The Inaugural Done Deal Summertime Short Writing Contest (beta)

[dclary]

Ok, here's what I'm looking at.

A) There will be three topics that your short must be based on. Please feel free to suggest topics before they're finalized.

B) You may enter as many times as you want. All entries will be anonymous. I am setting up a website where you can submit scripts and have them presented nicely.

C) Scripts should be no longer than 10 pages. Scripts longer than 10 pages will suffer a 10% vote value penalty per page greater than 10 (thus, a 20 page script automatically ends up with 0 votes -- but if you have a brilliant 12-page script, you could risk 20% of your votes to keep the two extra pages).

D) Submission deadline is July 2. All voting/analysis will take place on Done Deal (so we can ensure one vote/person)

Each person may vote for 3 shorts, with 1st place getting 3 points, 2nd place getting 2 and 3rd place getting 1. The entry with the most total points wins.

Tiebreakers:

1st tie-breaker, if two pieces have the same # of points, then the piece with the most first-place votes wins.

2nd tie-breaker: if two pieces have the same # of points and 1st-place votes, then the piece with the most second place votes.

3rd tie-breaker: if two pieces have the same # of points 1st-place votes and 2nd-place votes, the piece with the fewest pages will win.

In the event all 3 tie-breakers are met, and two pieces are still tied, there will be an official tie.

[Adam Isaac]

Awesome! What have been some of the previous short topics? Holidays only? Themes?

[Kwvillen]

dc, I like all of your suggestions except 'you can enter as many times as you want' - Just for the fact, that I don't want to read 100 shorts. Maybe if you put a cap, like 'You can enter up to 3 Shorts per person' or something like that. Anyway, it sounds like fun.

KWV

[dclary]

Just as you don't want to read them, Kwv... no one wants to write them either. I'll leave it open unless it suddenly becomes a problem.


Yeah, Isaac. Themes and Holidays mostly. I'm thinking "America, 4th of July, War" as the three topics, since it ends on the weekend of the 4th -- but if anyone wants to offer a different topic/idea, I'd be open for that, too.

[billythrilly7]

C) Scripts should be no longer than 10 pages.

Will there be a script minimum length?

[dclary]

No, though current dimensional laws prohibit the use of negative or imaginary numbers for your page count.

[Kwvillen]

originally posted by dclary: Just as you don't want to read them, Kwv... no one wants to write them either.

Good point.

KWV

[BROUGHCUT]

clary, cool idea. I may enter this one. "America, vetrans, war"... isn't that one topic, not three?

[Qazworld]

clary - maybe you can push this up to the end of may or something.

july seems too far away for short scripts.

[billythrilly7]

maybe it could be the spring contest

[dclary]

march, april, may, june....

I'm in Hawaii for most of April, and not accessible. Do we want to do like, due May 1, votes in by May 15 or something? I'm agreeable to that.


That was three different topics, whoever asked that.

[Qazworld]

may 1st sounds good.

if its okay with other ppl.

and are we going to go w/ BTN's suggestion to have the winner get free coverage?

[Adam Isaac]

Whatever's clever. May 1st is cool.

[dclary]

I don't have access to free coverage. Unless someone with some clout can pony up a real prize, the current prize will be 1 year of free webhosting.

[BetterThanNormal]

May 1st is good. If we can't agree on a theme why not just go with a more structured assignment like one with a specific genre and lead role. I'd prefer something more challenging than just a simple theme.

DC if you want I'll send out some feelers and see if anyone would be willing to offer to do coverage for the contest.

[dclary]

Sure, why not BTN?

[BROUGHCUT]

how about making the winning short? There's enough talent on DD to do that?

Maybe contact Jennifer Ansell/Martin Kunert (http://groups.google.co.uk/group/misc.writing.screenplays.moderated/browse_frm/thread/188033881ca4df45)... They are interested in producing shorts during their downtime (warning, after the jump: the twilight zone...). They may be interested in getting involved somehow?

[Fortean]

Themes and Holidays mostly. I'm thinking "America, 4th of July, War" as the three topics, since it ends on the weekend of the 4th -- but if anyone wants to offer a different topic/idea, I'd be open for that, too.Canada, 1st of July (formerly Dominion Day), Diplomacy.

Y a-t-il une pénalité si le scénario n'est pas écrit en anglais?






Just kiddin', (that's just enough to get Billy bouncing for a few minutes).

[TDWoj]

Canada, 1st of July (formerly Dominion Day), Diplomacy.

Bravo, Fortean! I was just going to ask if this was an Americans-only contest.

Y a-t-il une pénalité si le scénario n'est pas écrit en anglais?


Just kiddin', (that's just enough to get Billy bouncing for a few minutes).

:rolling:

[phoenixwriting]

So is this a northern-hemisphere-only contest? :p

Fair enough, come May I'll be staring down the barrel of winter, but still...

[Qazworld]

a possible idea for a theme:

A character epiphany/ turning point in his/her life


thank-you

[dclary]

Forty, I think you said "does the scene need to be in english?"

Personally, I'd say no. But you might not get any votes if none of the readers has any clue what the f*ck you wrote.

[Kwvillen]

So, we're shooting for May 1st. What are we writing about? I don't have any suggestions, to offer, but I'd like to know NOW. Thanks. :)

KWV