These scene showdowns always end up being a little more controversial than I expect. Some people have said that by creating this challenge, it forces writers to write bigger scenes than they otherwise would have. I don’t think that’s true. As unknown screenwriters, you have to hook a reader right away. So starting with a great scene is, dare I say, essential.
And how do I respond to these criticisms? By announcing another scene showdown!
So you know I’m not trolling, the main reason I’m holding this new showdown is TO KEEP YOU GUYS WRITING. I’ve already heard several of you complain that writing your scripts has been difficult. So, anything I can do to push you forward and continue to write, I’m going to do.
What’s this latest showdown?
It’s called the “THAT SCENE” SHOWDOWN.
Every good movie has THAT SCENE, that amazing awesome scene that everyone remembers. Technically speaking, your climax should be your best scene. But, for whatever reason, it never ends up that way. The best scene is usually somewhere in the second act. So that’s the scene I want you to write. I want your best scene that occurs in your second act (it’s fine if it isn’t in your second act but that’s what I want you to aim for).
If you want examples, the Deli scene in The Wrestler comes to mind. Will confronting the Harvard Douchebag in the bar in Good Will Hunting. Anton Chigurh’s coin toss in the gas station in No Country for Old Men. The cars waiting at the border crossing scene in Sicario. The blood test scene in The Thing. Clarice’s first meeting with Hannibal Lecter. Georgie talking to the clown in the storm drain scene in It. When the marines inspect the colony for the first time in Aliens. The clown doll attacking the boy in Poltergeist.
It’s that scene that people talk about for years. It’s that movie that you put on JUST SO YOU CAN GET TO THAT SCENE AND WATCH IT. It’s your movie’s best scene. And I want to see what that’s going to be for all the Blood & Ink participants.
Even if you haven’t gotten that far in your screenplay yet, you should already know what that scene is going to be. So, don’t wait to get to that scene. Jump ahead and write it. That should actually help those of you who aren’t writing fast enough. It’ll give you a checkpoint to write towards.
Don’t worry about context. I’ll give you 100 words to set up your scene for the readers if need be. And we’re going to post this showdown on Halloween – this October 31st. Which gives you about a month to write it. I would think that’d be plenty of time! And, you can start sending in your entries RIGHT NOW.
By the way, a few Blood & Ink participants seemed to think that, by not making the First Scene Showdown, they were no longer in the contest. Let me be clear: ALL 97 BLOOD & INK ENTRIES ARE STILL IN THE CONTEST. You don’t have to enter these Blood & Ink showdowns if you don’t want to. But you should still be writing your script so that it’s ready in February.
Okay, here are the details for ‘THAT SCENE’ SHOWDOWN
For Blood & Ink Contest Participants Only!
What: “That Scene” Showdown
When: Friday, October 31st
Deadline: Thursday, October 30th, 10pm Pacific Time
Send me: title, genre, logline, up to 100 words of context for the scene, a PDF of the scene
Sent to: carsonreeves3@gmail.com
