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.

Quoted from Baltis. Maybe Phil should be a mod.

Some people would fear this.

Some people should...


Phil

Dressel, I couldn't agree with you more.  After a year of being here, I finally got wise... I stopped wasting my time.  I ignore them.  Whether good, bad, or ugly, I prefer to read the work of active members.


Okay, I'll go back to ghosting....

Ghostie  

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.

Much like most people, I don't have time to read every script, here.  Choosing only scripts from board contributors is a great way to narrow down what I will read.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Much like most people, I don't have time to read every script, here.  Choosing only scripts from board contributors is a great way to narrow down what I will read. Phil

I hear what you're saying, Phil.    

Personally, I think James summed it up best.

Quoted from James McClung 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.

I don't know everyone by name (I'm pretty bad at names).  It use to be that the user names were posted with the author's name.  This doesn't appear to be the case anymore.


Phil

I was gonna post about this the other day but didnt want any hassles.

If any new scripts by contributing members could be asterixed on the script list - espesh in shorts - then people can see what the go is. They can still read other ones - most likely by authors who aren't around - if they choose.

I don't read many shorts unless i know the author. Sometimes I don't realise a new one is by a reg because I don't go down the list opening every short.

Just my two bob's worth

Why don't you guys just put that in your title.  This way Don doesn't need to make the decision.  How's that?

I don't really know what wisdom I can add here because a lot of people on here give a lot of time and are not acknowledged and I know we all need a little appreciation sometimes. It's human nature.

Perhaps it's good enough that the people who work as regulars on the site know who they are. And too, the people who are a little bit in the background, they too are working as regulars, but you might not always see it on the boards.

For those who just "turn up" and want some exposure and their script is clearly semi professional or professional, I don't think that there's anything wrong with that because someone somewhere is going to learn from that. (Remember the Warner Bros. thread? People complaining because scripts are taken down?) Well, to shut the doors on scripts just because people aren't truly active on the boards isn't necessarily a good thing. I've read and critiqued some very good scripts from some members that for whatever reason, they're not around anymore. But what does that mean? That I wasted my time? I don't think so.

You guys are all intelligent people and you can discern for yourselves what you want to bother with and what you want to skip, irregardless of the activity of a member.

It all comes down to sincerity in your efforts. Just because a person might be down the ladder in reads, it doesn't mean they're not doing the best they can. There's all kinds of situations going on in the background of people's lives and we need to be patient with people and respectful of their problems and understand that just because they're not always there around the corner for us, it doesn't mean they don't want to be and it doesn't mean they won't be in the future.

Sandra

Quoted from mcornetto Why don't you guys just put that in your title.  This way Don doesn't need to make the decision.  How's that?

Quoted from screenrider We should have a poll!

Again. Why should members have to do anything? That includes mods and Don. We're not the ones posting scripts never to show ourselves again and the ones who are will never know it's a problem unless Don makes the site super-exclusive and says people have to be members to post scripts. If you guys want to make a poll for that, fine. I already know what my vote would be. But it's silly to bend over backwards trying to find some middle-ground solution that just means more work for the people who actually contribute and no work for the people who take away.

You're the ones posting scripts that seem to care that other scripts are being read over yours.  Why should Don have to do extra work?  Or the moderators?  If you want some kind of indicator then put it in your title.

Quoted from James McClung you guys want to make a poll for that, fine. I already know what my vote would be.

I was kidding, James.

I deleted that post after giving it a second thought.   Unfortunately you grabbed onto it before it vanished.

Moving on

I actually don't care. This has never been a problem for me. Don shouldn't have to do extra work nor should the mods. But why any members would feel they had to do extra work is beyond me. I'm basically just saying chill out and let it go. It's not going to change.

Quoted from screenrider I was kidding, James. I deleted that post after giving it a second thought.   Unfortunately you grabbed onto it before it vanished. Moving on

Sorry, dude. I'm pathetic at picking up sarcasm on the Internet.

In any case, I think this has been blown way out of proportion.

Quoted from James McClung In any case, I think this has been blown way out of proportion.

Agreed.  I didn't start this thread hoping that Don or the mods would think they need to do anything more.  It was simply to vent a frustration and see if I could sway the members of the board who were bumping these scripts up.  (Like the one mentioned earlier.)

Honestly, I think this thread has run its course and we're just going to be heading in circles now.

I think it's time for a lock.

Maybe the members can list their scripts in their .sigs.  This way, we'll know that a particular script is by a board member.


Phil

I wonder if a 'fix' to this might be to suggest that people check in on their script's discussion board once the script is posted. That way, if people don't want to waste time, they can see who will be around to hear their feedback, and it doesn't make more work for the mods.

Maybe?

I was thinking something similar to rdhay.  As part of the posting process...  Once the script is up, the author only needs to take a moment and post a comment on the thread as a courtesy.  

You know, kind-of-a: 'Hi, thanks for taking time out of your day to read my work.  I'm Dave Frizzell and I approve of this script!'

2 seconds to do and it lets everyone know they are serious about getting feedback from others.

Just my $.02 for the day.

Dave