Hi folks,

I love this site,  just wish I found it earlier. Anyway there is so much available  I don't feel that I use it well. Too many scripts, too little time.

I would love to hear tips on how to use, manage and make the most of SS. Recently I reviewed a c**p script at the expense of others. I want to do better than that.

For now I am happy to read and review as appropriate. I hope to post in due course.

I am currently working through my second feature. I hadn't thought of a short before this site but may now may give it a chance.

Happy to read and review for future credits.

All the best.

RD

(aka bill, living in the Island of jersey, UK)

Hey Bill, welcome aboard, mate!  Glad to have you along for the ride.

SS is not quite the happening place it was recently, but maybe...hopefully, it's just a lull.

As I think I mentioned on that other post, you can read and comment on anythign you want...literally.  The point is that if a thread is old, or the writer never popped in to say a single word, then your feedback is going to fall on deaf ears.  That's all I was trying to say.

You'll find there are a core group of members here, who contribute the majority of the feedback.  If you want to get to know that core group, you should watch threads that pop up daily about whatever...movies, questions, shooting the shit, whatever.  Lots of helpful movie and DVD reviews to comment on when you see a new flick or watch an old (or new) DVD.

As for reading and commenting on scripts, if you want to know your feedback is being received, only comment on scripts where you see recent activity from the writer, or recognize his/her name.  Give your input and opinion and feel free to open up conversation.  It's a Quid Pro Quo world, so the more reads you give up front, the more you'll get back when you post a script, cause peeps will know you and know they owe you a read.

From time to time, we have various challenges, which are lots of fun, and a great tool to improve your writing.  Hopefully, we have an OWC (One Week Challenge) coming up.  Whenever it comes up, enter it and join in on the fun.  It's a great way to get to know a bunch of members in here.

Good luck and enjoy yourself.

Welcome R.D., and fair questions.

The biggest tip I've got is the button on your upper-right that says "Portal".

It is the single-best way to navigate the site, and most people are here months before they even try it, and then they are, like, "Oh, snap!"

When people gripe about bumping old scripts up, it is that page they are talking about.

Hey RD

Nice to meet you. I've been here since around Feb. I had written a couple of features, didn't know what I was doing, and really had no one to tell me. I entered this thing they do periodically called a One Week Challenge. You write a 10p short in a week, and they are entered and reviewed anonymously for a week. Like you, I had never thought about shorts, but that was where the learning began for me. My short got plenty of reviews, and I started to learn who the regulars were here, and which regulars are more likely to give you a read or an opinion.

I've been writing, reading, and reviewing since. When new scripts get posted, I look for names I recognize. If it's a regular, I read the script and try to give constructive remarks. Some of those people now read my scripts in return, which is invaluable.

I've learned a lot, in particular from Janet, Jeff, Gary and Brett(you'll have to stick around to find out who they are!). A lot of scripts get posted here by people who are not active. You want to try and read scripts of people who are here regularly. Especially if you still have things to learn in proper screen writing, it's very helpful.

Hope this helps, best of luck.
Kevin

Quoted from Reef Dreamer Hi folks, I love this site,  just wish I found it earlier. Anyway there is so much available  I don't feel that I use it well. Too many scripts, too little time. I would love to hear tips on how to use, manage and make the most of SS. Recently I reviewed a c**p script at the expense of others. I want to do better than that. For now I am happy to read and review as appropriate. I hope to post in due course. I am currently working through my second feature. I hadn't thought of a short before this site but may now may give it a chance. Happy to read and review for future credits. All the best. RD (aka bill, living in the Island of jersey, UK)

You know what, Reef? We all have this same problem today. We simply have too many options. We fly through cyber space like nothing and many of us don't even know what newspaper print smells like anymore.   What's "a minute" anymore? Does anyone know?

My guess for your adequate usage question, is:

Come and feel that you are welcome and welcome others.

If you do that, along the way, you will learn from new people and the old time veterans.

So:

Hang out. Be present when you can. Do the best good turns you can to people you meet here and don't worry about anything else.

Dvar beoto ma tov.

Hebrew Script isn't available here yet, but basically it means: Things in its time for (what) good. Some people translate it as: First things first, what's good. Also, the gist is" Everything in its time.

Welcome to you and Behatzlakha!!! (Good Luck).

Sandra

Thanks everyone.

Having just hit the portal icon I can see this is useful. Good tip.

I will keep an eye out for new postings to read and review. Sometimes I don't know whether to review one that has already been through the system? On the one hand I doubt there is much I will add but on the other I suppose the more feedback the better.

Any suggested scripts from the archives that would be recommended? Whilst I am not brand new to this all I would put myself in the bracket of "needs to learn more", so decent scripts that had plenty of discussion would be useful for me to pick up, even if some time ago.

If it's summer where you are, enjoy the rest of it.

Regards

IMO, new members that participate should be a priority here, especially ones taking a thoughtful, respectful approach like you are. So I hope you stick around. Any shorts you post, I will give a full read. Features, I will at least give a look. It takes time to properly read a feature and comment usefully on it. So even if it's the best script in decades, reading a feature is kind of a quid pro quo thing.

Hey R.D.!

This is E.D. Electric Dreamer a.k.a., Brett.
Welcome to the SS boards.
When I first joined, my screenplay formatting was a mess.
I spent several weeks reading and reviewing contributing members work.
And that's a biggie CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS, don't waste your time on dead threads.
Look at who writes the script and see how much contributing they do.
It's a very effective way to network with folks like yourself.

Good luck, hope to see you around!

Regards,
E.D.