Given that OS is a very broad concept and you can go with it in any direction, how many of you that entered the pitch contest are going to actually finish an OS screenplay regardless of how things pan out with the pitch contest?
I liked the characters and the world that I came up with so much that I'm definitely finishing the script. I'll just change the settings, character names and locale and BAM! Million Dollar Screenplay :)
At least to an 'outline' (25-30 page) stage...
Had characters I've learnt to love as well. Most likely completing a screenplay on it.
Absolutely Neel
first off if I thought it was a great pitch with interesting characters and story then, I sure as hell want to know the ending, want to know all the little subtleties that would come out in each act and scene.
Second i'll learn more from finishing it, reading it getting others to read and feedback than I will ever learn filing it, or trashing it. it's my creation and I want to give it life!
Action: cue lightning, ugly assistant at top of partially destroyed tower flies aluminium model helicopter with lead into the storm, flick unecessarily large switch, script comes to life
TONY
(manic laughter)
Mwuuu-ha-ha-haaaaa!
A Participant says:
:)
But just like writing a story that was based on a newspaper article, you'll have to option AS's pitch in order to sell your screenplay.
Especially now that you posted about it. :)~
It seems clear that people here could learn a lot from an organized 'in house' workshop using all these pitches on the same topic.
From the complaints about the length limit, I think most submissions were more treatments than pitches. I'd read things like pitches should be no more than 6 sentences long, or that they should be structured like a joke; mine certainly wasn't like that.
I'd sure like to see what a proper beat sheet on this topic might look like.
Also, I did a lot of research (for example, military slang); that is all now in my kit bag.
I have one character that will stick with me- who got real.
And you characters! Glad to meet ya!:]
Did they announce who got past the first round yet?
I would assume they will contact you via email asking for sample work - that would be an indication you got past the first round.
Already started writing my pitch as a screenplay, about page 13 now. You would only have to option it from Amazon if your idea was clearly in line with Amazon's. I can't imagine many of the solidly developed pitches resemble each other much, so I doubt that's a concern for anyone who truly wishes to write their idea regardless.
My question is not has anyone been contacted yet.
My question is
How will they pick the winners.
Is there some preset criteria?
My writing partner and I are going to finsih the script regardless of whether we place or not.
Then move on to the next one and the next. We've pretty much dedicated the rest of our lives to writing.
Joining this site is the first time I've embellished multi-million $ stories since the first time Old Man Internet told me not to. So I seriously doubt it.
Interestingly enough though, my pitch was a spin-off or (far future) sequel to a story I've been sitting on for years.
It's not high priority because of the issue addressed at the top. It's still just an outline and that's why I haven't uploaded it here. It's sort of a cross between Primer and Close Encounters... and maybe Flatliners.
@NEEL... I rather enjoyed writing the pitch. So I think I will go ahead and do the script of OS. Especially since AS is going to ask for a writing sample from those picked in the top 5. If I get selected I will have to take a week off from work to get it done. It would be worth it anyway. Yeah $10 grand!
My first draft of OS came in at 88 pages from fade in to fade out. Finished it yesterday, so I guess you could say I am doing the story win or no win. LOL! I will get it over 90 pages with rewrites once I let it sit for a short to clear my mind of it...RIGHT! I keep opening it up to correct the problems I know are there -- Cannot put the sucker down.
Why in God's name would anyone start a spec script based on someone else idea?
You can't even use it as a writing sample, the idea doesn't belong to you.
Sorry, Hazini, you're mistaken. As an example, I could not take the very broad concept of "Original Soldiers" use the characters, settings and plot and complete the script and call it my own.
I CAN take the very broad concept, use my own characters, tweak the plot, and it becomes my own screenplay.
Ideas cannot be copyrighted, or trademarked. Only the expression of ideas.
I'm 30 pages in. But if not selected, I've already designed the story to be able to remove the main concept of having two older soldiers "save the day" as the primary premise. There will be an attack as an inciting incident, but that will change as well. Once those two elements are removed, the script should read as an original with different motivations than suggested.
What would be real fun would be to have AS sanction uploads of screenplays based on their premise. Sort of a non-selected writers competition. A top ten Original Soldiers screenplay thing. They might end up with something better than what they choose. But writing a full screenplay that may not amount to more than fire starter in the wood stove is a serious commitment, so there needs to be something to motivate.
Rob
Do you think there will be anymore screen writing competitions at AS
like the ones we have seen this last year or will they move toward the format they started with OS?
I believe Amazon studios will post the winners in January 2012.
Daniel M.
This is a job! If you apply and you get turned down, you move on. No lurking in the car park or popping in the offices here and there to see if the guy who got the job really knows what he's doing. No harrassing the bosses with reasons why you should have got the job and not the other guy. You've been given your chance. If you miss it, move on!
My first pitch was actually turned into a detailed scene-by-scene written on the hop, but included character arcs for three people (Gund, Anu and Beaker). I edited that down from around 4-5000 words to the requisite 1500, so it reads like a quick summary. If they ask for that one as a treatment, it's almost ready - just need a bit more colour.
The other two are slightly shorter, but still needed editing down.
So I have some good grounding if they want a treatment, but I'm not starting a script until they say so.
I think that doing a script on the same concept, even with a lot of variations, is probably not a good use of time -- especially since AS now has a producer attached (and serious money to spend) on whichever idea they pick.
No matter how good your script is, when you go to sell it you're going to hear "but AS is already doing that idea."
Why invest in the same idea 1000 other people have just been working on, when you can do something new and fresh?
Lauri,
I can see your point, but sometimes you're just compelled to start writing.
And why not push onward? It's only a small portion of story we've been given to work with. Certainly the premise can developed in numerous directions and adapted into an original work.
Just think of all the movies that have a similar premises, and yet they are unique.
Just a thought.
Bert
A Participant says:
You can't jump off from this idea at all, especially if you're discussing where your inspiration came from right here on the boards. :)
I know, I know, you can't copyright an idea. But you can own the intellectual property that "inspired" so many people as a building block for their stories.
Lauri's right. No one in town would touch it.
