Halloween Contest Results!

[dpaterso]

Here are the results of the Annual Done Deal Fun Halloween Short Script Contest (or ADDFuHaSSCo if you prefer the easy-to-remember acronym):

1st_2nd_3rd_Total__Entry & Author
_2_______1_____7__#7: "The Siren" (DPaterson57)
_____3___1_____7__#8: "Off Night" (Bottomless Cup)
_2_____________6__#9: "Prêsta" (Fortean)
_2_____________6__#11: "Trash Night" (Habronic)
_1_______1_____4__#5: "The Lesser of Two Evils" (BetterThanNormal)
_1_______1_____4__#12: "The Looking Glass Lies" (Habronic)
_____1___1_____3__#2: "Extra Time" (DPaterson57)
_____1_________2__#3: "The Shortcut" (dgrunert)
_____1_________2__#4: "Demon Squad" (DPaterson57)
_____1_________2__#10: "Bed, Bath and Beyond" (J Off Course)
_________2_____2__#1: "What the Cat Dragged In" (Wenonah)

Thanks to everyone who took part by submitting, voting & commenting.

If your entry is further down the list than you expected and you're disappointed, don't be! Everyone's tastes are different, just because you didn't happen to ping a few more readers here doesn't mean your script sucks. As before, it's all about writing to theme and to deadline, which is good practice for all of us.

FYI, my votes were:
1st - Lesser of Two Evils
2nd - The Shortcut
3rd - What the Cat Dragged In

...which is to say, I didn't vote for any of my own entries, stupid me. I expected a hell of a lot more contestants so I submitted 3 scripts, two humorous, one serious, hoping to strike it lucky and match someone's reading tastes. Alas...

I know a couple more folks wanted to take part but couldn't due to Real Life time constraints, no worries, see you in the next contest!

-Derek
My wittle web page - hack stories, failed novels, dud screenplays, terminal writer's block. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
The fool, the meddling idiot. As though his ape's brain could contain the secrets of the Krell.

[habronic]

that was damn close at the end! grats to derek and bottomless :)

[BottomlessCup]

Man, I knew it was going to be close, but wow! One point seperates the top four.

Thanks and good job to everybody!

And congrats to whoever 'DPaterson57' is. ;)

[wenonah]

ouch :|



congrats to winners.

[ComicBent]

Wenonah,

Your script was very good.

I had some unexpected things to do in connection with a change in my professional activities. I found myself too busy to do anything creative or even to read the scripts, so I did not participate as a contestant or voter.

However, you submitted your script first, before I got overwhelmed with other things, and I read it. Nothing to regret there, girl.

:)

And congratulations, and thanks, to everyone who submitted or voted.

[J off course]

LOL- If I had known I'd end up so far down in the list, I would
have voted for myself.

Thanks Comic and Derek for your sponsoring these things.
"ADFIASCO" will be something I will look forward to entering
each year. There's nothing more fun than thinking up creepy stories.

Congrats to Derek for the top score.
Congrats to all who brave their fears and put themselves
out there.

Wenonah- it's quite possible Derek posted the results upside down.
<smile>

[dpaterso]

it's quite possible Derek posted the results upside down. <smile>

Ooooooohh, shiiiiiiiiiit! My arithmetic software was written before Y2K! <slaps head>

It has to be said, just a couple more people throwing votes into the bucket could easily have produced an entirely different set of results. There's only 5 points (that's points, not votes) between the "winners" and the "losers" (I use these terms very loosely). Ergo, I don't think these results prove much of anything. So let's focus on the "hopefully everyone enjoyed themselves" angle instead.

-Derek
My wittle web page - hack stories, failed novels, dud screenplays, terminal writer's block. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
The fool, the meddling idiot. As though his ape's brain could contain the secrets of the Krell.

[BetterThanNormal]

Okay if I'm interpreting the results correctly (it's late and I just got off work, so forgive me if I appear a bit daft) "Siren" and "Off Night" are tied for first, "Presta" and "Trash" are tied for second and "Lesser" (mine) and "looking Glass" are tied for third. Correct?

Congrats to the winners! I really enjoyed the experience a lot. This was a great workout! In truth the script took less than eight hours to write and I consider what I posted only a rough first draft. I found the constraints of twelve pages a bit tight. I had to drop some scenes and shorten a few. But overall I was happy enough with the results to go back to it after submitting it and add the deleted scenes and dialog. The final version is closer to fifteen pages and reads much better.

I'm really looking forward to the next one. Perhaps we could hold one every other month or so and make it genre based; rom-com one month, comedy the next, etc. Derek and CB did a great job of running this one. Special thanks to CB for his enduring patience during my email crisis.

Oh and Bottomless, they now have names. Beast #1 is Oglesnit and Beast #2 is Hulaburg.

BTN

[ComicBent]

Actually, I enjoyed handling the contest, despite some groans from me that you may have heard. I do not mind doing the script conversions and so forth.

I just regret that I got too busy, with some professional issues, to participate as a contestant or even as a reader and voter. All of that should settle down in a few months.

Carry on. :)

[ComicBent]

Ooooooohh, shiiiiiiiiiit! My arithmetic software was written before Y2K!
Derek, I knew it — you aren't really from Scotland at all, are you? You really live in Ohio, U.S.A., and work for the Diebold Company!

[dpaterso]

Derek, I knew it — you aren't really from Scotland at all, are you? You really live in Ohio, U.S.A., and work for the Diebold Company!

Shhh! Don't mention that name! I've been on the run and hiding behind false identities since early 1982, when I foolishly scribbled a DOS program that threatened the company's monopoly. They've had a squad of killer robots on my trail ever since. Which may seem like a joke to you, but I lie awake every night listening for the clank, clank, clank of impending doom.

-Derek
My wittle web page - hack stories, failed novels, dud screenplays, terminal writer's block. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
I'll bet any quantum mechanic in the service would give the rest of his life to fool around with this gadget.