Ok, I know this topic has been covered before (last thread was 2006), but I think it merits a new thread.

I've noticed a growing trend on the boards, and it makes absolutely no sense to me: reading scripts from authors who are not active on the boards.  I'm not even talking about "active" in terms of they don't read scripts, I'm talking "active" as in they don't comment, period.

Whenever I read a script, I make sure that the writer is actually present on the boards, otherwise it seems like a waste of time.  I've seen threads go on for pages with people arguing back and forth about a script when the author hasn't even checked in once.  What's the point?  Why bump their thread back up if they're no even giving us the courtesy of acknowledging the critique?

So many writers just throw their stuff up on this board hoping something will stick, and I'm pretty damn sick of it.

Maybe I'm in the minority on this, and no one really cares, but I feel like it goes against the very purpose of this board.

I think most people will agree with you. However, I think a lot of people post their scripts on SS in hopes it will be "discovered" by some filmmaker and not necessarily to get feedback. Most might not even know or care that there's a message board.

Quoted from Grandma Bear However, I think a lot of people post their scripts on SS in hopes it will be "discovered" by some filmmaker and not necessarily to get feedback.

That's what I meant by "hoping it will stick".  And that's fine.  We've all had varying degrees of success here, but I'm betting the people who have had the most success worked for it.  And that, in essence, is what bugs me so much about this.

For me, this site is about "scripts".   Simply scripts.  Not who's the most popular or who's active or who's gonna give me a read for a read.   Sure all that stuff is nice, but at the end of the day all I wanna do is read a good quality script and hopefully learn something from it.  

Quoted from screenrider For me, this site is about "scripts".   Simply scripts.  Not who's the most popular or who's active or who's gonna give me a read for a read.   Sure all that stuff is nice, but at the end of the day all I wanna do is read a good quality script and hopefully learn something from it.

And that's all well and good Mike, but do you know who else wants to learn something from it?  The people who actively post and try and better their scripts from the feedback received.

Mike echos kinda what I feel about the site... It's about the content, good or bad.  Not the activity of the personality behind it.  If you've learned from the work, awesome.  If not, never read from them again.

I do feel you should read and review often, tho.  Regardless of what your writing peers are doing.  Lead by example... I have 11 scripts from this site I'm plucking through as we speak.  I don't ask for a read in return, just that they listen to what I say, should they be here, because our time is important.

I'm not even talking about the "read in return" policy, I'm talking about common courtesy in giving reads to those who are in need of them and actively looking for help.

As I write this, there's a script called "Coming Off Age" that's in the Comedy section.  The author hasn't said a single word, but it's already getting comments; all negative.  Why?  Because everyone loves to throw in their zingers, and that's what happens with the bulk of these anyway.  People keep writing negative comments that continually push the script up and others down.  Who is this helping?

Quoted from Dressel I'm not even talking about the "read in return" policy, I'm talking about common courtesy in giving reads to those who are in need of them and actively looking for help. As I write this, there's a script called "Coming Off Age" that's in the Comedy section.  The author hasn't said a single word, but it's already getting comments; all negative.  Why?  Because everyone loves to throw in their zingers, and that's what happens with the bulk of these anyway.  People keep writing negative comments that continually push the script up and others down.  Who is this helping?

Totally agree with that, which prompted me to comment on the script. It shouldn't be a race to the bottom.

There are people who think they will be discovered by simply leaving their scripts here.  Maybe they think that Speilberg haunts these boards.

Problem with this thinking is that, without reciprocating, scripts roll out of the portal and into the deep pits of SS, hardly ever to be seen again.  I think that, if the author doesn't show up in a week or two after the script is posted, the thread should be locked.


Phil

I read the first 36 pages of a Wonderwoman script that just posted. I liked it, but stopped. its 171 fucken pages long.

I asked the author if he was there, he responded. Shit, now i feel like I have to go read the rest of that epic. Meh, but thats the fun. If you like the story, read it. I've got a handful of friends here. When they post, I read automatically and likewise.

It only helps the writer to comment. Look how much feedback Jeff has gotten on Fade to White. That thread is insane. Because he's always here.

James

Problem with threads like this is you are only preaching to the choir.

If an author never ventures off their own thread -- or never even visits the board -- what are the chances they'll wind up on this thread?

Quoted from jwent6688 I asked the author if he was there, he responded. Shit, now i feel like I have to go read the rest of that epic.

Ahahaha...what a dork. I saw that, too.

Never post like that unless you are willing to back it up, man.

Quoted from dogglebe I think that, if the author doesn't show up in a week or two after the script is posted, the thread should be locked. Phil

I say at least a month. When some of my work was first posted last Sept, it took almost two weeks for the mod to grant me access to the boards.

Still, what disappoints me is a small handful of the "non existing" writers I know of from other sites. I check those other sites, they have went sailing the seven seas somewhere. Ironic.

I think Phil actually touched upon something that could be very effective -- Locking the threads of work where the writer has not responded to the reviews after some set amount of time.

I'd go this route. Though it could get taxing on time for Don, Bert and others... Maybe Phil should be a mod.

Quoted from jwent6688 I read the first 36 pages of a Wonderwoman script that just posted. I liked it, but stopped. its 171 fucken pages long. I asked the author if he was there, he responded. Shit, now i feel like I have to go read the rest of that epic. Meh, but thats the fun. If you like the story, read it. I've got a handful of friends here. When they post, I read automatically and likewise. It only helps the writer to comment. Look how much feedback Jeff has gotten on Fade to White. That thread is insane. Because he's always here. James

171 pages, fan script or not, folks are better off having teeth pulled with rweezers.
No novocaine. Just quays.

Meh. We all hate these guys but I think it's about time everyone stopped bitching.

If you want to jump in and slam non-member scripts knowing that you're not going to get a response, you can't complain. You're part of the problem.

As for everyone else, how much effort does it take to see that a given script wasn't posted by an active member? Not much. How much effort does it take to ignore a given script? Ditto.

Move on.

Lock threads for scripts with inactive writers? Why take the extra work upon yourselves? It's not like people will stop submitting them.

I think a lot of people want this site to be exclusive without having to become forum-Nazis. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you don't want to flat out ban scripts from non-members, there's really very little you can do without creating extra work for the mods. That or people could just leave them alone and let them die.