Next Friday, January 12th, I will announce the genre and theme for the next one week challenge (wait for applause to die down).

For those of you unfamiliar with it, the OWC is a game.  Imagine if a director or producer gave you one week to come up with a short based on his idea?  How well could you work with such a deadline?  Here, you can find out.

In the past, the challenges have included genres and theme like:

A horror short involving milk;
A western short involving a general store;
A comedy involving the phrase, "Why is everyone shooting at me?"

and much much more!

Next Friday morning(EST), I will announce the genre and theme.  Scripts must be submitted by Friday, January 19th.  Submit them as you normally would, just mention in the submission process (under comments) that it's for the OWC.

Scripts will be posted anonomously for the first week or so, so no one will play favorites by reading only their friends' work.  After that time, your names will be attached and we will all have a good laugh over the matter.

THERE WILL BE NO VOTING ON A BEST SCRIPT!

See you at the challenge.


Phil

Yay, the time has come again!

Oooooh another one. Sounds cool. I wonder what the topic is gonna be. We got some pretty cool scripts out of the horror/milk stuff. I don't think any of us will be forgetting Spoiled anytime soon. I sure as heck won't.

Can't wait to see what you guys come up with.


Cheers, Chismeister.

Excellent. With Christmas and New Years over, there's at least one thing I'm excited for that's pretty close: Easter! Oh, and the OWC this month is kind of exciting too...  ::)

I know: A drama involving a screenwriter...or maybe we don't want to be writing about ourselves... We'll see if I can wrap my head around this one.

Quoted from dogglebe Next Friday morning(EST), I will announce the genre and theme.  Scripts must be submitted by Friday, January 19th.  Submit them as you normally would, just mention in the submission process (under comments) that it's for the OWC.

Under comments?

Quoted from Alex J. Cooper Under comments?

When you submit a script there's a box that lets you leave Don a comment, so for this thing you should write something like "Yo, this is for the one week challenge thing, got it?"

I always wondered how he knew which scripts were for these contest things and which ones weren't. I thought maybe Don was psychic, but I guess that's a bit far out of left field. I guess now I know how.


Cheers, Chismeister.

Alright, got it.

Damn it. By the time you announce the genre and theme I'll be back in school already :(

On the other hand, I can't wait! I just hope its not something out of my field, like a Western or something...

Western is as much a setting as it is a genre. There are a few conventions, but really some of the entries we got for that one were just in a western setting while containing a conventional plot. That works too. The trick is knowing what sorts of things are expected for a particular genre. That's part of the challenge, but it's not as hard as you might think. Action: guy gets in a car. Western: guy gets on a horse. Not too complicated.

Quoted from George Willson Western is as much a setting as it is a genre. There are a few conventions, but really some of the entries we got for that one were just in a western setting while containing a conventional plot. That works too. The trick is knowing what sorts of things are expected for a particular genre. That's part of the challenge, but it's not as hard as you might think. Action: guy gets in a car. Western: guy gets on a horse. Not too complicated.

And here's me thinking there were specific motifs in genre films which were recognisable and which enabled us to see them as being part of a particular genre.

When all along, a Western is simply "guy gets on a horse"... No, it's not too complicated when you look at it like this in simplistic terms..

For a more indepth explanation of genre you'll find some useful information on Wikepedia on these pages:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genre

Western (genre)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_%28genre%29

You'll find links within Wikepedia for additional genres like the Western link above where genre specific motifs and codes are discussed.

Never been a phenominal fan of Westerns but if by chance it is, i'll give it my all guys :)

Is anyone saying that it's a Western though?

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves guys?

Cheers, Chismeister?

No one knows what the genre and theme will be until I post it.  And I won't know until about a minute before I post it.



Phil

Quoted from Kevan And here's me thinking there were specific motifs in genre films which were recognisable and which enabled us to see them as being part of a particular genre. When all along, a Western is simply "guy gets on a horse"... No, it's not too complicated when you look at it like this in simplistic terms..

Seriously, Kevan, you've got to give me a little more credit than this.

But when you look at my comment in context, you'll find it was very directly related to encouraging someone to write in a genre they are relatively unfamiliar with and even uncomfortable with. Therefore, what I gave is an incredibly basic relationship between two genres: one more familiar to modern audiences than the other. Are there more conventions to the Western genre than Action? Of course. Do I want to overwhelm someone who is not comfortable with a particular genre? No.

Could I have provided more information for further reading so that once someone wraps their mind around that genre, they can do some further research? Sure. Thank you for calling me out and correcting me. Nothing gives me more pleasure than a good bit of corrective action. Feedback is love.

Is great when we see two colleagues very smart enlightening the things giving their best of their skills in order to teach us what they know. Congratulations and thanks George and kevan!

Yeah. To be entirely honest, that wiki article and your comments tempted me to try and write one for some reason, even though I've probably only seen two westerns in my entire life.


So thank you both.

Quoted from George Willson Seriously, Kevan, you've got to give me a little more credit than this. .

Sure thing buddy, take it all. Your post stimulated debate and encouraged other writers to research "genre" and the "Western genre". So this was good, right? Nothing personal, George. Sorry if it came across this way...

Sorry folks, me talkin' about 'The Western' in this thread gave the impression that this was in some way related to this month's OWC thingy. Is isn't! Its purely an example of what "genre" is in relation to story type and how genre is populated with iconography and motifs particular to itself as a specfic genre:

Western
Gangster
Horror
Thriller
War
Romance
Etc, etc....

Not long now. This time I'm going to spend the whole of the week on this. Rewrite after rewrite...

Quoted from The boy who could fly what about Anime:D  we know how phil loves Anime.

If that be the case then I'll write a 60th sequel to Pokeporn.

I was thinking of erotica....but then I had to stop.  The one week challenge starts tomorrow.


Phil

Quoted from The boy who could fly what about Anime:D  we know how phil loves Anime.

Is anime even a true genre? I don't think so. Anime isn't a type of story just a way of presenting a story visually (animation).

Or am I wrong?

~Pete

Quoted from tomson I for one would not participate if that was the genre. Not only would I be incapable of coming up with any ideas, but I would be deeply offended. I'm a very sensitive and conservative person and classy too, just in case you didn't know this.

I agree, same feeling here! Only for the fact that the writing for that genre is sub-standard of course, and that is what matters even if you are one handed.

Wait, we might be able to class it up some, since it is being written by us SS writers! Who knows, might work?

I'll give it a try...Oh wait the genre hasn't been announced yet has it? Darn I have a wealth of research material right here on my shelf. ;D :o

--Kotton

Doesn't matter Phil's choice. We are writers, aren't we?

I'd script porn. It'd probably be pretty easy. Only like three lines of dialogue, and a bunch of action...and then the dog does something. I'm sure it'd be quite interesting. We'd REALLY get to know our fellow simplyscripters. Plus I'm sure Peter North would jump all over this challenge in a second. :P

Quoted from Helio Doesn't matter Phil's choice. We are writers, aren't we?

Good point, Helio.  If a director came up to you and said he wanted to pay you for an erotica short (or feature), would you turn it down?

I've written it in the past.  It's easy money.



Phil

Good point, Phil. I do everything for free! For money I just do...doesn't matter! Oh, by the way, when I was a teen my nickname was LONG JOHN!

Quoted from Pete B. Lane Is anime even a true genre? I don't think so. Anime isn't a type of story just a way of presenting a story visually (animation).

Anime is actually a genre with its own peculiarities that you can't get away with in other genres. I don't know much about it, but when I've read anime before, there were things I didn't "get" because they were conventions of the genre. Alan Holman is the local anime junkie who would jump all over this one if he read it.

I think we can rule out anime as a genre for the one week chalenge.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe I think we can rule out anime as a genre for the one week chalenge.

I didn't figure that one to be so much as a passing thought. I remember that rather heated discussion vividly.

But Anime is a legitimate genre! I think it deserves a spot somewhere in a future OWC.

I'm not quite sure how anime is legitimate genre... Que Kevan with some extremely helpful information on anime...

Quoted from ReaperCreeper But Anime is a legitimate genre! I think it deserves a spot somewhere in a future OWC.

Nope, not really. I don't watch anime, I don't like anime, I don't read anime, I don't write anime, I don't get the appeal of anime, and if anime was a genre in the OWC, I definitely wouldn't participate. But that's just my vote.

Quoted from dogglebe I think we can rule out anime as a genre for the one week chalenge.

I wouldn't mind it if it came by one time. I've never really watched any anime before but it'd be a fun experience trying to write it. Though I'm not sure if it can be truly a genre. I don't think you could just say Anime/Milk and I'd get right on it. Firstly I'd say "Dude, we've already done milk." And Anime, how the heck do you write it?!

I have no idea if I'm in favour or against Anime in a future OWC now.  :-/

A little research goes a long way which is how some of us look so knowledgeable about a great many things. Here's an article on Anime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime

See, there are a load of genres for Anime. You couldn't possibly use Anime as a genre without saying another, or else every story would be completely different in a bad way. I guess I can say Anime can be ruled out. Thanks for the link, George, I should really do a lot more research on things.

Anime is a legitimate genre, it just seems to have a smaller fan base than a lot of other genres, at least it does on this site. I don't get into anime myself, I don't really enjoy it in general, but it should be considered a genre in itself because it just is. Horror movies are in the genre called "Horror" because they are about scary things -- well, they are in theory. Anime movies are anime, so they should be in that genre. Wow, that was a repetative sentence.

But where the hell did this anime debate come from? No one is saying that the genre of the OWC has even the remotest thing to do with anime.


Cheers, Chismeister.

Enough with the anime!!  It's not anime!!

Quick reminder of the rules:

You have one week to write a short script based on the genre and theme at the end of this post.  Read the rules.  Do not go straight to--aww crap, half if you just scrolled straight to the bottom.

Mention in the comment box on the submission page that your script is part of the one week challenge.

No more than four submissions per person per one week challenge (I call this the Helio rule).

No voting on best script.  Just read them and comment on their own individual merits.

Don will originally post your work without your name attached to it.  After a week or two, your name will appear.

The genre and theme are:  erotica and girls' reform school!

Now that Pia has put her fist through her monitor, here is the real genre and theme:

genre:  sci-fi
theme:  pop corn


Good luck!


Phil

Sci-fi and popcorn. Interesting.


Cheers, Chismeister.

And weirder than horror and milk?

Get writing!


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Imagine if a director or producer gave you one week to come up with a short based on his idea?

What kind of producer would be corny enough asking for a such idea?

Quoted from michel What kind of producer would be corny enough asking for a such idea?

The one who can't decide whether he wants to hire you or not.

Darn you Phil, popcorn and sci-fi? I've never seen popcorn in a sci-fi film before... aww man, this one is gonna be tough.

Quoted from Parker aww man, this one is gonna be tough.

i think phil had that in mind :D

I love how this one always seems to come on finals week for me.  Thanks Phil!  

-Tyler Higgins

P.S. That was sarcasm, I'm not actually happy, I don't love it, I'm bitter and I hate it.

P.P.S. This is a pity post, i want at least one person ro start a following post with something along the lines of "oh1 thats terrible!" and it cant be sarcastic.

P.P.P.S. Does this remind anyone of killer klowns from outer space?

Oh that's terrible! Sci Fi and Pop Corn? Truly terrible, but do-able!

"I'll bet it'll be sci-fi. I don't think that's been used yet. Just a feeling I have, but who knows."

Hey Pia you are a fortune-teller!!! G'me a lotery number this week, please, dear!

Quoted from michel What kind of producer would be corny enough asking for a such idea?

Michel’s observation is technically correct, IMO; I doubt that a producer would hire a writer to write an horror script based on a premise that doesn’t even sound scary (i.e. milk). But I think that the point of this exercise is different.

When a producer decides to spend some thousands in paying a screenwriter to write a script around an idea, such idea will likely be a commercial one; the kind of premise that instantly sounds like a movie (the kind of idea that maybe some were expecting to see as genre and theme for this challenge).

Writing a script around a strong/commercial idea will likely be easier than writing one based on an “uninspiring” genre & theme like “sci-fi/ pop corn”. But if the writer learns to find interesting angles even in premises of this kind, he/she will have a much stronger training when (and if) the day comes in which a producer hires him/her to write something around a really great idea.

Think of a football coach ordering his team to climb up and down a muddy hill on a rainy day. There aren’t hills and mud in the football field, just green well kept grass on a flat terrain. Yet, climbing the hill again and again is what makes the player’s legs stronger and ready for the real match.

For my part, I consider this exercise like a similar kind of training. Dealing with “muddy” premises forces the writing muscles to their limit, making them stronger.

Oh, and it’s fun.

Quoted from dogglebe No more than four submissions per person per one week challenge (I call this the Helio rule).

While I think Phil may be expressing a little sarcasm here, can we please make it one submission per person?  The point is to see if one can write the given theme and genre in one week, not how many scripts one can turn out in one week.  Plus reading multiple entries from the same person I think is unfair for everyone else.  But that's me.

I think if someone can turn out more than one GOOD script during this exercise, then there's no problem. But turning in four mediocre scripts defeates the purpose of the exercise.

And to debunk the possibility of sci-fi and popcorn, it's been done. In the Veggietales video "Are you my Neighbor?", there is a Star Trek spoof as one of the two stories. In this story, the USS Applepies must somehow get out of the way of a giant popcorn ball. There's a message to it of course, and they launch two gourds into the popcorn ball to eat it before it can hit them, but it fits sci-fi and popcorn. So detractors, be silent. It can be done.

Which is in charge of here, please? I'd like to call to my lawyer.

Quoted from Higgonaitor P.P.P.S. Does this remind anyone of killer klowns from outer space?

YES! I thought of the same exact thing when I read the theme.

And I agree with Greg on lowering the entry amount. 4 seems a little excessive. Maybe even split it right in the middle and just say 2 per person.

I thought Phil was being sarcastic about the whole 4 submissions per person thing. I'm sure of it. I think George is right in saying that if, and that's a big IF, anyone can write more than one GOOD story about popcorn in sci-fi land then submit them... as long as there isn't more than two or three perhaps. But they should be worth the submission and time to write them.

Someone thinking they can write two really good shorts for this in a week doesn't really do anything for anyone.  Daniel Robinson thought he could write awesome shorts in about 10 minutes, and we all know what happened there.  I just think that for this to really be a "challenge" it should be one per person, period.  IMO this should be the "crown jewel" of what you can come up with in a week.  

I know this is all by chance, but say someone who didn't submit a script decides to read some of the entries anyway.  Well, let's say that this person by chance reads all of the scripts submitted by one author for the exercise.  Doesn't that kind of ruin it for the other writers?  Instead of reading a script by a different author for the select stories that they chose, they happened to read all of the selections from one person, and that takes away from other scripts.  

I know that we've had multiple entries from quality writers in the past, but you see where I'm coming from here, right?

No, Greg! Could you be more specific, please?

Quoted from michel What kind of producer would be corny enough asking for a such idea?

While a producer probably wouldn't produce such a script, he might ask you to write it to see what you can do.  Writing a sci-fi script about an alien invasion would be too easy.  This is supposed to be a challenge.


Phil

Quoted from Helio No, Greg! Could you be more specific, please?

What would you like me to be more specific on?

Don't know, dude, maybe because I like specifcies.

"Only four? I have 6, but they're in Swedish I just have to translate first. And why is everyone talking about popcorn?

Hey Pia, have yo been in the club, dear?

Hey, does this excercise have a page limit like the other one? Or does it just have to qualify as a short (5-30pgs.)?

It's still 15 pages probably. I think that's the way it's always been.

I think this is really a test to see who's really crrraaazzyy. But yeah, I think they're gonna be good too. And now I'm having second thoughts about how many submissions per person... but the thoughts are staying in my head!

I think because of the theme sometimes you are given the opportunity to write a stinker and get away with it. It's like picking comedy and glue as the theme... the ideas written from that might be funny but the scripts will be about an exciting as the theme.

A logline writing contes... challenge would produce much better results. Phil has done that before with "Why is everybody always shooting at me" or even with a line of dialogue or a situation that you have to build around.

But it doesn't really matter because nobody takes this challenge seriously anyway judging by the numerous childish jokes that have since been deleted. Deleted because they violated the off topic discussion rules and numerous other ones.

Sci Fi and Popcorn could produce some unique ideas.

Quoted from Old Time Wesley I think because of the theme sometimes you are given the opportunity to write a stinker and get away with it. It's like picking comedy and glue as the theme... the ideas written from that might be funny but the scripts will be about an exciting as the theme.

I think glue would be an exciting idea. Think uprising horses or "natural" glue. I'm fancying that idea more than Scifi Popcorn ATM.

Quoted from The boy who could fly This might turn out some great scripts, or a lot of stinkers.  I'm thinkin great scripts :D

Put me down for a stinker.

Quoted from Alex J. Cooper I think glue would be an exciting idea. Think uprising horses or "natural" glue. I'm fancying that idea more than Scifi Popcorn ATM.

We shall see judging from the ideas I came up with as well as some others I have spoken with... this genre and theme seems to be producing some very original thoughts.

It could be worse, folks.

I've got a week to write a 2500 word short story for the contest over on nycmidnight.com. A FAIRY TALE about ENDANGERED SPECIES!

To think I paid 30 bucks for the privilidge.

When do these scripts get posted?  Anyone know?  Looking forward to reading them.

Quoted from mcornetto When do these scripts get posted?  Anyone know?  Looking forward to reading them.

Maybe a week.  It all depends on Don's schedule.

People, you have ten or twelve hours to submit your script.


Phil

Oooh I can't wait! I can't wait to see how everyone used popcorn inside a sci-fi script. It was pretty hard for me, but I think I was able to make it work. I just don't like the guessing part... :P

Sean

Quoted from tomson Isn't the deadline at midnight? If it is in the morning, I'm screwed. I haven't even had time to think anything up yet, but I was planning on a last minute brainstorm.

Like waiting till the 11th hour, do you?

Quoted from tomson I'm not a layabout if that's what you are implying.

I wasn't implying anything - just joking around - should have used a  ;).

You have until midnight in your home time zone, so for me, that gives 18 hours.

Quoted from tomson Isn't the deadline at midnight? If it is in the morning, I'm screwed. I haven't even had time to think anything up yet, but I was planning on a last minute brainstorm. Say it ain't so!  :-/

Why do people think they have until midnight?  You have one week from when the theme and genre are announced?  Down to the hour!

Pencils up!  Hand in your work!


Phil

Well, here's one such example of the time clarification from the October 2006

Quoted from bert You guys need to be aware that the cut-off is midnight wherever you are -- not by Don's watch.

This is supported by multiple previous conversations about exactly the same thing. If you change this rule, you have to specify it.

Quoted from mcornetto I wasn't implying anything - just joking around - should have used a  ;).

Sorry about how that sounded. Don't take any of my posts too seriously, especially if they are posted around 2-4am.  ;)

Since it's now been cleared up that the deadline is 11:59pm tonight, I think I will give this one a try. I've got seven hours.

What was the assignment again?

I wish i had known it was due midnight of the day phil posted.  i was under the impression it was exactly one week like he said.  I could have had an extra day to work on mine, I sort of waited until the eleventh hour yesterday (finals were a pain, Emily Dickenson was what gave the batman guys the idea for the riddler.)  Oh well.  

We'll have to settle this time thing out, I'm pretty sure phil has the end all vote, seeing as thigh it's his contest, but I didnt really see anything in the rues saying that the cut-off was midnight, just a week from when he posted.

I'm sure if you nicely ask Don, he'll post it even if it is a few hours late.  He's done so in the past.

Quoted from Higgonaitor I wish i had known it was due midnight of the day phil posted.  i was under the impression it was exactly one week like he said.  I could have had an extra day to work on mine, I sort of waited until the eleventh hour yesterday (finals were a pain, Emily Dickenson was what gave the batman guys the idea for the riddler.)  Oh well.

What I can do next time is post the genre and theme later in the day...maybe twelve hours later in the day.


PHil

Quoted from tomson I'm two pages in. I still have 4 hours, so I'm hopeful...

Go! Pia! Go!   :D

Pia -- You always write such academy award nomination material. I can't wait to read your story. Although, I wont know who you are until a tew weeks later. I will try and guess. Probably will have some killing or burning in the script. Maybe even burned pop corn.

Spencer

Quoted from dogglebe What I can do next time is post the genre and theme later in the day...maybe twelve hours later in the day.

...Or you could ummm...just mention when it's due when you post the theme. At first it was at midnight when it switched to Friday, then I assumed it was 7 or 8 in the morning from your post, exactly a week when you posted, and now it's apparently it's at 11:59 tonight, so...what? It would've been nice to know, especially when there may be people participating for the first time.

Quoted from Steve-Dave ...Or you could ummm...just mention when it's due when you post the theme. At first it was at midnight when it switched to Friday, then I assumed it was 7 or 8 in the morning from your post, exactly a week when you posted, and now it's apparently it's at 11:59 tonight, so...what? It would've been nice to know, especially when there may be people participating for the first time.

I've always said that it was one week.  It was other who said that the deadline was midnight of that day.  I thought this made it unfair for thtose in the less fortunate time zones.


Phil

As I've understood, the deadline as always been 11:59 a week after the announcement of genre and theme. I don't know what all this fuss is about.

Speaking of which, you got exactly one hour and counting, Pia. Good luck!

Just sent it in with 2 minutes to go.

I just started on it six or so hours ago. It's a rough one, but it does have popcorn.....

Spencer, you're a funny man. You may want to take your comment back after you read it. If not well...  :K)

Quoted from tomson Just sent it in with 2 minutes to go. I just started on it six or so hours ago. It's a rough one, but it does have popcorn.....

Don't worry Pia, I wrote mine in about 2 hours, read it over once, and sent it in. ;D Hint: I guarantee everyone will know which one is mine!  :P :-/ :B :D

Sean

When will we know who the winner is?

Quoted from dogglebe THERE WILL BE NO VOTING ON A BEST SCRIPT!

What you want to be asking is when the writers' names will be revealed.

Quoted from James McClung What you want to be asking is when the writers' names will be revealed.

I don't understand, aren't the names right next to each script title? I see them, they all say, written by and then they have a name. Am I missing something?

Those names are fake. The real names aren't released until a week or so after the entries have been posted.

Quoted from DDP When will we know who the winner is?

The OWC is just an exercise, dude..

To get you to write within a deadline with a genre and theme like other competitions do or if you receive a remit to write a script for a director or producer and there is a 1 week time limit to submission.

These kinds of exercises are good practice, to get you to write under pressure, to see what you can come up with...

Quoted from James McClung Those names are fake. The real names aren't released until a week or so after the entries have been posted.

Oh, okay, thanks for explaining that. :)

Quoted Text The OWC is just an exercise, dude.. To get you to write within a deadline with a genre and theme like other competitions do or if you receive a remit to write a script for a director or producer and there is a 1 week time limit to submission. These kinds of exercises are good practice, to get you to write under pressure, to see what you can come up with...

Ah, I see. Thanks, *dude*. ;)