The April 2023 OWC

“What if..?

It’s an ordinary day, you’re minding your own business when, without even thinking, you do a good deed for someone. Something selfless. Simple. Maybe you paid it forward. Maybe you helped an old lady across the street. Whatever it is, you left someone better than when you found them. Now—

“What if..?

The powers that be of the universe take notice of your good deed and decide, somehow, some way, to return the favor by offering you a gift. A gift of extraordinary proportions. A superpower. Any superpower you so desire. Lasers from your eyes or sparks from from your lips. Anything. No questions asked. With a gift this enticing, naturally, you accept, but—

“What if?”

After you’ve done your good deed and received your chosen superpower, this day, of all days, just happens to be the day the world is going to end. A disaster of cataclysmic magnitude is hours, maybe minutes, away, and you’re literally the only one who can stop it, and you must stop it with your newfound power. So…

What are you going to do?

• Genre is open.
• 10 page maximum
• Do not put your name on title page. Anonymous challenge.
• Scripts are due Friday, April 7 at midnight to SimplyScripts.com/OWC
• Please put (c) 2023 on title page.
• This is a challenge, not a contest.

Good Luck!

Hmm. Doesn't seem like much wiggle room here. Guess that's what makes it a challenge. Time to think.

Quoted from Zack Hmm. Doesn't seem like much wiggle room here. Guess that's what makes it a challenge. Time to think.

I dunno. I think there’s a lot of room and opportunity for creativity. Just think, if you were Kham you’d have to think of a way to save the world with clean hair.

Could our hero receive a superpower on the same day the world ends, but ultimately decides to become a villain instead? Or does the hero *have* to be good?

Stay spooked!

Sean

Quoted from Zombie Sean Could our hero receive a superpower on the same day the world ends, but ultimately decides to become a villain instead? Or does the hero *have* to be good? Stay spooked! Sean

I’m cool with that.

I assume we just need to pick one of the what if's... or combine all 3?

Quoted from ghost and_ghostie gal I assume we just need to pick one of the what if's... or combine all 3?

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. It’s a combo. All three what ifs = your script
Do a good deed, get recognized and choose a superpower and save the world!

Quoted from SAC Sorry if I wasn’t clear. It’s a combo. All three what ifs = your script Do a good deed, get recognized and choose a superpower and save the world!

Okay, so now I'm super curious which parameter you eliminated.

Hmm, I'm not a big fan of characters with superpowers/saving the world etc., but I'm going to ponder this and see if I can tweak it somehow in my head. We'll see...

Nice, love this... currently I have nothing but I do love the idea!

Quoted from LC Okay, so now I'm super curious which parameter you eliminated. Hmm, I'm not a big fan of characters with superpowers/saving the world etc., but I'm going to ponder this and see if I can tweak it somehow in my head. We'll see...

Cool. I’d like to think there’s a lot of places you can go with this.

The parameter I deleted was you can only use this superpower once. Use it twice and you die. I figured it’d be too limited that way.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Nice, love this... currently I have nothing but I do love the idea!

Thanks, Ant! I finally came up with a decent one for y’all.

I see you went with "...sparks from your lips.", rather than "Water from your _______."  Wise move.  I'm afraid I'm out of this one.  Still recovering from cataract surgery and can't focus enough to do anything remotely creative.  Which, of course, describes the body of my work...

Quoted from steven8 I see you went with "...sparks from your lips.", rather than "Water from your _______."  Wise move.  I'm afraid I'm out of this one.  Still recovering from cataract surgery and can't focus enough to do anything remotely creative.  Which, of course, describes the body of my work...

I was thinking of a song with the sparks from the lips and I couldn’t think of it before. Now I got it. The Eagles’ Witchy Woman. Sparks fly from her fingertips. Dammit.

Sorry to hear your out of this one. Here’s to a speedy recovery.

Great idea! I can’t take part because I have people staying here for a week. The downside of living in Florida is that people like to take vacations to your house. I don’t mind them coming here, but it’s a lot of work to run a resort lol. Good luck to everyone who enters.  

ONLY 10 pages. I feel like writing 200 but I'll abode by the rules.

That is a juicy challenge!

Quoted from kbyrdleroy ONLY 10 pages. I feel like writing 200 but I'll abode by the rules.

200 might be a big ask.  
Welcome, btw.

Quoted from kbyrdleroy ONLY 10 pages. I feel like writing 200 but I'll abode by the rules.

Welcome aboard, kbyrd! Next challenge I’ll think about 200 pages.

Quoted from MarkRenshaw That is a juicy challenge!

Yeah, while you’re off galavanting on family vacations and shit we’ll all be back here slaving over our laptops.

Quoted from Grandma Bear Great idea! I can’t take part because I have people staying here for a week. The downside of living in Florida is that people like to take vacations to your house. I don’t mind them coming here, but it’s a lot of work to run a resort lol. Good luck to everyone who enters.

I’ll be in Orlando in two weeks. Maybe me and my family will swing by your place.

Nice challenge.
Im not sure I'll come up with anything on it though but like you said it will be very hard to save the world with clean hair. Maybe less of bad smell or something...

Quoted from khamanna Nice challenge. Im not sure I'll come up with anything on it though but like you said it will be very hard to save the world with clean hair. Maybe less of bad smell or something...

That’s what it’s all about though. How would one save the world with perpetually clean hair? Now that’s a challenge.

See, now, if I was smart I would’ve gotten a show of hands first and had everyone who wanted in this challenge to pick a superpower before hand, THEN give the reveal. Next time.

Quoted from Superpower! Hallmark scriptwriting See, now, if I was smart

Nice challenge!

Let me see if I can come up with something at 11:00 on Friday night

I think I'm writing something but not sure. I think I even have half a page

Quoted from irish eyes Nice challenge! Let me see if I can come up with something at 11:00 on Friday night

I expect nothing less from you, Mark. Some of your Friday night specials are epic!

Quoted from khamanna I think I'm writing something but not sure. I think I even have half a page

That’s awesome, Kham. Remember, there’s no minimum page limit. Only a max of 10.

I'm in!

First one in a while, I feel rusty.

Just seeing where everyone is with their scripts. Still writing, editing. 2+ full days to go. Get at it!

I love these challenges and was excited for this one, but sadly, I’ve got nothing at this point. The super hero/super power genre just isn’t in my wheelhouse.  I really only know of one superpower and it….oh wait a minute…..

Quoted from Matthew Taylor I'm in! First one in a while, I feel rusty.

Nice! I was gonna write one but the idea had one the parameters that I cut. Should have left it in and just tweaked it.

Quoted from kcranford I love these challenges and was excited for this one, but sadly, I’ve got nothing at this point. The super hero/super power genre just isn’t in my wheelhouse.  I really only know of one superpower and it….oh wait a minute…..

Two full days left, Kathy. No page minimum. Get it together!

Quoted from kcranford I love these challenges and was excited for this one, but sadly, I’ve got nothing at this point. The super hero/super power genre just isn’t in my wheelhouse.  I really only know of one superpower and it….oh wait a minute…..

I can be corrected if I’m wrong, but I don’t think it needs to be in a super hero vein and I would consider a “super power” to be any ability not capable by ordinary people. So it doesn’t have to be as grandiose as flying or laser eyes. It could be the ability to talk to a squirrel, or turn things a certain colour by touch

The genre is open so could be a romance with a power of lust or attraction.

The most limiting factor I think is the ending of the world, there are not many things that can end the world in a day. If I was sticking with the romance, I would task the protagonist (with new found seduction abilities) with seducing a world leader so they don’t press the Nuke button (rather than a “superhero” stopping them by force)
Meh, I’m just waffling

Anyway, from what I have seen of you, you’re a great writer so would be good to see you take up the challenge

Quoted from Matthew Taylor I can be corrected if I’m wrong, but I don’t think it needs to be in a super hero vein and I would consider a “super power” to be any ability not capable by ordinary people. So it doesn’t have to be as grandiose as flying or laser eyes. It could be the ability to talk to a squirrel, or turn things a certain colour by touch The genre is open so could be a romance with a power of lust or attraction. The most limiting factor I think is the ending of the world, there are not many things that can end the world in a day. If I was sticking with the romance, I would task the protagonist (with new found seduction abilities) with seducing a world leader so they don’t press the Nuke button (rather than a “superhero” stopping them by force) Meh, I’m just waffling Anyway, from what I have seen of you, you’re a great writer so would be good to see you take up the challenge

You’re exactly right, Matthew.

Quoted from Matthew Taylor If I was sticking with the romance, I would task the protagonist (with new found seduction abilities) with seducing a world leader so they don’t press the Nuke button (rather than a “superhero” stopping them by force)

I agree and in my story my hero stopping the world leader by waving her clean hair under his nose.
easy peasy

I'm done writing and will submit this time closer to deadline.

It wrote itself and the ending really surprised me.

Now I'll be thinking of clever words / expressions to make the prose read better.

Quoted from khamanna I agree and in my story my hero stopping the world leader by waving her clean hair under his nose. easy peasy

Title: Peace and Hairmony

Quoted from Matthew Taylor Title: Peace and Hairmony

Hair Today, Not Gone Tomorrow

Ah, thanks for the titles! I’ll take the one that fits my genre better

Ok. Mines up. I was away and only saw this last night, but I went all compulsive on it. Look forward to read the others.

Quoted from CoastalMainer Ok. Mines up. I was away and only saw this last night, but I went all compulsive on it. Look forward to read the others.

Nice. Glad to have you aboard for this one.

Everyone is usually pretty good with this, but you should always make an effort to read as many, if not all, the scripts you can.

Finally have an idea, three pages written and I predict it will run to 15 pages as is... so only 30% to shave... 15 hours left and about to go for a family meal... well it's not called a challenge for nothing

Quoted from AnthonyCawood Finally have an idea, three pages written and I predict it will run to 15 pages as is... so only 30% to shave... 15 hours left and about to go for a family meal... well it's not called a challenge for nothing

Ah, you got this and you know it! Good luck!

It's been so long that I forgot the different commands and short cuts for writing.

I'm in.

Quoted from JEStaats It's been so long that I forgot the different commands and short cuts for writing. I'm in.

Cool. Haven’t seen u around in a while.

Yeah, remember quarantine? Those were the days. Now I've got to work for a living. I don't expect many kind words this OWC!

Have not had time for this, but visitors have left, so I think I'll be able to read some. Hoping there will be a great turnout!  

3 hours to spare and I'm in.

Almost 2am here, so time for bed!

Quoted from Grandma Bear Have not had time for this, but visitors have left, so I think I'll be able to read some. Hoping there will be a great turnout!

Come on, Pia. Bang one out.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood 3 hours to spare and I'm in. Almost 2am here, so time for bed!

Get some well deserved rest, Anthony.

Looking forward to reading all the entries and what everyone comes up with to meet the challenge as laid out.  Time’s almost up!

Do we know when scripts are going to drop?

I'm not in but will read.
I started to formulate an idea and then realised (still moving house) that my FD was on the PC in storage.

Good luck to everyone!

Good morning, writers. I have no timeline on when Don will be posting the scripts, but I’m fairly sure it’ll be today. Till then, there were a total of 9 scripts submitted with no collaborations. 5 entries are comedies, 1 sci-fi, 2 fantasy and 1 drama.

Overall, a nice mix. Hopefully these will be up soon. Happy reading!

Steve

Oh wow. Really nice turnout!

Hi, Scripts are up!  Having some technical difficulties, but the scripts are ready to be read.

best,

Don

Oh snap! My bad. Looks like there are 12 scripts, not nine.

Quoted from SAC Oh snap! My bad. Looks like there are 12 scripts, not nine.

Good turnout, Steve!
Looking forward to reading.
No Horror?

P.S. Is there a list with title and loglines?
Don was having a few tech problems, maybe it's to come?