"I am looking forward to one where one person hears the scream and doesn't share that info with the other person."

Would that be easy to show in film? If we hear the scream, the audience assumes the characters do too, unless one says she doesn't. I guess you could do it if one character is not in the scene yet.

. Would CATWOMAN instead of NAUGHTY NURSE be more exciting?

I'm getting grumpy... think I should stop reading for a while and go get a drink lol

On the flip side, my week has been brightened up no end by my new favourite word...

(screams)
YEOOWWEE!

I have been chuckling to myself all through the day  

I don't see what all the fuss is about with the standard SUBURBAN HOME and the Naughty Nurse opening horror tropes being used over and over etc.

Halloween, the movie uses : EXT. LAURIE' S HOUSE - DAY  / MYERS HOUSE etc. Is that better? It Follows starts exactly with: EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - NIGHT.

We experience reader fatigue with repetitive opening sluglines, but would INNER CITY APARTMENT have been any more exciting to read?

The challenge guidelines stipulate a COUPLE - they're likely going to throw their party in their home. In the aftermath there's a scream. The brief implies guests in Halloween costumes leaving. Would CATWOMAN instead of NAUGHTY NURSE leaving be more exciting? Maybe. Without the Halloween costumes on screen and just the 'couple' what we're seeing on screen might lack colour.

What's lacking for me in what I've read so far (and this is not a criticism); is real scares, real suspense, and dread. And originality of story.
I want to be on the edge of my seat when watching horror.

This exercise just proves horror is hard to master.

In this regard it's a good learning tool.

Horror is not easy. Without an original concept and/or subverting of horror tropes things get boring and predictable.

I'm ignoring the openings mostly cause yep, they are becoming déjà vu.

Still searching for the diamond in the rough.

I didn't enter my effort cause even I found it: oh so, been there, seen that.

I didn't find anything wrong wish Suburban. And I didn't find anything wrong with sexy costumes. I was speaking more to a strategy 4 these challenges. That is, anticipating what the standard settings are going to be and shaking it up in your script. In other words, that very thing may make it stand out versus blending with others. That was it. Just a rambling thought for me future challenges on how to be different. It may well bomb, but I think it would stand out more. Who knows?

Dave, I get it.

An OWC strategy thing in terms of an entry standing out, being memorable, not conforming to the obvious opening location, stereotypes etc., as prompted by a knee-jerk reaction to challenge parameters.

I concur.
It does make you think for next time.

Of course the entire script will have to measure up to its inventive opening, alt or offbeat location, and non stereotypical characters. Hmm, perhaps that's a good inspirational tool in general. Ideas and concept are the most difficult thing imh, more than the actual writing.

Interesting...

Dave, although you don't seem to get what I've been saying, once again, we are saying the exact same thing.

Using a Slug, that gets repeated over and over again, of "SUBURBAN HOME" is exactly the problem we're both talking about.

You get me?  C'mon, MAN!!!  

Why are some peeps questioning the "suburban" part of the challenge?  I'm kind of lost.

Maybe suburban means something different across the pond?

Just asking, cuz suburban means outside of a city.  It means the house have streets and driveways, and some land...maybe, depending on where we are.

And maybe some of that was on me. Suburban home was not one of the challenge parameters, rather just something I wrote in a grabber. It could have been an isolated farmhouse or, as Jeff said, a “tiny” home. Sorry if there was any confusion.

Oh now you tell us.
Had I or others known, it could have seen set in a condo.