I can never remember when we can start sharing our titles and loglines, but I’m pretty sure it’s anytime after the submission deadline. Anyone else have any ideas?

I’m itching to read those loglines!

Ruthless

Forced into crime to save her kidnapped daughter, a mother must confront a devil she doesn't know - as well as the devil she does.

When a dead-end worker is given the opportunity of a lifetime to star on a prestigious trivia show, he must face overwhelming odds for a shot at the ultimate prize.

Really felt the 10 page limit here. Thank God for montages and dual dialogue.

Great to be back for another year — excited to read some scripts next week!

A single mother must endure the savage contest of existence when she discovers that her 'all-inclusive' health insurance doesn't cover her and her young daughter when they contract the zombie virus.

46 Fairy Tale/A triathlon/An escapee

When a contest is declared for all the lads of the kingdom, one lass finds out what winning really means.

Romance, Collusion, a Guitarist 

Title - Collusion

Logline- A woman confesses to crimes she's committed in her youth.

Second time getting Romance. I don't know if the algorithm decided they like how I write it or what. I've decided to keep on in NYC until I get each prompt.

Does everyone typically get the same prompt over again?

Group 23: Comedy / crunch time / a censor 

A close-minded censor must speed review the highly-anticipated final installment of an epic fantasy trilogy before its Auckland premiere begins.

For all my fellow lotr nerds

Genres are random. That said, I've had Thriller a lot more than other genres. And comedy as well actually. I've pulled that at least 3 times but never Rom Com or Poli Sat. Unless I wiped that from memory. 

Horror / secrecy / designated driver

THRIVE
When Edgar's girlfriend accuses him of being too emotionally needy, he turns his attention to nurturing Clive, a cute little succulent he finds in the street. Clive couldn't possibly have a secret agenda,
could he?

This sounds like PEAK Anthea!! Can't wait to read this one 😁!

Waffly synopsis because of sleepiness, and having had to do this as a speed-write (as is my standard M.O.), who knows. But I like it. Another one for my Spain collection.

Well done, all!! We done a thing!!

CAN CONFIRM! This story is entirely on-brand and on-point! A highly entertaining read. I hope you share it when we can so everyone else can enjoy it!

Crime Caper/A clockwatcher/Shortcomings

This was a tough one for me, but I'm proud that I was able to finish and submit on time!

It's been fun to read so many loglines. I'm always fascinated by how different prompts lead to such wildly different stories. Excited to read some of your scripts!

Love it! I'm going to call it my yahtzee file! 

Group 32

-Fairy Tale

-Staycation

-A Gossipmonger

Title: Beauty and the Beasts Staycation

Logline: Adam plans a weekend "staycation" much to the annoyance of Belle. Red Riding Hood follows the couple, mocking them on social media, until Belle finally snaps. 

I've never heard of a 'point man'! I'm impressed you managed to do something with that; I'm not sure I'd've known where to start.

A NZ city mention! Funnily enough I frequent the cinema where they held the RoTK world premiere, excited to read!

My perfect beta! Hopefully it reads as something passably set in NZ... 

Title: Dragon Force

Logline:

DRIPPED IN BLOOD

A widow and her lover plan the perfect murder that will allow them to live happily ever after. Or so he thinks. 

Good luck!

@RichD74 I hope you post this one to read! I once worked with a French man, and he saw me microwave a croissant. He did not talk to me for the rest of the day! 

Group 15

Horror | All-inclusive | Salesperson

A corporate salesperson who sells an all-inclusive service that lets clients skip their worst days begins to suspect the proxy version of himself absorbing the pain is quietly replacing him.

Group 44

Horror | A bucket list | A crewman

First time writing for a competition, I'm a little nervous but also really excited.

(Also yes, the title is an Avatar reference)

Hi Group mate! I hope you post so we can read each others stories! I found the ghost town a difficult prompt, don't know why, but it just stuck in my brain, lol.

Two aristocrats get more than they bargained for when they ask their young servant for a story.

I love stories from a kid's perspective. Can't wait to read this one!

Congrats on completing your first competition! 

Group 42: action/adventure / a wild-goose chase / a selectee

This sounds great! For some reason I never thought to add supernatural shenanigans to the Mystery genre. What else was Scooby Dooby for?!

Thanks, Nick!

I can't wait to read yours - I'm so excited to dive into these screenplays - this remains my favourite NYCM contest :)

nickwascreative wrote: Anthea123 wrote: Horror / secrecy / designated driver THRIVE When Edgar's girlfriend accuses him of being too emotionally needy, he turns his attention to nurturing Clive, a cute little succulent he finds in the street. Clive couldn't possibly have a secret agenda, could he? This sounds like PEAK Anthea!! Can't wait to read this one 😁!

-------------
https://bit.ly/4bSzZwx" rel="nofollow - 100 R1
https://bit.ly/4kZRGyA" rel="nofollow - Screenplay R1

I've only had mystery once, and I NEVER want it again.

However, I am very keen to see what you came up with!

Frey_a wrote: I haven't seen anyone with mystery post yet, would love to see how others went with it I had mystery / a hoax / a rising star  IN TOO DEEP A busy mother must bring her curious young daughter along on a work trip to investigate a suspicious 'sea monster' insurance claim.

-------------
https://bit.ly/4bSzZwx" rel="nofollow - 100 R1
https://bit.ly/4kZRGyA" rel="nofollow - Screenplay R1

G32- Fairy Tale (yuck)/Staycation (whaaaaaat?)/Gossipmonger (dang it)...definitely a challenging set of prompts.

Nice double-duty title! (I'm assuming the heist involves stones)

Group 26: Suspense / Avoidance / A bankroller

Hi!

Love the darkness in that romance! Hopefully you will post it to the Masterlist when it's up and running. My memory is telling me that the screenwriting competitions always seem to draw fewer posted pieces than the straight fiction competitions. I wish that weren't the case.

I have, mercifully, only received Romance once (Jinx) and I still remember the disdain of one judge's comment "I didn't quite feel the chemistry between them." Sheesh.

Overall I've submitted 34 stories/screenplays through NYCM since late 2021 (mind you this was back when there was still Short Screenplay which had two screenplays in the first round and when flash fiction still had 2 stories in the first round as well). Nine of which were for later rounds. My records show...

Suspense assigned a whopping 7 times!...20% of the time! Enough with the suspense already, NYCM.

Comedy is second with 5 times.

I've never been assigned Poli-Sat, Rom-com, or Spy so my NYCM Yahtzee card is still incomplete.  Looking at that motley crew of genres, I hope it stays that way.

Good luck!

Yes! I had a grand time looking at pictures of both black diamond jewelry and black diamond ski runs in my research 

Welcome aboard the NYCM train. Your logline makes my skin crawl. That's a good thing!

Hello for the first time, first-timer! Great logline. Horrific choice to make. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes or boots or whatever submariners wear. Good luck!

Hi RichD74! 

What a rush to see someone else from 34 toss their toque blanche into the forum. I'm right there with you and love the implications of your logline. Good luck!

This one was a strange process. I got the idea Saturday morning. Procrastinated till Monday. Wrote half of the first scene on Tuesday and the second half of the first scene on Wednesday. Then all of a sudden, Thursday was wildly productive. Amazing what an approaching deadline will do. Good luck to everyone and I encourage all y'all Group 34 creative geniuses to share your work.

I've been doing NYCM regularly (screen, prose and rhyming) since Flash 2018, and have never had sci-fi or mystery. On the other hand, I could put together an anthology of fairy tale and fantasy. Probably comedy and drama too. Romance is rare too, and I think only in Micro. Odd algorithm stuff, I guess. I got Suspense this time, which I've had a few times, but rarely Thriller. 

It's fun, though, and repeating does let you focus and 'learn' a genre.

I’ve been doing the Screenwriting Challenge/Short Script since 2020, and I’ve had a few repeat genres — Thriller three times including last year and this year and I’ve had Romance twice. 

Quite a few genres that I haven't had yet though, including Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Comedy (tho I chose it for final round once), A/A, Suspense and Fairy Tale. I always hope for a new or non-repeat genre, but that’s not always the case (I’m looking at you, Thriller!). If I get Thriller again before all of those other genres I haven't been dealt yet, that may become my villain origin story!

FLASH

I know how you feel, had spy 8 times in 2 years, and I hate spy. I too miss the two story first round contests. Never had mystery or suspense.

I have a feeling this screenwriting contest is going to go the way of the 2 story first rounds contests... They just do not really try to push this one. All those sponsor prizes could really help boost entries if they handed them out to random entrants instead of giving them to the money winners - I have my doubts that the winners need screenwriting programs... Just give them their cash booty and spread the wealth and draw in the new people.

Please clarify when you post if you want feedback publicly or privately, as well as what you're comfortable with hearing. 

I'm about any and all feedback please and thank you! I'd especially love it if someone who has my same group could review me!

Also, when that thread shows up, could someone please post the tech help? Eg- how to upload properly? I'm not so techie and need all the help I can get!

Thanks for getting us started, Nick!

Group 26

Suspense, Avoidance, Bankroller (I went kind of wide with this)

A group mate! Hello! This sounds exciting.

Shout out to G26. I like where you went with this. Very intriguing!

Once NYCM sets up the 2026 Screenwriting Challenge room, they’ll include instructions on how to upload your script to the master list as well as how to properly include your script in the forum. But if you have any questions there are lots of ppl here to help! You can get a headstart by adding your PDF to Google Drive or another cloud hosting service and ensure your sharing settings are set to “anyone who has the link” or “public” etc. You’ll need that link for when you go to add it to the forum. Those instructions should also be included in NYCM’s instructions, too!

I've only had mystery once, and I NEVER want it again.

However, I am very keen to see what you came up with!

[QUOTE=Frey_a]I haven't seen anyone with mystery post yet, would love to see how others went with it

I think the idea behind the forums here - at least as long as I've been here - is that we post the feedback below the story, which makes it semi-public, although it's a private forum. Easiest way to get reviews is to review others, and they'll return the read.

Here's a post you can read while we wait for the green light; the trickiest thing with it all is putting a link in your signature.  https://forums.nycmidnight.com/forum-tips-for-new-folks-reminders-for-us-vets_topic58662.html" rel="nofollow - https://forums.nycmidnight.com/forum-tips-for-new-folks-reminders-for-us-vets_topic58662.html

Group 33 represent! Hist Fic / Pastry Chef / "Mixed Signals"

When the Italians surrender to the Allies in 1943, Nice is no longer a safe haven for Jews. A baker and skilled engraver, Maurice Loebenberg, risks his life to help his fellow Jews escape by forging identity paperwork he hides within his breads and pastries.

I feel there's far less activity on the forum this year compared to previous years. I recall dozens and dozens of loglines being posted off the hop other years, where it seemed to take days for that to happen this year. Out of the 1,300 participants, the number of us in the forums was always small, but our footprint now seems tiny.

Also the forum is taking longer than usual to open. The Sunday 11.59pm ones open on Wednesdays, but these Saturday 11.59pm forums are usually open by now...  (And I'm also alone in my group, so far.)

Congrats on moving forward. Seems we got a bye-week. :D 

*ShaqShoulderShuffle.gif*

I was in Group 3: Sci-fi | The Last Chance | A Chocoholic 

Title: Ethically Sourced Chocolate in the Post-Extinction Era

Logline: When the Galactic Federation’s supercomputer confirms the

  

Grp 33 Historical Fiction/Pastry Chef/Mixed Signals      Her Majesty's Pasties

Good luck everyone! I'm really happy with this year's entry, found it very cathartic with everything going on in the world

I'm Group 7 - just a little late to the party!

FRED KELLY

Not going to lie - I'm super proud of this one. I really want to film it now! It was fun to write a script where the entire action takes place within a YouTube gamer's livestream!

TULPA

Seventeen-year-old Cass streams obscure retro games to her devoted Friday night audience – until one forgotten floppy-disc from the 90s proves more than she, or her followers, can handle.

Title: The Fairy Godmother

Logline: When a criminal on the FBI's Most Wanted List is captured, the case takes an unexpected turn when the detective who was chasing her suddenly suspects an impossible connection between them

The biggest problem here is that they killed the flash screenwriting contest. That one was shorter, 5 pages, but the thing was you had to write two of them to move on, not at the same time, a month or two between. Between the one going on right now and then 6 months later the flash, it kept the wheels greased. One a year for those of us who like it, is just nasty.