The October One Week Challenge selected script is Old Ninety-nine Face by Cameron Mitchell (cam17)
Read by: iScript.com

The October One Week Challenge genre was Family Horror (in other words, a horror movie you could watch as a family).  The theme, as selected by my nine-year-old son, was "At the Halloween festival, strange things happened".  Participants had one week to write a 12 page script on the genre and theme.   We had 29 scripts which were read and discussed over on the discussion board.  One script was selected to be audio performed by the fine folks over at iScript.com.  That selected script is Old Ninty-nine Face by Cameron Mitchell .

Evan, new to the neighborhood, hears the legend of Old Ninety-nine Face, a hermit whose ghost supposedly haunts a nearby house.  As the story goes, steal something from the house on Halloween night, and the ghost of Old Ninety-nine Face will come for you.  Evan doesn't believe it, but he soon will.

You can read along with the pdf version of the script.  You can discuss this script and all the OWC entries here.  You can download the audio script (mp3 format) or head over to SimplyScripts.com and listen to it on your computer.  

{note: This audio recording is released under a Creative Commons, attribution, noncommercial, no derivatives 3.0 license. You can share the audio recording in its entirety, but you can't change it or sell it. }

Thanks to everyone who participated in the challenge. - Don






Very special thanks to iScript.com for sponsoring the challenge and judging the final scripts.



Pipe image courtesy of AdHocPipe.com

A word on the selected script process for the October 2009 challenge.

As mentioned, my 9 year old son selected the theme - At the Halloween festival, strange things happened.  He was very excited about reading the scripts. I selected about ten of the scripts and printed them out for him to read.  Needless to say, I selected scripts that didn't have bad language in them.  



I also asked each of the participants to send me which three scripts (of the scripts they had read) they liked the best.  Taking their input into consideration, I added a few more scripts to my son's 'to read' pile despite the fact there was some, in my mind, objectionable language or overly strong themes.  

My son took his job very seriously.  He read 13 scripts and provided his critique in the form of a five point scale and comments.  I thought it would be fun to share his comments.  Please take this in the spirit it was intended.  He is not a professional.

Creepville: A Halloween Tale - 3

Dear Boy - 4 "a bit scary"

Who's Afraid of a Big Bad Bug - 2

The Ghostly Cut - Doesn't fit the theme

Swine Lou - "This has nothing to do with Halloween.  No Score"
Don's Note: I was surprised.  I thought he would like this one.

Mayor Vamp - 3 "How do you get holy water?  "Not very long"  

Cumbara - 2 "It got confusing.  Molly was 10, but she seemed she was five"
Don's Note: I was surprised.  I thought he would like this one.


Scaregrounds - 3 - "This one has bad words in it.  Wasn't that scary.  There is no cover page.  What is the title."

Bloomb Thicket's Opera - confusing.  This [font] is hard to read
Don's Note: I picked this for him to read as I thought it fit his sense of humor.  He didn't get it

The Mystery of the Haunted Hay Wagon - 4

Ghost in the Graveyard -  4.5 "That's it?  No, 'The End'?  I think it is a page short.  What happened to Chet?  Some guy died, I think."
Don's Note: This was popular among the writers.  I was hesitant to let him read this.  I rationalized it by thinking, one of the  kids who drink and do drugs dies.  Might be a good morale lesson.  Completely lost on him.

Monster's Night Out - 5 - I like candy corn.  Scary, but doesn't have that 'pizzazz'.

Old Ninty-nine Face - 5 - "Goosebumpy"


Ghost in the Graveyard, Monster's Night Out and Old Ninety-nine Face were the three scripts sent to iScript for final selection.  

Congrats, Cam! This was my number one choice.


Sean

I think he's got good taste is what I think.

Bloomb Thicket's Opera can't be understood by a child without some clever background to what "The Golden Record" actually "was" that was sent into space. To be honest, the whole "thing" is too big for itself.

To be for children, it needs to be brought down, but my inner child enjoyed writing it. Thanks Don and company for allowing us the opportunity!  ;D ;D ;D

Oh, and thanks Rob! I have the video of Carl on my computer and have danced to it at 6 in the morning. Whoop? Ow! Whoop? Ow!  ;D I love Carl's spirit... And I will be writing more of him into some of my scripts in the future. Cosmos, does indeed rock. Who knew you could put "indeed" in the same sentence as "rock"?

I am indeed flabbergasted at the subtle nature that can be applied when one sentences oneself to a life of hardship and creativity, both of which are at once a jail term and freedom together, but rock us onward. Rock on!  ;)

Sandra

Great stuff Cam!  I liked this script and you did well. Cheers to Don's son too!!

Congratulations Cam!

Love the comments from Don's son!  Very well done, indeed.

Congrats to Cam on a very well written script.

Quoted from Don Please take this in the spirit it was intended.  He is not a professional.

Quoted from Don Jr. Monster's Night Out - 5 - I like candy corn.  Scary, but doesn't have that 'pizzazz'.

Sounds like a pro to me.

Excellent choice!  Old Ninety-Nine Face was my only selection.  I loved it.

And I'm glad Don's son didn't read mine cus I didn't have any candy corn in my story.  H edid a GREAT job!!!!!!!!

This was fun.  :)

congrats man.

This was fun. I procrastinated and procrastinated until I only had like 3 hours to write my script Who's Afraid of A Big Bad Bug, but that's no excuse. I'm happy with a 2 from your son. Hmm... no comments must have been bad. lol.

I knew the action needed some more but I had like 5 minutes to submit or even bring the parents back into the picture like I wanted to. I wanted it to have a Pixar type animation feel to it and to be all about family, Fear, ambition, and I wanted it to be a bit funny as well as scary and not alienate kids.

I really didn't have enough time to finish this but the idea really said write me at the last couple of hours. I hope we have another one of these. I want to write more alot more.
I can see how someone may find the mantis familiar but it wasn't my intention. I've never seen that Buffy episode.

All or most of your comments are valid and are problems that I knew my story would have also I didn't know if my story could go out the festival.  I had a foreboding scene in the front before but I deleted it. I had plans to get to why the parents were there but I had no time to get there.

I didn't want Rube to ask for Carla's help it was originally her parents. The last act I was just rushing for time to complete it so thanks for all the feedback and I'm already outlining this.

I'm really happy that alot or most of the people on here got my humor and my scares at points.

Thanks yall, you can count on me entering the next contest which I hope is christmas themed and this time I'll finish it.

Quoted from hellsing3000 Thanks yall, you can count on me entering the next contest which I hope is christmas themed and this time I'll finish it.

Funny you should say that...

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?m-1257167159/

Congrats, Cam. I remember you being the selectee for one of these a while back. Also, I see from the script's thread that even Balt liked it! So you must be on to a winner.

Well done to all who entered! Now get yourself over to the Collabarative Board and try writing a feature.

Nice work, Cam...this was an early favorite of mine. I liked all the little touches, such as the types of pipes. It's pretty intricate description, but doesn't come across as overdone- adds to the quality and color of the story as opposed to detracting from it. Had some good peril and suspense as Evan takes action to save Sadie...

And a thanks to Don's young 'un for looking at Haywagon...Appreciated! :)

Congrats Cam!

Keep up the good work!

your kids got some good taste lol.

Thanks to everyone.  I have to say, I'm flattered by Don's son's review.  When I was writing this, I was specifically thinking about "Goosebumps," because I liked those stories when I was younger.  So, I guess "Goosebumpy"  is pretty high praise from a kid.

My other favorites I voted for were Cumbara and Monster's Night Out.  There were a lot of good stories this OWC, I think.

Quoted from Cam17 Thanks to everyone.  I have to say, I'm flattered by Don's son's review.  When I was writing this, I was specifically thinking about "Goosebumps," because I liked those stories when I was younger.  So, I guess "Goosebumpy"  is pretty high praise from a kid. My other favorites I voted for were Cumbara and Monster's Night Out.  There were a lot of good stories this OWC, I think.

Yes, Cumbara was a very strong script I thought. There were some very good ones and every time I read a new one, I was excited about the creativity, from Halo Wins and the little worm family to the Ghost Cuts with the ghostly cutting of hair. Man you guys are awesome!

I still need to read about 5 more and I need to edit an article tomorrow and attend to some other business yet again, but I assure you, I WILL read them all and I apologize for my lateness.

Sandra

I'm such a slug...sorry for the naughty words, but I think older boys do cuss :)  Even though they shouldn't.

Great job by all this year...some strong entries and fun reading and guessing!

Mo