blind matched them to each other. Some of these came out as really difficult (round 4, especially), but I don't know what would be less fair: giving a really, really hard topic or actually selecting which topics are getting put together and directly influencing the kind of scripts we'd get.

As for your last question, nope. It doesn't even have to be finished being built... or from this time period, but I digress.

I’m confused Blondie

Is the Bobblehead flying the plane or in the toilet using hand sanitiser to retrieve the whistle from its arse?

Quoted from stevie I’m confused Blondie Is the Bobblehead flying the plane or in the toilet using hand sanitiser to retrieve the whistle from its arse?

Yes. =)

Some good things here to maybe extend your scope.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_sanitizer

Thanks for the fair reply,  Sean.

Thing is I think your method is nifty but I think you should take the blindfold off.

Thanks for clarifying re the plane btw.
And now I'll ponder...

I feel like I can already see a whole lot of WWII scripts.

So definitely airplane, not aircraft?

ARGH...so obvious what will come of this, and as Libby said, highly unlikely any of these scripts don't get thrown away, as quickly as they can be.

Can't wait to read these...NOT!!!!

Woah, you promised to make it easier, Sean!

Well, my mom arrives to the US tomorrow and then other things are in the way like school and applying to jobs... Too bad for me. But after seeing the requirements I'm relieved. It's a tough requirement, really really tough.

Well, good luck to those who stick around. I envy you if you come up with something. Some great writers here.

I'm already mapping out something exciting. The setting, the location(s), the all-important hand sanitizer...just got to decide which horror angle to go with. There are so many...

I have faith in the writers in this tournament. You've all surprised me so far, I expect more of the same this time around.

Quoted from ReneC I'm already mapping out something exciting. The setting, the location(s), the all-important hand sanitizer...just got to decide which horror angle to go with. There are so many...

I can't tell if you're joking or not?

This is an incredibly hard set of criteria to work with. I really can't see there being too many memorable scripts this round, mine incududed.

I've got an absolute screamer.


Vomit draft complete.

Quoted from Warren I can't tell if you're joking or not? This is an incredibly hard set of criteria to work with. I really can't see there being too many memorable scripts this round, mine incududed.

No, really. If you discard the most obvious ideas, some real gold bubbles to the surface. I love what I have so far, it's shaping up to be a real gritty horror.

Quoted from ReneC No, really. If you discard the most obvious ideas, some real gold bubbles to the surface. I love what I have so far, it's shaping up to be a real gritty horror.

Maybe I've said too much. If mine is the only gritty horror...

And I think this is the first time I've quoted myself.  

Quoted from ReneC No, really. If you discard the most obvious ideas, some real gold bubbles to the surface. I love what I have so far, it's shaping up to be a real gritty horror.

I don't even know what the obvious ideas are

This one should be easy. The hand sanitiser is merely an object that must be in the story, it doesn't claim that it must play a large part. Reviewers should consider being more generous to each other during this round on the object.

Mind you, criteria is either a yes or a no... I was going to suggest giving top marks to those that use the object more effectively, but in the current set-up that doesn't work. With a yes or a no, I would have to give out a Yes to only those who used the object as part of the story and not an aside.


Loving Rene's enthusiasm... reminds me of myself when I have a great idea. I then write it and I'm like... meh.

Okay, I have an idea. Don't know if it's one of the obvious choices or not, but it's probably as good as it's going to get. Will mull it over for a day or so and see how it feels.

I have no clue what the obvious ideas with this are either.

Also, surely the sanitizer  (as in prev rounds) can't be just a token aside. It is the object. I doubt very much (again, based on prev rounds) reviewers will go easy on it not being pivotal. Jmh.

P.S. I love Rene and Rick's bravado, and now Warren too. Well done, chaps.

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films I've got an absolute screamer. Vomit draft complete.

Screamer or steamer?

Hey Dexter used hand sanitizer a lot. That's how I remember it. What a great guy btw

This'll be a challenge.

Fuck!

Like the aeroplane location, can get some unique stories from that, but the hand sanitizer? Jeez, I need to get inventive with that

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Fuck!

I literally laughed out loud when I saw this from you

Man, the hand sanitizer is really throwing me off my game. I can't find a way to feature the hand sanitizer without it feeling shoe-horned in.

Sean, you bastard.

Quoted from Zack Man, the hand sanitizer is really throwing me off my game. I can't find a way to feature the hand sanitizer without it feeling shoe-horned in. Sean, you bastard.

After seeing how much everyone seems to be suffering from this one, I'm very seriously considering changing week 4's object and location. I really did think this week's choice was going to be, in general, the easiest for everyone, out of the five weeks. Finding out that that's not the case if forcing me to reconsider.

I assume we can do horror/comedy as long as horror is the main genre, correct?  

Quoted from Gary in Houston I assume we can do horror/comedy as long as horror is the main genre, correct?

Please, no more.

Quoted from Warren That's a tough one, holy crap. And go...

Holy Crap would have been a great title for the last round

Quoted from Mr. Blonde After seeing how much everyone seems to be suffering from this one, I'm very seriously considering changing week 4's object and location. I really did think this week's choice was going to be, in general, the easiest for everyone, out of the five weeks. Finding out that that's not the case if forcing me to reconsider.

Isn't it obvious what they want???

Genre: Horror.

Location: Hand Sanitizer Factory

Object: Airplane

Quoted from eldave1 Holy Crap would have been a great title for the last round

The Pontiff drops his ring down the toilet and an unlucky priest is sent to retrieve it from the sewers running under Rome.

Damn it, Dave! Where were you when I needed inspiration for the last round?

Quoted from Gary in Houston The Pontiff drops his ring down the toilet and an unlucky priest is sent to retrieve it from the sewers running under Rome. Damn it, Dave! Where were you when I needed inspiration for the last round?

Now that would have been a good one!

Quoted from Mr. Blonde After seeing how much everyone seems to be suffering from this one, I'm very seriously considering changing week 4's object and location. I really did think this week's choice was going to be, in general, the easiest for everyone, out of the five weeks. Finding out that that's not the case if forcing me to reconsider.

I would consider:

Genre: Horror

Location: Aircraft

Object: Open

I have a suggestion, though I doubt anyone will take it. Let's stop making it so the object required needs to be essential to the story. I've been thinking this for two weeks. Frankly, it's the object requirement that is leading to pissers. I'm not saying there shouldn't be an object. But to compare it to the NYC Midnight contests, the objects in those are not required to be "essential" to the story. I think if I writer manages to do this that should be bonus points, but I'd rather just read decent stories where there object is there. Decent stories are really what we want most I think.

You can't change round 3 now. I've spent hours working on a story for hand sanitiser!

Quoted from Mr. Blonde After seeing how much everyone seems to be suffering from this one, I'm very seriously considering changing week 4's object and location. I really did think this week's choice was going to be, in general, the easiest for everyone, out of the five weeks. Finding out that that's not the case if forcing me to reconsider.

I wouldn't change anything, Dude. Stick to your guns and keep the challenge tough as nails.

Lol and Im literally laughing out loud. Oh, Sean, poor Sean. You'rs in a pickle aren't you?
And I thank you for all the challenges here on the board. The tournaments... who would have thought anything like that is possible. It's a great job you're doing.

Quoted from leitskev I think if I writer manages to do this that should be bonus points, but I'd rather just read decent stories where there object is there.

That's the trouble with the scoring here. There is no way to differentiate between a writer that utilises the object well and one where the object is merely there. The only way to differentiate is with a yes or no. Giving both writers a 'yes' would be unfair to the writer that tried harder.

In many cases, readers don't reach a consensus on how well the object was used.

Criteria is just 4 points for meeting it. Even if you don't find a way to make the prop part of the plot, just include it somewhere and roll the dice with reviewers. That is where the scoring system works. Put story ahead of shoehorning.

Sean, don't waffle. This is a good exercise. We'll see if we can satisfy the crazy producer note for product integration.

The clock says we have an extra day...

Quoted from ReneC The clock says we have an extra day...

Shhhhh.... I Might need it

Quoted from Matthew Taylor Shhhhh.... I Might need it

Was thinking the exact same thing. Lol.

I think I'm out.

This week's challenge, to me, is goofy, and with the location being plane, getting through the reads would be a real slog.

It's been fun, boys and girls, but I humbly am bowing out.

Best of luck to you all.

Quoted from ReneC Criteria is just 4 points for meeting it. Even if you don't find a way to make the prop part of the plot, just include it somewhere and roll the dice with reviewers. That is where the scoring system works. Put story ahead of shoehorning. Sean, don't waffle. This is a good exercise. We'll see if we can satisfy the crazy producer note for product integration.

Agreed on all. I'm not so much asking any rules to be changed as for readers to lighten up a little. I'm asking more as a reader than a writer. I just want to read good stories. If writers are determined to make hand sanitizer "essential" to the story we're going to end up reading a lot of crap. If a story has a pilot who's obsessed with germs so he uses the sanitizer...bang. Good enough for me. Not essential to the story, but relevant as a character-building device...good enough. Just make the story worth reading. Otherwise we're going to get exploding sanitizers and maybe a sanitizer stuck up some character's sphincter. I don't want to keep reading those. People should lighten up, but that's up to each reviewer.

Don't worry, Dreamscale, I'm sure nobody will miss your efforts.

Quoted from DustinBowcot Don't worry, Dreamscale, I'm sure nobody will miss your efforts.

Agreed.

Quoted from ReneC Put story ahead of shoehorning.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. If it's a good story people don't care. Well most people.

Quoted from khamanna Yes, my thoughts exactly. If it's a good story people don't care. Well most people.

Good.

I just came up with aa decent idea. Gonna need 20 pages though!

We always have people that essentially want criteria to be removed so people can write anything they want. For me, it defeats the whole object of the contests. You can write whatever you want 365 days of the year.

I prefer to assume that the contest setter is the Top Producer in the world and if he has a deal with a Hand Sanitiser company and wants the Product Placement visible and essential to the story, or thinks Bobble-heads are the 'in thing', then that's what should happen.

It's a very difficult thing to do to make it essential to the story and make it good, and that's what separates the scripts for me...

I don't want it removed. It's the "essential" to the plot part that I want people to lighten up on. For example, in my Bugs story I had the girl, whose mouth was taped, speak through her bobblehead. She's really speaking through her mouth, but in her mind her mouth is covered, so she speaks through the doll. Some people claimed that the bobblehead was not essential to the plot. Which was true. You could replace it with a barbie...or do away with it altogether. That was true of almost all the bobbleheads.

For me, if there was a bobblehead, and it was used in some significant way, that was more than enough.

I'm not suggesting losing the object. I'm saying if readers don't lighten up a bit we'll end up with more absrud stories, and this round is not comedy.

But I will follow Rene's sound advice.

Hey, not sure if anybody needs some motivation, then I just want to say, let's go through this.

And if a script gets buried, so what?

Quoted from Dreamscale I think I'm out. This week's challenge, to me, is goofy, and with the location being plane, getting through the reads would be a real slog. It's been fun, boys and girls, but I humbly am bowing out. Best of luck to you all.

Hey man, I don't want to accept that ;-). Just stay with the concept of Monday is writing. The other two days are the forest and tree situation. There'll surely be a path to find, especially for you since I generally like what you do, the whole view on entertainment. You're just writing for a quite specific audience as I partly do myself. Nevertheless, a few seem to honestly walk with my stuff while there's often a bigger opposition that wants to see other things. Not that I don't want to have them all from time to time :-)

I mean truly, your Manga ninja woman beating the naughty gents before cool as a piece of chocolate picking her needed certificate from the shrink's desk is f***** game, bro. Complete story, complete arc, memorable stuff…

See you in the next round.

I forget, are we allowed to update our script and re-submit it before the deadline?

Quoted from Dreamscale I think I'm out. This week's challenge, to me, is goofy, and with the location being plane, getting through the reads would be a real slog. It's been fun, boys and girls, but I humbly am bowing out. Best of luck to you all.

Hell no, Dude. You can't bail on me. You're the Rose to my Jack. You can never let go!

Quoted from leitskev I don't want it removed. It's the "essential" to the plot part that I want people to lighten up on. For example, in my Bugs story I had the girl, whose mouth was taped, speak through her bobblehead. She's really speaking through her mouth, but in her mind her mouth is covered, so she speaks through the doll. Some people claimed that the bobblehead was not essential to the plot. Which was true. You could replace it with a barbie...or do away with it altogether. That was true of almost all the bobbleheads. For me, if there was a bobblehead, and it was used in some significant way, that was more than enough. I'm not suggesting losing the object. I'm saying if readers don't lighten up a bit we'll end up with more absrud stories, and this round is not comedy. But I will follow Rene's sound advice.

Well, Sean stated the criteria was that the object played a "key role"...so for me, to take the "essential" out of it is to change the criteria.

I might have a bit more sympathy with you if you hadn't run a campaign against my script on and off its thread in the first round for actually following the criteria and making the Bobble-head key all the way through.

In any road, I've come to Sean's way of thinking: This is an easy round. Now I've been writing, I've come up with about ten stories, all straight horror that all would use the Hand Sanitiser in a key/essential way.

Without wishing to harm those that already have a story...if anyone is struggling, just read the link Warren posted, look at the PROPERTIES of Hand Sanitiser and ask yourself how could any of those properties become absolutely key in a horror film.

Yeah, exactly. Easy as fuck.

Like Rene said...there are literally endless scenarios that use all genres of horror.  

Quoted from Zack I wouldn't change anything, Dude. Stick to your guns and keep the challenge tough as nails.

I think we'll end up with four entrants left when round 4 is over. Just saying...

Quoted from ReneC just include it somewhere and roll the dice with reviewers. That is where the scoring system works. Put story ahead of shoehorning.

Sure. Be mathematical. If you blow it completely on the topic (which, as I've seen from the past two weeks, you can miss the topic without missing the topic) and write a great story, you could walk with 21 points. If you force something to fit a narrative, you'll probably get killed on Story, Characters and Dialogue (and possibly even Meets Criteria).

I mean, I don't give a damn what everyone writes. It doesn't matter to me. That's why I don't review any of them. What does matter to me is that everyone is writing, you're creating and being creative. You're writers, after all. Scripts got picked up from last year's Tournament (hell, Dena went out and produced her own), scripts always get picked up from the OWCs and every once in a while from the 7WCs. Go out and write and have fun. That's what all this is. If you finish 12th, you will get precisely 0% of the non-existent prize which is being offered to the winner. But, you know what you will have? If you stick it out the whole time, you'll have five new short scripts to showcase. =)

Quoted from Hank I forget, are we allowed to update our script and re-submit it before the deadline?

Yes.

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films Well, Sean stated the criteria was that the object played a "key role"...so for me, to take the "essential" out of it is to change the criteria. In any road, I've come to Sean's way of thinking: This is an easy round. Now I've been writing, I've come up with about ten stories, all straight horror that all would use the Hand Sanitiser in a key/essential way. Without wishing to harm those that already have a story...if anyone is struggling, just read the link Warren posted, look at the PROPERTIES of Hand Sanitiser and ask yourself how could any of those properties become absolutely key in a horror film.

I have no problem with "essential" being dropped. I would've had it that way, in the beginning, but I would've imagined a lot of round 1 scripts just having a bobblehead on a psychiatrist's desk and never mentioning it again. The context of words is always more important than the words themselves.

Here's a hint for people (this may have been somebody's first draft idea. If it is, my bad): Consider the kind of people who would feel the need to bring hand sanitizer onto a plane. Now, consider how horror would fit into that... Who says horror has to just be blood and guts?

Quoted from ReneC The clock says we have an extra day...

Fixed.

- Don

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films You can't change round 3 now. I've spent hours working on a story for hand sanitiser!

Agreed, I haven't spent hours, but I definitely have a workable idea.

Quoted from Mr. Blonde I think we'll end up with four entrants left when round 4 is over. Just saying...

I'll be there, keeping the bottom of the rankings nice and wet.

Quoted from Mr. Blonde Who says horror has to just be blood and guts?

I'll be bring the blood and guts. Just sayin'.  

I have an idea which I will be writing on the plane home on Monday arve!  It will be straight horror    This isn’t a fusion one so any pisstakes for this will not be scored from me

I wonder if there will be a big drop off between Rounds 2 and 3? I hope not.

Right, I now have four different ideas... now need to work out which is the best idea!

Quoted from Zack I wonder if there will be a big drop off between Rounds 2 and 3? I hope not.

I’m doing my level best to get something in. It’ll likely be horrific, and besides that have some horror in it.

Quoted from FrankM I’m doing my level best to get something in. It’ll likely be horrific, and besides that have some horror in it.

Don't stress about it, Man. I've got like 4 different ideas... Each worse than the last.

I wonder if Jeff is pulling a fast one and faking us out so we don’t know which one is his...  

Come on, Jeff. Nobody said you had to read them all. I can send you a list of the half that take the location in surprising directions.

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films Well, Sean stated the criteria was that the object played a "key role"...so for me, to take the "essential" out of it is to change the criteria. I might have a bit more sympathy with you if you hadn't run a campaign against my script on and off its thread in the first round for actually following the criteria and making the Bobble-head key all the way through. In any road, I've come to Sean's way of thinking: This is an easy round. Now I've been writing, I've come up with about ten stories, all straight horror that all would use the Hand Sanitiser in a key/essential way. Without wishing to harm those that already have a story...if anyone is struggling, just read the link Warren posted, look at the PROPERTIES of Hand Sanitiser and ask yourself how could any of those properties become absolutely key in a horror film. Yeah, exactly. Easy as fuck. Like Rene said...there are literally endless scenarios that use all genres of horror.

Lol, sorry about that. Ironically, what hurt that story was...yup...making the bobblehead essential. I gave out my highest mark for prose on that story. I just thought the bobblehead stuff made it Mystery Science Theater. Your story is kind of the perfect illustration of my point.

In any case, I'm not bothered by the plane. Actually, I have a story idea I really like and I think some version of it could have potential. I doubt I can pull it off, but when I thought of the idea I remember thinking 'I bet Rick might like this idea'.

Quoted from ReneC I wonder if Jeff is pulling a fast one and faking us out so we don’t know which one is his...   Come on, Jeff. Nobody said you had to read them all. I can send you a list of the half that take the location in surprising directions.

No, I'm out.  These parameters are goofy and will yield many of the same scripts.

I also can't stand the scoring and reviews.  I just don't get it...obvious poor scripts getting rave reviews and even, "My favorite!".  I an't take it.

Sorry, everyone.  Weak bow out from me.

Quoted from Dreamscale No, I'm out.  These parameters are goofy and will yield many of the same scripts. I also can't stand the scoring and reviews.  I just don't get it...obvious poor scripts getting rave reviews and even, "My favorite!".  I an't take it. Sorry, everyone.  Weak bow out from me.

You were the chosen one!  

Quoted from Zack You were the chosen one!

That was the problem!  HA!!!

Quoted from Dreamscale No, I'm out.  These parameters are goofy and will yield many of the same scripts. I also can't stand the scoring and reviews.  I just don't get it...obvious poor scripts getting rave reviews and even, "My favorite!".  I an't take it. Sorry, everyone.  Weak bow out from me.

The Donald would be proud.

I have an entry, it's pretty bad, but hopefully enough to keep me in the race.

I've the outline to a potential story.  Just trying to work out my ending.

I have a good idea   If I can nail it, it will shit this round in lol.

Ironically I will be writing it on the plane home tomorrow!!

I'm done.  The ending is a little abrupt.

Wife is back in the hospital.  Been a tough weekend. Unlikely to be able to get anything in unless she gets discharged today. Will read entries though even if I can’t write anything.

I was going great guns, but the story is about 8 pages even after cuts.

So I went to a quiet bay and sunbathed naked instead, then cooled myself off with a nice swim.

Cutting it would undoubtedly weaken it, but the alternative is a brand new script...

Choices...