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Have the prompts become... less inspiring?

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erikric View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote erikric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Have the prompts become... less inspiring?
    Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 2:38pm
Hi,

I used to get a real kick out of reading the prompts, even if I didn't always like the genre. 

It used to be location and objects. Now it is subject and character. This time I got 
- Romantic Comedy
- Carefree
- A fuddy-duddy

'Carefree' is way too abstract for me to be helpful. As a non-native English speaker, a 'fuddy-duddy' doesn't help giving me a clear vision (I think I have googled the gist of it).

Maybe I am just getting old and grumpy, or unlucky, but I have been really disappointed with the last three or four promtps from NYCM.

It may be that I don't like being given a character. I enjoy the connections of a strange object in a weird place, and figure out what kind characters could plausibly (or entertainingly) be thrown into the mix.

Ok, I'm done procrastinating now. I just wanted to know if it was just me, or a symptom of some change in the competition.

Good luck everyone!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Popsicle Crows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 3:21pm
Yep. Location would have been much more fun. I got crime caper, motorcade and appraiser. Only 'appraiser' has potential right now. Every motorcade idea I've had isn't fun at all, more like spy, mystery, thriller etc.
Motorcade is boring. I know there are types of motorcades but they all leave me firmly stuck in the age of the automobile. Meh.
I'm tying to come up with a really weird reason for a motorcade or one made up of weird vehicles. 

Don't think it's a symptom of anything with the contest since some people got prompts that I would personally kill for.
I think we're both just grumpy because our prompts are really boring and too tropey, if that makes sense? Okay, maybe it's only me being grumpy LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Jennk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 3:51pm
At least vague prompts give you some flexibility but prompt envy is real. Last night I was wished I had something different, especially because I keep getting some version of Comedy. But, it is what it is. 

I'm now embracing Comedy - Martial Arts - a Ringmaster. It could have been worse, even though I don't like a narrow Martial Arts subject.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Popsicle Crows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 4:08pm
Originally posted by Jennk Jennk wrote:

At least vague prompts give you some flexibility but prompt envy is real. Last night I was wished I had something different, especially because I keep getting some version of Comedy. But, it is what it is. 

I'm now embracing Comedy - Martial Arts - a Ringmaster. It could have been worse, even though I don't like a narrow Martial Arts subject.

Martial Arts can be flexible too. We have the arts concerning women's self defence with whole seminars using regular objects or really specific martial arts like the Kendo with its mysterious caged headgear. French Savate or Indigenous Judo-type sparring. You could lean towards martial arts movies, video games, or even kids playing around in their back yard. Also nice that your timeline could be anywhere from the ancient world to today.
A ringmaster doesn't have to relate to a circus either. A master goldsmith could be a ringmaster?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote nickwascreative Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 5:10pm
This is my third year in this comp, so my experience is limited. But I feel like they’re the same as usual. From what I can remember, this comp has always had the subject and character prompts for the last three years at least, with the Short Script Challenge prompts as location and object.

I like the vagueness of the prompts, leaves it open for creative intrepetation. 

In the SSC i ended up with back-to-back sandwich prompts (one was specifically a club sandwich, the other was just a sandwich lol) which I thought was funny. The prompts are what you make of them!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CamsynClair Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 7:27pm
I've had some awesome SS prompts! Last year's was PolSat / moonlighting / a master of ceremonies, and this one was RomCom / an escapade / a denturist. I have Comedy / nostalgia / a cashier this time around, and "cashier" has definitely been my most boring character prompt. I'll take nostalgia / cashier, but Comedy Wacko
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alyxbee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 7:57pm
Part of that might be the different challenges. They don't  share prompts, and never have AFAIK.  Some have subject, some have location, some have object, some have just word. It looks like Screenwriting has always had subject / character though because the 2016 winner has the same set up. 

Might be worth it to look through the different challenges and see which ones have the prompts you like! 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote Suave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 9:54pm

Well, I got 3 pages in yesterday after the prompts came out. I have to start over.
Even wrestling with when waking up a few times last night, I still can't make it work.
RomCom - eureka moment - chauffeur. I would like to eureka whoever thought of this prompt.


Edited by Suave - 26 Mar 2023 at 3:11am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fioOxf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 10:26pm
Originally posted by Jennk Jennk wrote:

At least vague prompts give you some flexibility but prompt envy is real. Last night I was wished I had something different, especially because I keep getting some version of Comedy. But, it is what it is. 

I'm now embracing Comedy - Martial Arts - a Ringmaster. It could have been worse, even though I don't like a narrow Martial Arts subject.

Hey there, groupmate. Do we have 'ringmaster' or 'ringleader'? Yeek, did I read it wrong? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jennk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2023 at 10:53pm
Originally posted by fioOxf fioOxf wrote:

Originally posted by Jennk Jennk wrote:

I'm now embracing Comedy - Martial Arts - a Ringmaster. It could have been worse, even though I don't like a narrow Martial Arts subject.

Hey there, groupmate. Do we have 'ringmaster' or 'ringleader'? Yeek, did I read it wrong? 

Hey group mate, 

Whoops. You’re right. Our character is a ringleader, and that’s better than a ringmaster, right?

Fortunately, I had it right when I crafted my story idea. 

Good luck!

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