American Zoetrope/Trigger Street Labs

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  • American Zoetrope/Trigger Street Labs

    I just came across these via the r/screenwriting boards on Reddit. Any thoughts? (I may be dredging up old stuff here, I know...)

  • #2
    Re: American Zoetrope/Trigger Street Labs

    I was a member of the sites for years. For new writers, it's great practice to read other people's script while getting feedback on your own script. I read hundreds of scripts, and I submitted my scripts. I really think I got better because of it.

    I'm no longer a member of either site, mostly because I think I've outgrown its usefulness. I made a lot of friends form those sites, and I keep in touch with them outside the site, but the site really is for those who are trying to find their way in the screenwriting world. There are some on there who are great writers, but the majority are very new.

    If I had to choose a site to start with, it would be Triggerstreet. They have active moderators who can answer questions. Zoetrope doesn't seem to have any moderation anymore, and, though I like the people over there, the discussions devolve a bit into politics and... flame wars. Now, the reviews I've gotten on Zoetrope were very good. And there are still some excellent, talented writers over there, but there is a feeling of neglect from Zoetrope that is sad.

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    • #3
      Re: American Zoetrope/Trigger Street Labs

      People tend to rip on TSL but I like it. It serves its purpose and serves it well.

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      • #4
        Re: American Zoetrope/Trigger Street Labs

        Zoetrope used to have a thriving screenwriting community, but now their read page only has like 15-18 scripts at any given time. They require you to read and review 4 scripts before you can get any feedback on yours, whereas Trigger Street only requires 2 reviews before your script will be put into rotation. I think that explains why the latter has outgrown the former.

        I think Trigger Street is a good place to get basic feedback on scripts, especially if you're relatively new at this. A lot of the reviewers there are totally clueless, but at least they'll give you a decent idea of whether they "liked" or "didn't like" your script. From my experience, things that have done well for me on there have also done well in contests, etc. So while I wouldn't expect great critiques or advice from their users, at least the site can function as a rough barometer to tell you if your script is total tripe or not.

        Just don't think they're going to do much to help you "fix" your script. The average reviewer on that site has a pretty poor knowledge of screenwriting mechanics. Without the ability to dissect and analyze a story in terms of its fundamentals, they will tend to harp on superficial things. If you break "rules" like using "we see," wrylies, or unfilmables, you will certainly hear a lot about it (even though many pro scripts are littered with this sort of thing).

        I think the best approach is to load up on review credits, get 10-12 reviews, and look for common complaints. One maniac telling you that your story doesn't make sense doesn't mean anything, but if 4-5 of your reviewers have problems with the story logic then it's probably a legitimate issue.

        And on the reviewing side of things, you will get a lot of experience in "what not to do" by reading the member screenplays and seeing why they don't work. I've probably logged 30-40 reviews on the site over the years. Some of the scripts were shockingly, mind-numbingly awful. Most of them were various shades of mediocrity. Evaluating why the concepts didn't pop and/or why the story itself didn't work will probably help you avoid some of those pitfalls with your own writing.

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