This is the first of three un-interrelated writing challenges...  UP first

Theme: "Calls"

Genre: Open - Drama, Dramedy, Comedy, Sci fi, Rom Com, Crime, Thriller, etc

Challenge: A conversation between two (or more) people - There can be multiple conversations, but each conversation has to be between two people at a time across an electronic device, cell/mobile, landline, walkie-talkie, ham radio, CB radio, intercom, Morse code, text, etc.

Update - This can be written as a radio play
Update #2 - Think 'audio drama'

Write a one to four (1 - 4) page script, properly formatted script anonymously. Participation requires all participants to read and comment in the discussion board on all (up to ten) scripts.



Additional info & timeline:



Mon 4/12/21 8:00pm edt - Announce theme and genre

Fri 4/16/21 - Scripts due midnight edt to SimplyScripts.com/OWC

Sat 4/17/21 - Noon scripts posted

Wed 4/21/21 - Start guessing no spoilers

Fri 4/23/21 - Writer's Choice Due.

Sun 4/25/21 - Writer's Choice announced



This isn't a contest - it's a challenge. There are no official prizes.

You/your team can revise the script as many times as you wish up until the deadline.

Do not put your real name(s) on your script; this is an anonymous challenge. However, please use your real name(s) when submitting your script.

After the challenge closes you can either have your script removed or resubmit your script with your name on it.

Participants must read and comment/review in the discussion board at least 10 other scripts submitted or your work will be removed (no harm, no foul. I understand that live gets in the way.

Please put ©2021 on your title page.

Any questions about the challenge, post them.

There will be a review page emailed to you for you to score the scripts you read. Please only give scores to scripts that you have read. Please do not rate scripts in your review.

Nice one, Don.

Plenty of scope.
Good that you're being a hard-arse about involvement too.

This sounds like my kind of party!  

Quoted from Don Participants must read and comment/review in the discussion board at least 10 other scripts submitted or your work will be removed (no harm, no foul. I understand that live gets in the way.

This is a great approach.  

So simple...made so difficult. Sigh.

So every conversation in the script must be between 2 people across an electric device or it just needs to be the bulk of the script?

Quoted from Warren So every conversation in the script must be between 2 people across an electric device or it just needs to be the bulk of the script?

Yes, every conversation.  Think radio play.  Also, there can be multiple conversations. One can hang up and call someone else.  Also, someone can be yelling in the background.  Explore the space.

- Don

So I'll be the stupid one and be the first to ask the obvious question.  All conversation or can there be any action blocks.  Feels like there might need to be some minimal action at least to potentially setup/end the story.

The Guilty

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6742252/

Now, that's how it's done.

Quoted from Gary in Houston So I'll be the stupid one and be the first to ask the obvious question.  All conversation or can there be any action blocks.  Feels like there might need to be some minimal action at least to potentially setup/end the story.

Yes, you’ll need action blocks, to describe what is heard in the background...

Don

Quoted from Don Yes, every conversation.  Think radio play. - Don

Cheers, this is going to be a tough one.

Quoted from LC The Guilty https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6742252/ Now, that's how it's done.

Excellent film!

Last one from me... Is this one entry per writer? I know that for the last few challenges there could be multiple entries.

Quoted from Don Yes, you’ll need action blocks, mostly to describe what is heard in the background... Don

The "heard in the background" confused me a bit.  I understand that this is two people having a conversation and all of that conversation takes place via a device such as a telephone.

My initial thought was: Okay, using a phone call as an example,  I can write a scene where my protag is in his house talking to someone on the phone. I can write what he looks like, what the home looks like, what he is doing, etc. as long as all of the dialogue takes place over the phone. Long-winded way of saying it's just like any other script except for the dialogue takes place over the phone.

After your clarification (heard in the background) - it made me think that what you are really going after is no physical scenes or visuals per se - i.e, everything in the script is heard. You don't even see the characters.

Which is it - the former or the latter (or neither?)

Gracias.

Good question, Dave.

As in The Guilty, most of the action takes place in one room in the Cop station, and the call that comes in is just audio with sound effects in the background.

It's to be filmed, right Don? So, not a radio Play as such?
Like the 911 call shows - we only see the operator and hear everything on the other end of the call - we don't cut between both scenes?

would skype/facetime/zoom count in the "electronic" category?