In A World Where...

[OzFade]

Trying to shake some things up in the writing exercises.

In A World Where... is a new writing exercise where instead of writing a 5 page short you are asked to write a trailer for your movie (one you've currently written, one you're currently writing or one you randomly make up).

7 page max for entries. As for format let's just stick to standard screenplay format except camera directions are allowed etc. Anything that helps us seeing the trailer in our head the better.

Horror, science fiction, drama, comedies, fantasies...where ever your passion may lie.

Maximum of two submissions per user. All entries can either be e-mailed or pm'd to yours truly.

Entries can be submitted from June 1st to June 15th. Voting will commence on the 16th of June until the 22nd. Winners shall be revealed on the 23rd of June.

Any questions, comments, complaints?

The reason I'm only keeping the entry time for two weeks is I seem to see that contests that last for a month lose a lot of interest from the board. The shorter the better I say. Also helps with deadlines.

Good luck all and have fun.

[Qazworld]

make it a week!

thank you

and good luck with the contest

[Adam Isaac]

You're money, mang!:cool:

Experimenting with deadlines is the way forward. Being a bit liberal with contests ideas/themes/dlines like this is what it's all about. It keeps the level of activity up.

[OzFade]

Well after my other idea was stolen by that other damn short script comp I had to top it.

I expect both of you to enter...I am....also gotta write my GEEK entry

[cmmora]

I have written many spec feature scripts, but I find the prospect of writing a trailer very scary. I have the opportunity of filming a couple of trailers this summer with an excellent DP and his crew. I'm just having the worst time condensing two of my features into 2 min trailers. Maybe this comp will jolt me out of my funk...

[dpaterso]

Yeah OK, but first, the Geek contest! Deadline May 31. 5 pages, Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Send entries to IndieMe.

-Derek

[OzFade]

Might need to extend the page count on this one.

[Adam Isaac]

Yeah OK, but first, the Greek council!


We're still only probationary Tri-Lambs, but you're right. We'll never get a fair shake as long as Stan Gable is head of the Greek Council.

[Robot17]

Gads this is a great idea. Nice one Oz.

[OzFade]

Thanks Robot.

Any type of writing is good for us and by writing your own trailer you might even dream up new exciting set peices or scenes that you may never have thought of before.

It's a challenge though...I've already started trying to write one.

[OzFade]

New update before we begin. I'm going to allow a 7 page max for these entries.

[Signal30]

Seven pages for a trailer?

Wow.

I'm in, 'cuz I think part of the process should be that the writer writes the trailer, too.

[dpaterso]

Seven pages for a trailer?
I wuz thinking the same thing. Wouldn't 30 seconds be more apt? Or 1 page max.? Just asking.

-Derek

[OzFade]

Dp...the page limit was always going to be guess-work...I mean none have us have written a trailer before, plus for clairty (for the comp) we have to write in standard script format...which can take up a chunk of white.

So I'm thinking 7 pages max...however you can keep it short and snappy if you think that 7 pages will bore some people.

Experiment.

It's a new type of competition...so until we really see how it goes I have to let people do their own thing before adding restrictions.

[OzFade]

Also good luck everyone...entries can start flooding into me via pm as soon as you're done.

Have fun.

[stvnlra]

Stupid Question Time...

I've never seen a script for a trailer. What are the pages supposed to look like?

Do we just write the dialogue for the narrator, like a radio spot?

Or do we write the action (what we see on the screen) & dialogue simaltaneously-- like a scene with VO? ... I'm thinking something like Red's narration in Shawshank or Charlie in Adaptation, that sort of thing.

I'm think it's the latter version, right?

:)

[OzFade]

We're going to try to stick to standard script format Stvnlra...so what I would be doing is writing what we see + VO + title cards etc...anything that helps us see the trailer in our head will work fine.

I hope that makes sense.

[RyPa]

I wuz thinking the same thing. Wouldn't 30 seconds be more apt? Or 1 page max.? Just asking.

-Derek

Many trailers go a lot longer.

Beyond that though, since trailers try to fit the entire story into a few minutes, there's probably going to be tons of scene changes and each one will need description. Personally I don't think it's farfetched to assume that it could take 7 pages to describe a thirty second trailer.

At any rate, it sounds like it could be fun. I may have to come out of hiding and participate.

[IndieMe]

I was unaware of this, but I recently learned that some indie filmmakers make "fake" trailers. I don't know if it's for festivals, competitions or just for fun though.

I'll try to write one for one of my scripts. Sounds like it could be fun.

PS. Please don't forget to vote on the GEEK scripts. I've only received four votes so far...

[OzFade]

My votes in Indie...c'mon slackers.

Rypa it should be a lot of fun...hell you may even writing a cool scene into the trailer and then end up putting it in the script.

Imagine the dialague/scenes you'll write on a whim and then realise how awesomly they actually fit into your story.

[Adam Isaac]

Many trailers go a lot longer.

Beyond that though, since trailers try to fit the entire story into a few minutes, there's probably going to be tons of scene changes and each one will need description.

At any rate, it sounds like it could be fun. I may have to come out of hiding and participate.

Wow! Ryan Parker lives?:eek:

It's been almost a year-Earth time-since we've seen the RyPa in Writing Exercises. What's happening stranger?

Personally I don't think it's farfetched to assume that it could take 7 pages to describe a thirty second trailer.


I think it's ludacris, but that's just one man's opinion.

Of course, I'm wrong about a lot of things, a lot of the time. This will be an interesting challenge, and is the perfect primer for this year's Devil's Deadline happening in August.

[Mark Somers]

FADE TO WHITE:

NARATOR (V.O.)
In a wold whare wittle wambunctious
wesbian weprechauns wule. A new weeder
emerges...

BERT (O.S.)
Barbara?

NARATOR (V.O.)
What?

BERT (O.S.)
I don't think this is going to work.

NARATOR (V.O.)
What do you mean?


-------------------------------------------------------------


OK, so that's a little short for a 1500 page sex filled script.

[theblondewritr]

:rolling: clueless, time and time again, you wock! lmao

[Mark Somers]

Ok. theblondewritr, it's your turn to write a trailer. And hurry before OZ comes back.

[OzFade]

:rolling: clueless....reminds me of the trailer for "The Comedian" (I think that's what it was?)

No entries in yet!

Please guys c'mon don't let me down.

[IndieMe]

How's this comp going?

There's still two days left to come up with something.

[dpaterso]

I'm working on something. There's still plenty of time, deadline is what, midnight this Sunday? No need to lose all hope yet, Oz. :)

-Derek

[OzFade]

Well this comp really hasn't panned out as well as I thought...forgot all about the deadline to be honest...extremely busy.

But guys if you can crank one out please do!

[J off course]

I remember posting a trailer I wrote in script pages
long ago.

It got no interest whatsoever. Not even Derek made a peep
about it if I recall.

Marketing does the trailers. We don't.

Next contest!

[JonnyAtlas]

J, you're being a negative nancy. :mad:

I think the concept of this contest is awesome. It forces you to think outside the box and look at your work from a different angle.

[Mark Somers]

I won! I won! I finally won something. :rolling: :rolling:

Hey it's gotta be midnight somewhere. Right?

But seriously folks.

Oz this was good. I really did start a trailer and realized it's like a log line. A visual logline. I've actually started some rewriting given that I couldn't come up with a trailer that I thought I would like to see myself.

J, post your trailer now although I've already won. :) No really I like reading your writing. I don't remember seeing your trailer on script pages.


I won! I won! :rolling: :rolling: :rolling:

[J off course]

Clueless, the trailer was for my script which centered around
a female president. :(

So..ummm..that's in the crapper.

But, congratulations. You did win? You're the best!

Love, negative nancy. :rolleyes:

ACTUALLY, I'm editing my post to say that thinking about on
doing the trailer, there was some benefit in that you practice
using (O.S) which is used a lot in trailers and practice overlapping
sounds and images, etc.
So, yeah, it's a good thing.
Sorry, my negative nancy got the best of me today.

Still, can Clueless be the winner?

[Fortean]

...is a "narator"?



NARATOR (V.O.)
What?

[Mark Somers]

yea a narator. :rolling: It adds just that much more charm to my entry.


But again seriously folks.

I don't know why movie majic excepts that spelling.

[OzFade]

Sorry guys will post entries now!

[dpaterso]

It got no interest whatsoever. Not even Derek made a peep
about it if I recall.
I remember that one.

It's haunted me ever since. The genius -- the innovation -- the raw talent.

It inspired me to become a better writer.

Now go read the entries (http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/boards/showthread.php?t=40584) and vote for the best trailer moments!

-Derek

[Mark Somers]

Drat! My scheme for world trailer domination as been thwarted by the slings and arrows of contest rules and fair play. I must retire to my lair and regroup but also to contact the guy at the flea market who sold me the movie majic software at a greatly reduced price. I should have suspected something was abird errr a fowl when he tried to sell me microsopht ophphice with phrontpage also at a greatly reduced price.

[theblondewritr]

Sorry guys will post entries now!

sorry, my-ass. I'm not sorry!