Once again, I participated in an online Writer's Tournament. (Once again, I finished 2nd.)
As you read the scripts, keep in mind: each round of the tournament gives every writer a fresh set of parameters. Then, all writers have 72 hours to complete their entries for the week.
Each of the scripts below have been slightly rewritten since the tournament, but 95% of the material is as it was presented in the contest.
My first round entry finished 6th. DR. SCHNEDERLY, MOBILE PSYCHIATRIST was written to meet these challenge parameters: must be a fusion of two genres (Action, Comedy, Horror, SciFi), must include a bobblehead and a psychiatrist office. I originally set out to write an action/comedy. Three pages into the script, I realized I wouldn't have enough space to tell the action portion well. So, on the fly, I switched to comedy/horror. The script suffers a bit from that switch, but when you only have 72 hours to write... you don't always get what you want. Still, I like the script for what it is: a live-action Pixar-styled comedy with horror elements. The script did take top honors for the week in the Characterization category. I think you'll see why.
SANCTUARY was my 4th round entry. It finished 2nd and received top honors for the Story category. The challenge parameters: Action, in a church, include a trading card of some sort. This particular idea morphed into something unexpected on the page. That is, very quickly, I discovered a better way to tell the story after I began writing. It turned into something much better than the original idea. I love it when this happens.
3 HAIL MARYS is one of my favorite scripts ever. It took first for the week, sweeping top honors for EVERY scoring category: Story, Characters, Prose, Dialogue. It's an intensely visual script. I invite you to read it as such. It's also intended to convey two distinct atmospheres. I almost named this THE CHAOS AND THE CALM. The early pages are action-packed: noisy, visually cluttered, very bright. The late pages are quiet, simple, calm and dark. I just love the dichotomy. The title is intended to telegraph 3 points in the script that include "Hail Marys." In addition to loving the script, the title is also one of my favorites. I'm quite proud of this script on every level. (Okay, many not on one level: This would cost WAY too much money to make... unless you're Steven Spielberg. Though, I'd encourage any filmmaker who reads this to consider it as an far-less-expensive animation project.)
I haven't included two of the five entries I completed for the tournament. One entry was written as an inside joke and wouldn't make as much sense outside of the tournament. It was a GOONIES-style parody of the contest. (It finished 4th for the week.)
The last entry fared well, but it includes a much bigger concept that I intend to explore as a potential feature. As such, I've decided to keep it closer to the vest until I've explored the idea further.
Enjoy!
As you read the scripts, keep in mind: each round of the tournament gives every writer a fresh set of parameters. Then, all writers have 72 hours to complete their entries for the week.
Each of the scripts below have been slightly rewritten since the tournament, but 95% of the material is as it was presented in the contest.
My first round entry finished 6th. DR. SCHNEDERLY, MOBILE PSYCHIATRIST was written to meet these challenge parameters: must be a fusion of two genres (Action, Comedy, Horror, SciFi), must include a bobblehead and a psychiatrist office. I originally set out to write an action/comedy. Three pages into the script, I realized I wouldn't have enough space to tell the action portion well. So, on the fly, I switched to comedy/horror. The script suffers a bit from that switch, but when you only have 72 hours to write... you don't always get what you want. Still, I like the script for what it is: a live-action Pixar-styled comedy with horror elements. The script did take top honors for the week in the Characterization category. I think you'll see why.
SANCTUARY was my 4th round entry. It finished 2nd and received top honors for the Story category. The challenge parameters: Action, in a church, include a trading card of some sort. This particular idea morphed into something unexpected on the page. That is, very quickly, I discovered a better way to tell the story after I began writing. It turned into something much better than the original idea. I love it when this happens.
3 HAIL MARYS is one of my favorite scripts ever. It took first for the week, sweeping top honors for EVERY scoring category: Story, Characters, Prose, Dialogue. It's an intensely visual script. I invite you to read it as such. It's also intended to convey two distinct atmospheres. I almost named this THE CHAOS AND THE CALM. The early pages are action-packed: noisy, visually cluttered, very bright. The late pages are quiet, simple, calm and dark. I just love the dichotomy. The title is intended to telegraph 3 points in the script that include "Hail Marys." In addition to loving the script, the title is also one of my favorites. I'm quite proud of this script on every level. (Okay, many not on one level: This would cost WAY too much money to make... unless you're Steven Spielberg. Though, I'd encourage any filmmaker who reads this to consider it as an far-less-expensive animation project.)
I haven't included two of the five entries I completed for the tournament. One entry was written as an inside joke and wouldn't make as much sense outside of the tournament. It was a GOONIES-style parody of the contest. (It finished 4th for the week.)
The last entry fared well, but it includes a much bigger concept that I intend to explore as a potential feature. As such, I've decided to keep it closer to the vest until I've explored the idea further.
Enjoy!

dr._schnederly_mobile_psychiatrist_by_paul_knauer.pdf | |
File Size: | 61 kb |
File Type: |

sanctuary_by_paul_knauer.pdf | |
File Size: | 56 kb |
File Type: |

3_hail_marys_by_paul_knauer.pdf | |
File Size: | 58 kb |
File Type: |