Well, the results are in from our Second Save the Cat! Contest of 2009, and to quote Leonard Pinth-Garnell: Awwwwwful! Truly dreaaaaaadful!
And that’s a good thing.
Asked to write the first 250 words of a screenplay guaranteed to be thrown across the room before the end of the page, you did not disappoint.
And yet! The entries that caught our attention, the funniest, most intriguing — albeit chock full o’ camera angles and clunky dialogue — still managed to be strangely… haunting, and demand we read on!
What for instance is the “secret of life” as teased by contest all-star Makya McBee’s entry (#52)? Will the hotel be “Saved by the Bellhop” in Alex. S’ hilarious entry (#69)? And whodunit — and how? — complete with floating chalk outline in the crime scene of the future — in Ian Blanche’s “Fly World” (#161).
Terrrrrible!! But also terribly good.
Of the 180+ submissions we received , we hoped to give contestants a place not only to show off their skills but to get all those music cues and Dutch Tilts out of their systems. But the skill with which many of you moved our eyeball around your opening scenes might actually work!
Witness the show tunes alarm clock zoom-ins on a cross-dressing hero in Jeff S.’ entry (#44) and the really interesting inside-the-brain– and outside-the-crime-scene — opening in S. Clark’s “Nucleaus Accumbens” (#116), along with Joseph Lemoine’s equally disturbing start in entry # 144 and Carl Thoren’s “Double-Down and Die” (#135). Good writage all!
But the real reward to me is to see how talented the writers are who visit this blog, how creative, and enthusiastic to try something new, even if it’s to stand at the plate and “hold the bat backward” that Captain Perry so brilliantly pointed out. I think you all did great (especially Captain P. for being bold enough to give it a try! You’re my hero, sir!) I sincerely hope this exercise didn’t throw off anyone’s game, but enhanced it!
And is there anything more instructive about what NOT to do, than Makya McBee’s #153 titled simply “The Man With No Problems.”
Yes, I’m stalling.
Though there is something truly heinous about each and every entry — and I mean that in a good way — the Honorable Mentions of our contest include almost everything submitted by Stacy Phillips, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Nick Contopoulos, Scott W., Steven8, Makya McBee, Tim Tremper, and Christina P. And I hope you’ll each take this as high praise when I say: Horrennndous!
But when forced to choose the really worst of the bunch, that being the best, the purple prose awards go to:
Third place (and the winner of a $50 STC! gift certificate): Cameron O’Hearn’s “Year 3589” cyborg divorce epic (#51).
Second place (earning a complete set of STC! books and software): Sandy Nagy for the oddly inside-out weirdness of “Foreclosureville” (#163).
First place: And coming in last, or first considering, and winning a free spot at our next available workshop is: Glen D. Miller for pretty much all his entries, but in particular, his oddly brilliant, yet damn annoying, text-ese entry titled “Textin’ It In” (#74). I only hope it is not the wave of the future, but the fear in my heart is… Glen might be onto something!
Well done, everyone!
And by that I mean: Arrrrrrrggghhhh!!
Blake Snyder
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Well, Blake, for once coming in last feels like a winning ticket…hehehe.
I’m sure reading all of those was a chore!
Thank you Blake.
I think Forclosureville is a great title and concept! Am I nuts?
Nicely done Glen. I think I owe you lunch.
Thank you, thank you. Honorable mention is high praise indeed. =)
I want to congratulate all of the winners; and it was a guilty pleasure of mine to be so horrible for this contest. I completely agree with Stacy: Honorable Mention is high praise! And Blake, I’ll see you in August.
Congrats all! After getting to a point of writing well, to write awfully, on purpose, is a real exercise!
OK, so now I’m worried I’m going to get a really bad case of writer’s block for attaining Honorable Mention status in a contest showcasing how bad we can be as screenwriters. Gulp.
It is interesting to write bad, but not bad enough to win :-(. Well, I can live with that. The top three was truly awful, much, much bolder than mine. Congratulations.
I’m just so happy… You… hate me… You really hate me! :D
A comment was made that to write poorly it seems like you have to be a half decent writer. Well, I don’t know if that’s true or not, but, I hope it is! I had a lot of fun with this – more fun that when I’m writing for real – and maybe that’s a key I should take from the experience… well, that and the story that the first screenwriting contest I ever won was for the worst possible opening idea! :D
Thank you all – Mike – you got it! I loved going through and reading everyone’s pieces! Now, how long until the 180 contest? :D
-Glen
It’s no doubt that we are all winners, especially Blake for hanging out and being stupid wid us.Hey you! hear “Rocky” playing in the background.when I hear dat tune, theres going to be Scene Cards and Beats hitting the wall.I done got the Killer Title and the logline from heaven.They’re on the wall too in case one of these smart ass characters talks me into changing sumptin.–To you bloggers–I’m looking for a West Coast collaborator who’s read the “Cat” at least four times like reading “The New Testament”.You don’t have to be a real productive writer,but you do have to know what’s good, what would make things better ,and be able to talk film business with anyone.I’m looking for my opposite,and who am I? You got it right.As a writer I’m Rocky in every way,too old, No education or talent,slow on the uptake.I even got the sick wife.But,listen and hear the tune again.All that blood and snot don’t bother me.I’m hoping it’ll bleed through my pencil to color the scenes and infect the dialouge.I’m offering 50% to someone who’s just as tuff at triming it up and getting it sold.You might want to ask Blake about the idea before you respond.–[email protected]
Amy! “FORCLOSURE” is an incredible title for an educational and Christian film that competes in Hollywood like “FIREPROOF” and I’d start it off in the bedroom with the couple making love or trying to because that’s where the big question is. How hard does it hit in the bedroom? I’d love to collaborate with you on this. It’s my new Schtick.
Folks,
Just remember – when it comes to writing, (and acting, and music, and a bunch of other stuff) ya gotta be “good” to be “bad” on purpose!
I was an improv-comedian for two decades. One of the hardest things to do was to do “bad” improv on purpose, because you had to know what doing “good” improv felt like in order to effectively mock it.
The “worst” of the entries in Blake’s contest show that the people behind them are truly talented writers. And Blake has shown us another piece of his genius by getting us to flex our writing muscles in an unexpected way, which, of course, has inspired some truly great writing. Bravo Blake, and bravo to everyone who entered!
Cheers!
Joe Whyte
Thank you, Blake!
So when’s the next contest?
I love this blog! I just put up yet another recommend of STC! STCGTTM! and the software too in a blog that consists of handy reference lists which just got started last week.
My list is Starter Kit for Screenwriters.
http://listsforyou.blogspot.com/2009/07/11-item-starter-kit-for-screenwriters.html
Anyone have additions or another Screenwriting checklist, please drop a note on the Lists blog and I’ll give you my email address.
Jacqueline Lichtenberg
http://www.simegen.com/jl/
Wait my opening scene may actually work ? Does that mean I came in last place ? Oh well, always fun playing and even more fun reading the other entries. You cats are good ! Thanks, Blake.
Congrats to all the winners–there were so many unique and entertaining entries! And thanks, Blake, for letting us be so “bad”…it was a blast! :)
Today I just found out that other contestants commented on my entry (#163). This was a thrill for me as it is always a privilege to receive comments on one’s work from other screenwriters. Today I also found out I came in second place. And sadly, today I found out we lost our mentor, a special person who embodied kindness and generosity of his time and talents, always willing to share what he had learned. My thoughts and prayers are with Blake’s family and friends
Sincerely,
Sandy Nagy