Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise 2012

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  • Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise 2012

    READ ON...

    It's here good folks of Done Deal, the only informal, crazy, "no prizes" competition on the planet worth entering on an annual basis!

    "THE HALLOWEEN HELLRAISERS WRITING EXERCISE".

    Okay, we do have a prize, but you're not going to like it, and you may not even wish to receive it!

    Your hosts: "Dpat" and "The Road Warrior", this humble poster, bring you the most exciting thing you can do dressed in black garb with a pen at hand!

    Okay, it's just over FIVE WEEKS to go until the deadline of:-

    31st OCTOBER 2012

    What we require is really simple:

    A short script based upon the yearly festival of Hallo-ween. No more than 8 pages please.


    Please ask any questions you may have in this thread and if you would like to commit in advance to an entry then say so below - "I'm in, sounds cool!" would be a good start or, "... wow, just wow, I heard about this via a fiend!".

    Or if you'd just like to vote, or even carry a banner (that's an advert such as the basic details in my "signature space", or Dpats!) this will be of great help and assistance. Thanks.

    But most of all, please enter, it's the only way to generate the fun and atmosphere we seek to make this a nasty little success.

    I'm going to goad you, that's how it works in this admn role. If you're currently writing "Lawrence of Arabia II, Revenge of the Turks", then STOP, why would you, and stop NOW, what are you doing, down pens immediately and switch over to THIS. A burst of 8 pages whilst you take a break from other labours, or screenplays.


    That's all, just that!


    Except... wait, we must keep you on your toes and checking in, so in the meatime we give you:-




    Last edited by The Road Warrior; 09-20-2012, 07:44 AM. Reason: a few refinements, refining-
    Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

  • #2
    Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

    MY HALLOWEEN

    - the informal run-up!

    Okay, in the meantime:-

    How about some questions, and even a few anecdotes of Hallo-ween in your former - or current! - trick and treating days or just from what you've seen form behind the curtains in your neck of the woods, anything really, a story, anecdotes, or just some brief thoughts and observations! Type out your replies anywhere below:-


    "... why does he keep putting that hypen in Halloween?"

    "... I don't know, I really don't, anyway, just listen... don't rattle him... I think he may be slightly mad. Do as he says if he asks you, too!"

    "...okay, will do!"
    Last edited by The Road Warrior; 09-20-2012, 07:18 AM. Reason: metatheatrical forces beyond my control
    Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

      MY HALLOWEEN:-
      (cont'd)

      An eager entrant, Toby, who didn't wish to be identified by his real name gave us this, in his own words, about the ghosts of Halloween-past.

      Shorter anecdotes will do but over now it's over to Toby who wrote this little snippet for us, I've edited it lightly for any glaring typos as it was quite a rough draft without ruining the feel of the piece, I can't wait, here goes:-

      Title:

      "My Hallo-ween... Anyhow!"

      an Original Story by Toby



      "... well feeling kind of basic today, so I'll just lay out my Hallo-ween story here, we, that's my gang, around eight of us used to get ready for Hallo-ween night a few days before, when we bought the swede. You see over here in England, we do have pumpkins but they're too heavy to carry around and stuff and you don't see many of them and there's only like only two in any grocery shop if that, but the swedes, well, they're in a large box and it's fun to pick one out, and pumpkins, okay they're great too but they were rea-lly expensive to buy but those swedes, well swedes come with all sorts of shapes and little notches so you find a face and one that looks like you can carve it easily without it being too small, so we just carved out this swede and made some holes and threaded some string through each side and hey, a devil-face appeared! We'd carved him into life. We'd slice off the head, just a centimeter, not much more, a piece to keep on top to keep the wind out, put a candle inside and light it, and carry it around the streets, swingin'. You could use a narrow nail or two to pin down the top if you wanted. It stayed on without though okay.

      "Some kid would always have a box of matches, loads of matches was essential because the candle would always go out and we had to keep lighting it, all the time, we'd stop on the pavement and re-light old swedey, that was part of the fun and seeing the flames glow through the eyes and all. Then we'd kind of go house to house and along that windy dark road up by Caulfield Crescent, and ring the bells or knock doors and ask some old man in dirty pyjamas or a harrassed woman in a solemn way "trick or treat" but we never wanted a trick and we didn't ever have one anyway, oh and one night, my mate B- dared us all to go round the back of the church and walk into the black, a half-circle and come back into the light, but this was an old churchyard, and full of graves and ghosts and who knows what else, and another thing, it was windy that night, this was the best Hallo-ween we'd ever had, Hallo-ween anyhow is scary round that church, but the wind was really up, and the swede just blew around and it's eyes burned, the fire coming out of the sockets.

      "When we'd walked all round the village we'd head to the fish and chip shop, counting out the pennies and silver, separating them from the sweets, sweets were bad, we liked hard cash, because if we'd got enough, the tradition was, spend it all on a hot bag of fish and chips, sometimes when we didn't have enough, we'd throw in our own money, usually just for the chips and then eat them over on the churchyard wall. It was cold and foggy by then anyhow.

      Then came the end of the night and the swede was now black and we'd probably have two candles burning inside, fiery-orange flame in both his eyes, and when the wind blew strong and the eyes flamed even more and when he really burned it was like a devil and it roared too, but later in the evening, around 10pm we'd all break up and go home, but two of us would go back to my house and we'd then burn the swede, another tradition I guess, stuffing newspaper inside him and in the wind with the swede on the lawn or somewhere in the dark at the back of the garden in the high winds we'd watch him flame and roar-up and burn like a fire-demon; sometimes the flames would hop out of the top, under the capping, and that was great, "burn!" we'd hiss at him and think we'd conjured up evil or was warding it off anyhow.... or sending him back to wherever it was we'd summoned him from, maybe.

      "The swede would smell, it really really whiffed, bad as burnt swede does, never eaten swede 'til this day, reminds me of Hallo-ween, and that's what swede is for, Hallo-ween, always remember the smells of that great night anyhow. And in the morning there would be just this blackened old swede, ha ha, with half the side of his head caved in, reeking of rotting swede, but the eyes and the zig-zag mouth would still be there. One kid always had a big pumpkin, down our street, but it sat on his step all nght like in that film. We saw it and was carved out good, welcoming us home, but ours was better, I reckon. The village was getting dark by then and the small lamps had come on, winking down the streets in the cold air.

      "Hallo-ween was over for another year. All the kids do now is come around in cheap plastic hats and garb, and their mothers who are often pushing prams, as they're all very young, wait for them at the bottom of our drive whilst the tots ring the bell, and we give 'em sweets and say "oh...great costume" and then the whole caravan moves on. It's gone all very commercial like that in the last 10 years or so I reckon, well, that's my story anyhow? I'm climbing back into bed, may get up around the time of that Hallo'ween writing exercise that Road Warrior is running around here, may even enter it.

      "Til then, I'll probably sleep a lot and watch horror movies at night. Hope Hallo-ween is windy this year, keeps the kids off the streets. They don't ring the bell so much then!"


      Thanks Toby,
      very nice indeed, great title, I liked the pendulous swede, and later on in that whole "zig-zag" mouth detail you've got going right there, really effective and "visual", felt like I was really there, seeing it, smelling it too-

      just one question, do you know anybody by the name of Holden by any chance?

      "No...why?"

      -Toby

      Oh nothing, just a thought?


      .
      Last edited by The Road Warrior; 10-08-2012, 03:00 AM. Reason: cleaning up some of Toby's typos, without hopefully disrupting what he has written
      Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

        So anything related to halloween? Nothing more specific?

        I'm in either way.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

          So did I read that right, winner gets a million dollars? I'm in.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

            Apologies for the delay, I've been a busy-bee.

            @CBurden - we've been very specific before, with a "scenario" or suchlike but of course, if you suggest a situation and characters it may not please all.

            So with the Halloween competition, I felt like we probably had the weight of precdent behind us, in previous years there's been a pattern of sorts, you folks just deliver up your creepy little tales and we don't know what exactly to expect, other than keeping it within 8 pages. 5 will do.

            @Anagram... hi, do I make the check out to Mr A N Gram, or just plain ole Mr Anagram, I wouldn't like to see your bank reject it!

            Okay folks, it's seem like we've got interest and entries from around five people thus far, and we'd like at least 8 as I mentioned earlier, let's make this rock this year, could we reach ten entries, it would be a record, so anyway, that's that's very good as it's still very very early indeed!

            Actually, I may be sketching out my idea on paper this weekend, the locale, a few characters, a twist or two perhaps...
            Last edited by The Road Warrior; 09-20-2012, 06:38 AM. Reason: tidying up these posts, shortage of time prevents refinements
            Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

              Nb, I've opened up the contest early because people have been caught out by time issues previously, the weeks eat away, the advice we've given here before is to try and get your idea and first draft down before October even begins.

              And then, we're all into that rewrite game. Tinkering becomes 90% of our workload.

              I get the impression a few folks have even drafted a script in previous years and not entered it as time has run out and they don't like what they have before them. I've done that, so that's partly why I've included that nagging blurb above.

              If we have any new poster-entrants here this year, they may benefit from our mistakes.

              Okay, sermon over.
              Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

                We'll continue in here, and I'll lock the HALLOWEEN IS COMING TO YOUR DOOR thread very soon... to avoid confusion.

                As I'm busy, I'll check in and answer any questions, at weekends, or around mid-week, depending on how work and other commitments are going.

                Any more stories of what Halloween is/was like in your area? Please post them below>

                A single para. of blurb will do!

                Keeps us all entertained, whilst we wait for the big spooky night and the actual entries further down the line.



                .
                Last edited by The Road Warrior; 09-20-2012, 07:40 AM. Reason: bolding and tics.
                Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

                  Here's one from Billy, you can post these yourself, but Billy pm'd me his so I've copied it out here for you to read:-


                  "Well, we kind of hung out in the grounds to this old Preacher's house, it was mostly empty and we'd bum cigarettes and just play cards in one of the rooms, that was on the side where the window was broke, didn't do no harm as far as I could tell?"

                  "Anyway, one Halloween we went up there and saw a light on, in that very same room, well we ran and ran, and never went back there ever again on Halloween, or any night. I always knew that place was haunted and no darn good! And it had no electricity?"

                  "... never knew what caused that light."

                  -
                  Billy


                  Thanks Billy, did you ever smoke again?


                  "sure did!"

                  -Billy
                  Last edited by The Road Warrior; 09-20-2012, 07:41 AM. Reason: Adding Billy's response to my question.
                  Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

                    Sure, I'm in, unless I have to do a drop-everything rewrite.
                    Vancouver Screenwriters Meetup Group

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      "Where do I send my bodacious entry to?!"

                      Export your script as a PDF. (It's the easiest way, really. Alternatives are just too fiddly.)

                      Send the PDF to [email protected]

                      Still got over a month to go, so no rush, why not sit on it a while longer and see if any swirling thoughts form that improves the script and ensures an outright win!

                      -Derek

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

                        Welcome Rene....

                        I've also had a pm asking how folks submit entries, we'll post up an email addy or two later in. (amended- Derek's jumped in above!)

                        It's real simple, Dpat or myself will request and receive those entries.


                        And on a separate note:-

                        as of -

                        9/22/2012- (perhaps I should date posts as folks who pop in over the coming days can see how this has rolled out).

                        We have around 6/7 entries promised so far and a couple of 'potentials' ... it's very early, okay, let's have more, let's try to get up to 10 entrants now.

                        Get in on this folks, it's going to be fun.

                        Oh, and please PM me at least, I wont name you! - if you'd like to enter or are even thinking about it, and want to just let me know you're out there.

                        We wont hold you to it, but if you get a visit afterwards by a strange man in a raincoat, well...
                        Last edited by The Road Warrior; 09-22-2012, 11:29 AM.
                        Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          "Where do I send my bodacious entry to?!"

                          Originally posted by dpaterso View Post
                          Export your script as a PDF. (It's the easiest way, really. Alternatives are just too fiddly.)

                          Send the PDF to [email protected]
                          No more short screenplays wrapped around rocks and thrown thru your windows?

                          Can't be bothered to check the beach for short screenplays in bottles tossed into the sea?


                          No skywriting?


                          No semaphore?

                          No searchlight signals?

                          No more screenplay pages tied to arrows?

                          Just a PDF file via e-mail? Seems so impersonal.
                          JEKYLL & CANADA (free .mp4 download @ Vimeo.com)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

                            I'd have been impressed if you'd included using a laser cannon to write a script on the Lunar surface! I would totally accept that as a method of submission.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Halloween Hellraisers Writing Exercise

                              I'm in.

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