So, I happened to checkout ScriptBook the other day and noticed that all of my scripts had gone back to "analysis in progress".  So, I sent them an email asking if there was a problem with the site. This is the response I got:

Quoted Text Hi there, It has been brought to our attention that some writers have been bashing our AI script technology on sites & forums, while using our free technology. While we welcome constructive criticism, we have zero tolerance for online bashing. We have decided to no longer provide our free services to this specific group of people, who in our opinion are ruining it for the writing community. Your name is on this list. Therefore we will no longer analyze your work (it will be shortly removed from the marketplace). As a company that took time, effort and funds to make our AI script technology freely accessible for screenwriters,  the least one can say is a simple thank you. Best, The ScriptBook team

I, of course, asked them to remove all of my scripts immediately --

Just a heads up, if you want to stay on their site, beware that they are perusing these boards to determine who they classify as "bangers" vs. those offering constructive criticism.

I personally would not change a word in the comments I made by about them. I thought they were all fair. It's a very good thing that these folks are AI analysts rather than writers as they would have an aneurysm if they had to deal with the criticism that writers endure.

It also strikes me as somewhat disingenuous that they have no problem using sites like this one to promote their product but are this sensitive to our participant's comments.

Anyway - I kind of feel proud to be blacklisted. It makes me feel like a real writer.

Wow!

Guess I’m next

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Wow!

Yeah - kind of my reaction especially given their desire to "democratized the marketplace.."

Obviously, I don't give a shit if my scripts are there or not. I do feel sorry for them in a way as they must be young and somewhat naive. When you receive criticism you:

1) Try to determine if it is valid, if so -
2) You improve. If not -
3) You move on and/or try to sway the critics to your side,

That's kind of what we do is writers. As a business, it's a model they should embrace.

Just checked - they did the same to mine.

I did send them a positive critism email after my second post.

Quoted from JohnI Just checked - they did the same to mine.

It's an honor to be on the same blacklist, Sir.

I posted Night Steak and didn't say a word. Just experimented with it.

And the analysis on the NIGHT STEAK was: FAMILY, PG 13, DRAMA, and MUSICAL. I do agree it is drama but of the rest, I'm not sure. What do you think Dave was it musical??

As for other promotional sites on this forum, I think we should set some guidelines for them on their promotion agendas.

Quoted from Yuvraj I posted Night Steak and didn't say a word. Just experimented with it. And the analysis on the NIGHT STEAK was: FAMILY, PG 13, DRAMA, and MUSICAL. I do agree it is drama but of the rest, I'm not sure. What do you think Dave was it musical?? As for other promotional sites on this forum, I think we should set some guidelines for them on their promotion agendas.

LOL - Night Steak - The Musical. Love it.

PS - you will probably be banned from their site now

Quoted from eldave1 LOL - Night Steak - The Musical. Love it. PS - you will probably be banned from their site now

I don't mind been banned. I won't even bother checking. You guys are amazing for a script analysis.

An AI can't feel the dread of being alone in the dark. Or of the subtle emotion of been hungry.  Like the girl rubbing her belly with her hand. These things are to be felt not analyzed. Stories are a vehicle of emotions. You have to feel them.    

Wow!

You mean blacklisting users is an option? Why didn't anyone tell me?  

Anyway, I've updated my posting of Anthony's interview with the CEO of ScriptBook.io with a link to this thread.  I think it is important to have multiple views of a site before committing.  

- Don

Just to make sure, Dave - did they blacklist you for critiquing other users' scripts?

Quoted from Don Wow! You mean blacklisting users is an option? Why didn't anyone tell me?   Anyway, I've updated my posting of Anthony's interview with the CEO of ScriptBook.io with a link to this thread.  I think it is important to have multiple views of a site before committing.   - Don

Good idea.

Quoted from khamanna Just to make sure, Dave - did they blacklist you for critiquing other users' scripts?

I don't think you can critique other user Scripts. What they didn't like was my comments on this site about their site. So they removed the analysis of my scripts and then my scripts

Quoted from eldave1 I don't think you can critique other user Scripts. What they didn't like was my comments on this site about their site. So they removed the analysis of my scripts and then my scripts

Well, it is their loss. They lose writers this way.

Quoted from eldave1 I don't think you can critique other user Scripts. What they didn't like was my comments on this site about their site. So they removed the analysis of my scripts and then my scripts

Oh, ok, got it.

Quoted from eldave1 I don't think you can critique other user Scripts. What they didn't like was my comments on this site about their site. So they removed the analysis of my scripts and then my scripts

Dave,

I've scoured the boards with regards to your comments about their service and have yet to find anything inflammatory enough to be banned for in my humble opinion.  

Don

Quoted from Don Dave, I've scoured the boards with regards to your comments about their service and have yet to find anything inflammatory enough to be banned for in my humble opinion.   Don

Thanks, mate - appreciate it - I know I was critical of some things but certainly didn't think it was over the top - oh, well.

I can message the CEO if you like Dave?

Quoted from AnthonyCawood I can message the CEO if you like Dave?

Not needed for me, mate.

If you think it would help them (their mindset) - cool.

We've got to get Jeff on this, on the double. He'd have a hell of a laugh. =)

Quoted from Mr. Blonde We've got to get Jeff on this, on the double. He'd have a hell of a laugh. =)

Indeed

If they want constructive criticism...I'm not sure what the purpose of the site is? I mean, I do. But what kind of writer needs AI to tell them what genre their script is? Or their target audience? Wasn't there another site just like this year already? And another before it?

All of these cash grab screenwriter sites with a slightly different twist coming out in the last five years~ sickens me. There's nothing you can't get from SS, script revolution, and sites like Reddit by paying any of these scams preying on an over-saturated market (specs).

Honestly even the Blacklist is a scam. If you want premium coverage, search out a well-reviewed specific reader and pay them.

Intrigued, I had a look at their website. Outside of this free demo period, they are looking at charging $200 for individuals and $2000 for companies to analyse a script.

This is an expensive tool. They can't have any suggestion it has flaws and doesn't deliver what they promise, otherwise they won't con, I mean convince people to fork out that much cash.

So, while they are more than happy for you to submit your script to help them tune their A.I. it doesn't surprise me they are censoring critics.

I wouldn't submit my scripts, even for novelty value. You are helping them and they are not even paying for all the data you are giving them.

Like i said - i got banned too. I even sent them an email after my first two scripts about my criticisms - they asked for these. Maybe its my New York sarcasms.  

Oh, well, guess that means i lose my computer audience.

Quoted from MarkRenshaw Intrigued, I had a look at their website. Outside of this free demo period, they are looking at charging $200 for individuals and $2000 for companies to analyse a script. This is an expensive tool. They can't have any suggestion it has flaws and doesn't deliver what they promise, otherwise they won't con, I mean convince people to fork out that much cash. So, while they are more than happy for you to submit your script to help them tune their A.I. it doesn't surprise me they are censoring critics. I wouldn't submit my scripts, even for novelty value. You are helping them and they are not even paying for all the data you are giving them.

Agree that they would never make it as a service that charges writers.  

You're bad ass, Dave.

What a bunch of cry-babies, clearly not a professional outfit that you would want to be apart of anyway. I put Shaka on there, blacklist away!!

Quoted from SAC You're bad ass, Dave.

LOL

Quoted from Warren What a bunch of cry-babies, clearly not a professional outfit that you would want to be apart of anyway. I put Shaka on there, blacklist away!!

RIght? Good thing these folks ain't writers

So what "happens" to the scripts on this site? Do they just sit there?  The PDF itself is not uploaded. And I can't see where we as writers can edit the submission (attachments, etc.).

AJR

Quoted from ajr So what "happens" to the scripts on this site? Do they just sit there?  The PDF itself is not uploaded. And I can't see where we as writers can edit the submission (attachments, etc.). AJR

Mine were taken down.

Yes, I remember. What happens to the submissions that are up there now? There are no PDFs. They can't be edited. Is it just that someone needs to come to Scriptbook and say "I'd like to read that"... ?

AJR

Quoted from ajr Yes, I remember. What happens to the submissions that are up there now? There are no PDFs. They can't be edited. Is it just that someone needs to come to Scriptbook and say "I'd like to read that"... ? AJR

Oh, I have no idea. I guess a Producer could look at it =but they only have about 260 scripts there - seems like a dead site to me

I too check. My scripts are gone.

Another site, Story Data (storydata.io), have potential. If only their A.I "computer" could correctly analyse a script.    

Quoted from BarryJohn I too check. My scripts are gone. Another site, Story Data (storydata.io), have potential. If only their A.I "computer" could correctly analyse a script.

All they really do is count the objective things - word count, lines of dialogue, etc.

WTF! An AI that judges how good a script is? My goodness. They don’t have to blacklist me. I blacklist them. What an utterly ridiculous idea.

Quoted from Anon WTF! An AI that judges how good a script is? My goodness. They don’t have to blacklist me. I blacklist them. What an utterly ridiculous idea.

Yep

So I just wrote to them and asked them to take down my two scripts. Because I have the basic package - meaning, I paid zero dollars - there's basically useless information up there.

So to go to the next step? $1,999 Euros. Which is over $2,400 US dollars.

It really makes me sick to see this type of exploitative money grab.

AJR

Quoted from ajr So I just wrote to them and asked them to take down my two scripts. Because I have the basic package - meaning, I paid zero dollars - there's basically useless information up there. So to go to the next step? $1,999 Euros. Which is over $2,400 US dollars. It really makes me sick to see this type of exploitative money grab. AJR

criminal

I got a totally different response from them when I asked about my scripts
Hi, if we blacklist a person we do it for a reason. When it comes to treating each other with respect, we believe that the door swings both ways. If we blacklisted you, then your scripts have been long removed from the marketplace. If the scripts are still up there, it's probably just the title entry (no script & no analysis stays on the marketplace after a blacklist). But I'll happily check for you. Please send us the titles of your scripts and we'll double check. Also, about copyright, check our rules of engagement please. We clearly advise writers to copyright their material before posting/uploading. We are datascientists with zero interest in stealing your stories/scripts. All we do is provide a free platform for writers in the hope that a third party will make these writers an offer. Also, we realize that we live in a twisted world but not everyone is out to get you. Here and there you'll still find small companies with high moral values that have an actual soul. ScriptBook is one of them.

Figured if we're gonna bash 'em should at least put up when they say it's been taken down

Quoted from JohnI I got a totally different response from them when I asked about my scripts Hi, if we blacklist a person we do it for a reason. When it comes to treating each other with respect, we believe that the door swings both ways. If we blacklisted you, then your scripts have been long removed from the marketplace. If the scripts are still up there, it's probably just the title entry (no script & no analysis stays on the marketplace after a blacklist). But I'll happily check for you. Please send us the titles of your scripts and we'll double check. Also, about copyright, check our rules of engagement please. We clearly advise writers to copyright their material before posting/uploading. We are datascientists with zero interest in stealing your stories/scripts. All we do is provide a free platform for writers in the hope that a third party will make these writers an offer. Also, we realize that we live in a twisted world but not everyone is out to get you. Here and there you'll still find small companies with high moral values that have an actual soul. ScriptBook is one of them. Figured if we're gonna bash 'em should at least put up when they say it's been taken down

Fair enough - but I would add this:

Prior to a writer going through the effort of uploading their scripts - it would have been nice if they had a statement reflecting their true intents. Something akin to:

The service is free. However, please note that we will be reviewing posts you make on screenwriting sites and if we find that you have said anything negative we will ban you from our site.


Now - I know that they wouldn't say that because that would mean they would have to admit they were behaving like children rather than professionals that are interested in both positive and negative feedback,

I wish them all the best. I personally don't think they will get there as there are too many flaws in the AI-generated script review process. But whatever - hope they hit it out of the park. I do know that if they are going to grow as a company, they sure as hell are going to need to grow thicker skin.

Agree Dave