Is Triggerstreet worth the time?

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  • Is Triggerstreet worth the time?

    I've been ignoring TS for a while, but last night I was bored and decided to review a script...first one ever, mind you. The script was filled with many amateur mistakes and I responded accordingly. So, today I received an e-mail from the author saying in a passive-aggressive way that his agent doesn't feel the way I do. He finished with the thank you, let's see what you can do. Then I log on TS and find my review was submitted to the Hall of Justice (an arbitrator of "tank" reviews). I scroll down and see that this author HOJ'd another review that didn't agree with him. My question is, in y'alls experience, is it worth my time? Ya know people of this mentality will tank whatever I submit, not that I care, but I need a fair review in order to get better. Does TS provide that?

    PapaCap
    8)

  • #2
    I joined TS over a year ago but haven't been back in almost as long, due to what I perceived as a lot of sniping and immature behavior. It's too bad, but the whole peer review thing is only as good as the "peers" that populate that particular universe. I figured I really didn't need the aggravation, so instead I shell out the money to get reviews by pros. I realize this can be costly and not everyone can do it. You might try Zoetrope. Though my view is based on second-hand info, I hear their "universe" is perhaps skewed to a more mature and fair-minded population (even if only slightly).

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    • #3
      I'm not slamming TriggerStreet (I don't care enough to slam it), I'm just detailing my own personal experiences:

      I had a couple of scripts up there for a while, and got an odd mix of comments back -- much the same as you'd get if you posted sample pages in Script Pages forum on the Done Deal message board. Most comments proved useful (and were incorporated into rewrites) even though they were occasionally harsh; and some comments were ignored because they were insane. Perhaps not surprisingly the harshest and most insane feedback always came from those readers who'd had some kind of screenwriting or moviemaking course (and said so) and as a result were young gods in the making. And then I read their scripts... and realized the only chance they had of succeeding was to trample other writers into the ground and use the bodies as stepping-stones to success. I guess that's what "peer review system" translates into -- it's every man for himself!

      Ultimately the system proved far too frustrating for me -- I received plenty of positive reviews but somehow these failed the (simple) multi-choice review question-and-answer step so they didn't count; many of the reviews I wrote also failed this step despite the fact I answered the questions correctly (and confirmed this via email correspondence with the authors); only 250 characters allowed per script review, absurd; in an effort to install safeguards against system abuse (people logging on under different userids to give their own scripts great reviews) the faceless and uncontactable administrators WIPED OUT the stats and started over; and then they did another major tweak, losing more info; and then another... and then I stopped going there.

      I still receive the update email every week and can't help but notice the incredible number of scripts being uploaded to TriggerStreet. Good luck to 'em all. They'll need it.

      -Derek
      -----------------------
      PARADIGMS appearing in the Spring 2004 issue of OCEANS OF THE MIND

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      • #4
        Thanks for the responses

        Knowledge is good. I appreciate it.

        PapaCap
        :hat

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        • #5
          Triggerstreet

          It's peer review. So, you won't always hear what you want to. You won't always get useful feedback. And sometimes you'll get angry emails for being honest. But, I've gotten lots of useful feedback there as well. I use Zoe and Triggerstreet as a sounding board. It's easily worth more than you paid for it (nothing). And since the rankings and contest aspect get you nothing (for screenplays, not films) there's no reason to worry about your scores. All the carping is misplaced.

          And the 250 word review limit doesn't mean much as long as you enter an email address. Some of my reviewers have sent long form reviews by email. And they've been quite helpful.

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          • #6
            Re: Triggerstreet

            Big fan of TS.

            It's free.

            You can always cancel your account.

            :eek There's usually something hidden 'inside' a negative review that you just don't (choose/want) to see.

            Did I mention it's free and you can always leave?

            :smokin

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            • #7
              Re: Triggerstreet

              If Triggerstreet ends up making people into excessive praise hogs, who can't stand their material being viewed by someone with a differing opinion, then I don't see how it could be valuable.

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              • #8
                Re: Triggerstreet

                Psych, I have no idea what a 'praise hog' is, please ellaborate. Not even sure what your point is, really.

                If it's what I think you meant, who cares what other people are doing? Just post your script, take what you find valuable from the various reviews you get, and move on. If you can't find value in the review, then wait for the next one.

                TS doesn't 'make' anyone anything. The value comes from listening and learning.

                Pretty simple.

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

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                • #9
                  Thanks for the responses..

                  And AK, I agree with you. I've done two reviews and have received hate e-mails from the authors. One said (paraphrasing) I'll single handedly destroy everyone on TS. It made me think. I'm not saying I'm an authority on screenwriting, but I've spent (like many here) countless hours studying the craft, trying to be the best I can be. After reading other people's efforts, it's obvious that some have very limited knowledge. When you criticize that, they become antagonistic which begs a question. Is this worth the time? If they're not going to use it, what's the point? Is peer review the way to go? I found very few reviews from PGL helpful. Most couldn't identify the character arcs or themes of my writing. Maybe it's me but a few "got it" and their reviews were fantastic. Some reviewers made me go, "Did you even read it?" I dunno. In the meantime, I'll take y'alls advice and try Zoetrope. I just wanna be the best I can be. Hopefully, I can find the most efficient way to do that.

                  PapaCap

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                  • #10
                    Re: Thanks for the responses..

                    Papacap,

                    If you've gotten hate mail from these people, you might want to go a little easier on the novices when you come across their work.

                    I've posted work on both Triggerstreet and Zoetrope, and read my share of garbage. But rather than tear the writers a new one, I've tried to find something to convey that would IMHO help them improve the work. I don't try to make an exhaustive list of everything wrong with a script, nor do I communicate the apparent futility of pursuing a career for those seriously lacking in ability. If you genuinely want to help these people progress, you can't really couch comments in terms so harsh that you leave the authors seeing red and sending you hate mail.

                    Moreover, I've found the paucity of quality feedback on these sites so prevalent that I've pretty much given up on them, save for maybe an early draft that I'm curious about prior to handing it to real readers/friends. I imagine you'll come to the same conclusion on your own.

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                    • #11
                      Tear 'em a new one?

                      Matteey:

                      I don't go looking to "tear a new one" and I try to be constructive as possible, however if they can't handle a bit of truth, they'll never make it in any pursuit in life worth having. Even though I completely agree with your last paragraph, I don't believe in this "boo hoo hoo--you have to coddle the novices" theory. Everything is about hurting someone else's feelings. What about the time I spent reading their effortless words? Or the time I wrote a completely disregarded review? I take this very seriously and if the other person doesn't, I'm not going to lower my standards because they're emotionally fragile. Think about it like this. If everyone was a "fluffy bunny" reviewer, would the novice writer ever get motivated enough to prove the reviewer wrong? Does a soft reviewer give the writer false hopes by making them think they're better than they are? Ever watch American Idol?

                      PapaCap
                      :hat
                      To each his own.

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                      • #12
                        Re: TS....

                        I think it's a good place to get reviews from you're fellow peers. Like in all places you will get good reviews and the torpedos.

                        So far we've gotten some good advice from others on our script.

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                        • #13
                          Re: TS....

                          Okay Papacap.

                          You be Simon and I'll be Paula Abdul.

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                          • #14
                            Re: TS....

                            I like TS. I like the 250-word review limit, lets me read a script straight through without taking notes. I grade easy and everyone's happy. And all my reviews keep my own script in the top ten (not sure how that works, but it does).

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