So, as long as I have been there, it's OK??  So I've been to the fantasy world Drugula and know the pitfalls well .  So, that's a go??

Fingers crossed.
Dan

If I feel better, I might try.

Quoted from Dreamscale Location – Any actual place in the world.  Location should be a key here and needs to be identified.  I would recommend using a locale you are familiar with or have researched.

Quoted from Dreamscale Concept – Looking for a “fish out of water” idea, as in your main character(s) being in a place that is foreign to him/her.  This does not necessarily mean a “foreign” country - but it could be.  The theme of “Stranger in a Strange Land” does not necessarily mean the place has to be “strange” either - but it could be.

Quoted from Cameron Just to close off a potential loophole, can you confirm that the animals/creatures can't talk Jeff?? I'm trying to fight off the urge to implement a frog chorus of sorts...

I didn't say anything about animals/creatures talking, so that will be up to you...BUT...the intent here was to have serious scripts, set in the real world.

As Don just reposted, "any actual place in the world".  I am not aware of any actual places in the world where animals and creatures talk.

Quoted from Dreamscale As Don just reposted, "any actual place in the world".  I am not aware of any actual places in the world where animals and creatures talk.

Well there's a plethora of films out there with talking animals, based in the real world, and invariably they end up with animals being in foreign locations as they tend to get lost. Just pointing it out for you!

Regardless, wasn't going to do it, but it's a risk that you can have 20 different animal characters in a short homage to Homeward Bound.

Quoted from Cameron Well there's a plethora of films out there with talking animals, based in the real world, and invariably they end up with animals being in foreign locations as they tend to get lost. Just pointing it out for you! Regardless, wasn't going to do it, but it's a risk that you can have 20 different animal characters in a short homage to Homeward Bound.

Cam, I don't understand what you're talking about.  Apart from a recent OWC that I wrote with some talking animals, I don't recall seeing any other OWC scripts with talking animals.

I don't know why anyone would want to write a script with a theme of Stranger in a strange land, involving talking animals.  Maybe I'm missing something?

Quoted from Dreamscale I didn't say anything about animals/creatures talking, so that will be up to you...BUT...the intent here was to have serious scripts, set in the real world. As Don just reposted, "any actual place in the world".  I am not aware of any actual places in the world where animals and creatures talk.

Started out thinking I had a perfect understanding of the parameters - it tends to get fuzzier as questions are asked and answered. Also makes me think being the one establishing the parameters and arbitrating the rules has to be a huge ass ache. Anyway - to add to the confusion:

* ...actual place in the world...[b][/b]

Seems that this is really -  any actual place in the world as it would typically exist in it's natural state right now.

e,g., - no empty New York City Streets because they are not empty now. Desert highway - go for it.  New York Hotel room - fine.  Would be rational then 4 or less people would be there. New York restaurant - nope.

This clarification:

Quoted Text I didn't say anything about animals/creatures talking, so that will be up to you...BUT...the intent here was to have serious scripts, set in the real world. As Don just reposted, "any actual place in the world".  I am not aware of any actual places in the world where animals and creatures talk.

Muddied the waters for me. In  a prior post - ghosts or spirits were okay - I'm not aware of any place where they actually exist (i.e., any more than talking animals or aliens, etc. ). So, I do think it would help to say specifically whether your characters must be human or not. If so, ghosts, talking animals, aliens should be out. If not so - If not so, they're in. By way of example - you could have the ghost of Wyatt Earp wandering through modern day Death Valley?

After all that diatribe - I'll bet most of the issues after these are written will be whether or not the writer met the premise of "A stranger" - in a "Strange Land."

Quoted from Dreamscale Cam, I don't understand what you're talking about.  Apart from a recent OWC that I wrote with some talking animals, I don't recall seeing any other OWC scripts with talking animals. I don't know why anyone would want to write a script with a theme of Stranger in a strange land, involving talking animals.  Maybe I'm missing something?

Jeff, refer to Dave's point re spirits/ghosts, didn't want to point that one out and exacerbate the situation but Dave did it for me. Was trying to help you, not hinder this whole process, and yes talking animals exist quite regularly in the movies in apparently real scenarios, so I see no reason why they can't in this OWC as they don't seem to be getting clamped down upon in the initial brief.

Anyway, as I said, I'm not using the talking animals ploy myself, was merely pointing it out as a potential loophole. Regardless of the freshly stoked frog chorus temptation I shall resist...

Enjoying this, Jeff?  

Funny thing is that this same scenario with questions upon questions about the challenge/competition went on every single month for eight years or however long MP was around.

Theme: Love

Genre: Western

Questions...

Can there be talking horses in this?
Can the new sheriff be a robot?
Can this take place in Indonesia?

And on and on, and then when the scripts were posted, not single one would have a talking horse, a robot sheriff and none of the stories would take place in Indonesia.  

Just how it goes Jeff. Hope the Big Kid has fun with the little kids.  

Quoted Text Can there be talking horses in this? Can the new sheriff be a robot? Can this take place in Indonesia?

Damn - that was the one I was going to write!

Excellent challenge. Enough constraints to keep people focused, but enough flexibility to allow for real variety in the entries. Good one.

Might have to give it a go - if I get a decent idea...

This reminds me of when I taught middle school. I'd give a very clear writing assignment, and the kids would ask question after question. Can I do this, can I do that, how about this, is this okay, I don't understand what you're asking. I dealt with it all by saying, Be quiet and start writing.

Quoted from Stumpzian This reminds me of when I taught middle school. I'd give a very clear writing assignment, and the kids would ask question after question. Can I do this, can I do that, how about this, is this okay, I don't understand what you're asking. I dealt with it all by saying, Be quiet and start writing.

You know, that's a reasonably solid point to make, but there's nothing worse than getting all down, dirty and creative, battering out a script, entering it and then getting a load of people saying it doesn't count because it's not met the rules. That's happened in other OWC's and there's nothing worse than winging and moaning your way through the review phase because you never bothered to question it, and here we're allowed characters of the spooky variety, but Mr Ed is to stay well clear. Go figure.

I think the questions/points made were valid, and if asked really shouldn't be causing any real grief or serious problems, as they appear to be doing.

Hmm, I was ready to bow out when suddenly I came up with an idea. Can't promise anything though. If I write it down and then don't like it I won't submit.

But mine also has something that could make it ineligible. And there's no way to ask a question as I would lose all the anonymity.

But if talking animals or ghosts or vampires are in then I'll go ahead and write mine. It has nothing to do with aforementioned characters but has its own thing going.

The problem for me is the 4 human limit.  Like what was said above finding anyplace in NYC that isn't crowded isn't realistic.

Also, the real location is hard too.  If I wanted to do a story set in a small western town, you're telling me that I can't until I research it first.  

But I typically see more than 4 characters in most shorts.  You're basically saying that we have to use settings to set the fish out of water and not show clicks of people.  That let's out places like school because it is impossible to write a story set in a school that has 4 or less humans in it.

And I find it odd that ghosts are OK but talking animals aren't???

Dan

Hey, Dan, hope you feel better to finish that story of yours.

About 4 characters limit - maybe you can go around it. I don't mean have more and 4 and still submit.  
Here's what I'm saying - I'm planning to sort of "conceal" some characters in mine. I mean they'll be implied but will never make an appearance. If there's a possibility for you to do the same that would be good.