One of my favorite events is the SimplyScripts.net annual Writer's Tournament. It's a 5-week writing marathon, designed to test a writer's ability to produce on-demand and under pressure. Below are some of my entries for the 2020 tournament. I'm not including my week 2 entry, as it's been picked up and is currently beginning pre-production. (Did I mention I won this year's tournament? 'Cause I did.)
As you read the scripts, keep in mind: each round of the tournament gives every write a fresh set of parameters. All writers have 72 hours to complete their entries for the week. The parameters include: a genre, an item, a character and a location. And, though you'll see some are now slightly longer thanks to rewrites, each script for the tournament was required to be 5 pages or less.
(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, THE DEPTHS, finished 6th. It's a Western, and, it's an example of why I love the tournament. I simply don't write Westerns. But, it's great fun to explore a new genre. The other parameters were: Boat, Missionary and Derringer. The theme for the week was: "Money is the root of all evil." (I should note here, one of the challenges that I issue to myself is: make the theme subtle. I hate work that bashes you over the head with a message, and I used these scripts to practice hiding the theme a bit. Yes, my scores suffered as a result, as some voters didn't catch my use of the theme, but, I'll happily defend every script here as it applies to the week's theme.)
My second round entry took 1st. By a mile. I'm quite proud of that fact. It's a thriller called LINES. The parameters included: A Homemaker, An Auto Body Shop and Ketchup Packets. The theme: "Blood is thicker than water." (This script was picked up before the tournament was even over.)
Week 3 brought me a 4th place finish. PAPERS is a Sci-fi with a Diplomat, on a Ferry, including a Paperclip. Theme: "Nature vs. Nurture." This is another script that voters had trouble identifying theme. But, trust me, it's in there. Also, I'd like to point out: another challenge I issue to myself is to make every element crucial to the story. Some week's are easier than others, but I work hard to make it so. And, I try to use the challenge item in a unique way. That is, a paperclip can't just be a paperclip.
Week 4's entry finished tied for 1st. It's another script that I'm quite proud of, simply because it's the first Mystery I've ever written. It's an intimidating genre, and the other writers were all struggling to tackle it in the tournament. Only I will ever know how much effort went into squeezing a fully-formed mystery into 5 pages. ICE could be expanded, and frankly, probably should be. But, even at 5 pages, it could be filmed (and work) as written.
My final entry was a horror short called BROKEN. It finished tied for 4th for the week. I'll admit, this short kicked my butt. Horror, Mountain, Wedding Planner and Beer Bottle. Theme: "Win at all cost." I struggled mightily with this one. But, I'm happy with how I took a completely broken (you didn't know the title was ironic, did you?) first draft, and turned it into a working script. That said, I love the bigger idea here, and will look to rework this short at some point. It's completely contained, as the entire script takes place on a gondola. It's at night. And, it involves a psycho ex-boyfriend and the opponent for his ex's affections: her husband-to-be.
As you read the scripts, keep in mind: each round of the tournament gives every write a fresh set of parameters. All writers have 72 hours to complete their entries for the week. The parameters include: a genre, an item, a character and a location. And, though you'll see some are now slightly longer thanks to rewrites, each script for the tournament was required to be 5 pages or less.
(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, THE DEPTHS, finished 6th. It's a Western, and, it's an example of why I love the tournament. I simply don't write Westerns. But, it's great fun to explore a new genre. The other parameters were: Boat, Missionary and Derringer. The theme for the week was: "Money is the root of all evil." (I should note here, one of the challenges that I issue to myself is: make the theme subtle. I hate work that bashes you over the head with a message, and I used these scripts to practice hiding the theme a bit. Yes, my scores suffered as a result, as some voters didn't catch my use of the theme, but, I'll happily defend every script here as it applies to the week's theme.)
My second round entry took 1st. By a mile. I'm quite proud of that fact. It's a thriller called LINES. The parameters included: A Homemaker, An Auto Body Shop and Ketchup Packets. The theme: "Blood is thicker than water." (This script was picked up before the tournament was even over.)
Week 3 brought me a 4th place finish. PAPERS is a Sci-fi with a Diplomat, on a Ferry, including a Paperclip. Theme: "Nature vs. Nurture." This is another script that voters had trouble identifying theme. But, trust me, it's in there. Also, I'd like to point out: another challenge I issue to myself is to make every element crucial to the story. Some week's are easier than others, but I work hard to make it so. And, I try to use the challenge item in a unique way. That is, a paperclip can't just be a paperclip.
Week 4's entry finished tied for 1st. It's another script that I'm quite proud of, simply because it's the first Mystery I've ever written. It's an intimidating genre, and the other writers were all struggling to tackle it in the tournament. Only I will ever know how much effort went into squeezing a fully-formed mystery into 5 pages. ICE could be expanded, and frankly, probably should be. But, even at 5 pages, it could be filmed (and work) as written.
My final entry was a horror short called BROKEN. It finished tied for 4th for the week. I'll admit, this short kicked my butt. Horror, Mountain, Wedding Planner and Beer Bottle. Theme: "Win at all cost." I struggled mightily with this one. But, I'm happy with how I took a completely broken (you didn't know the title was ironic, did you?) first draft, and turned it into a working script. That said, I love the bigger idea here, and will look to rework this short at some point. It's completely contained, as the entire script takes place on a gondola. It's at night. And, it involves a psycho ex-boyfriend and the opponent for his ex's affections: her husband-to-be.
| the_depths_by_paul_knauer.pdf |
| papers_by_paul_knauer.pdf |
| ice_by_paul_knauer.pdf |
| broken_by_paul_knauer.pdf |