Creative Screenwriting Magazine ("Best Screenwriting Magazine" -- LA Times) and Sponsor of the Screenwriting Expo

(Jim Cirile and his team at Coverage, Ink have been managing the Cyberspace Open
and its predecessor, the CS Open, for Creative Screenwriting since 2001)

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for participating in The Cyberspace Open.

In the past, participants have told us that the feedback on the scenes was invaluable. Many had never gotten any real feedback on their writing before, and a couple lines of constructive criticism was en eye-opener. We love that! Bear in mind you’re just going to get a short paragraph and numerical scores as feedback, not in-depth screenplay coverage like we provide through Coverage, Ink (it IS just a scene you’re writing.) But still, we will tell you what we like and what could be better, and hey, you can tell a lot about someone’s style from a single scene.

Xcroll down or click here for some sample premises like those which you'll be asked to write from, scroll to the bottom of this note.

But first, here are a few things to keep in mind about what to do and what not to do, and what we judges are looking for.

1) Originality is 25% of your score. That’s crucial to keep in mind. We ask you to bring your OWN interpretation to the scene prompt. It can be a relatively LOOSE interpretation, as long as you hit the main parameters of the scene.

Remember that you can stage your scene in any era, setting, epoch, location, planet or galaxy that you please. Your characters do not need to be human necessarily. They can be cardboard boxes, paramecium, bottle caps or waffles… think ‘outside the box.’

That said, don’t feel you need to be weird, but if you are doing a traditional interpretation of the scene, please try to bring a twist to it or something different, unusual, special. If the scene is great but it feels commonplace, then… ho-hum.

2) The length of 3-5 pages (3-5 minutes if filmed) is a suggestion. BUT, bear in mind part of the point of this is if you can follow directions. For every page over 5 you turn in, it’s that much less likely that the reader will be accommodating. Self-editing is a critical skill ALL writers must have.

Remember, screenwriters are judged on their economy of language. Brevity. Terseness. Read back over your scene carefully before submitting. Scrutinize every paragraph, every sentence, every WORD. Are you describing something using ten words where 5 will do? Or can you do it with a shrug or body language? Overwriting is the number one killer of scripts. Learn to review everything you write with hatchet in hand. This directly affects your STYLE score. Remember: white on the page is your friend!

For more hints and tips on self-editing and sharpening your style, check out the Coverage Ink Spec Format & Style Guide, available as a PDF download at www.coverageink.com.

Remember you MUST use Courier 12-point as your font!

3) You must nail the scene parameters. This is part of your STRUCTURE score. In the past many writers have submitted scenes that went off the rails and did not hit the main points of the scene prompt. How you do it is up to you, but you do need to follow the prompt. If the prompt says you need Character X to confront Character Y about Z, then THAT is what you must do. How you stage it, that’s up to you.

4) Take the time to read your scene aloud before submitting. It’s the surest way to suss out clunky or on-the-nose dialogue.

5) We do not deduct for spelling errors. That said, if you want to be a professional writer, spelling is part of the job. Set your bookmark to m-w.com and don’t just GUESS at how words are spelled. Look ‘em up. It takes 5 seconds..

6) Introduce your characters as if it’s the first time they’re appearing in the movie, even though your scene could conceivably take place at any point in a completed screenplay—page 43, the end of Act 2, etc. In other words, make sure you do:

BILL (24,) rumpled and fidgety… or:

GWENDOLYN (65,) stooped-over waitress from hell…

The first time we meet Bill or Gwen (note: this is just an EXAMPLE! You should not use Bill or Gwendolyn in YOUR scene) because it’s the first time we’re meeting them.

Also the scene can’t be a fully contained short film with a beginning, middle and an end. We’re just looking for a SCENE that hits the parameters. That said, the scene should end on a “button” (a sharp bit of dialogue or other emphasizing moment that would springboard you to the next scene if it was in the middle of a screenplay.)

7) Most of all, HAVE FUN.

Good luck, everyone!

Jim Cirile
CSCyberspace Open Coordinator

Sample Cyberspace Open Premises –
Actual Premises From The 2008 Cyberspace Open

Your PROTAGONIST has just discovered that his or her own SIBLING has double-crossed him (or her.) All signs indicate that the brother or sister has been leading on the protagonist on to accomplish a goal. Feeling betrayed and angry, your protagonist confronts the sibling, who reveals a secret that rocks your protagonist’s world. Remember to think outside the box. How you handle this scene, the setting and the style—dramatic or comedy—is entirely up to you.

Your PROTAGONIST returns home after an extended stay away only to find things not at like he remembers them to be. What’s going on here? You tell us. Write the scene in which your protagonist begins to realize things are very, very wrong. Use any characters you feel may be necessary to tell your story. How you handle this scene, the setting and the style—dramatic or comedy—is entirely up to you.

Your PROTAGONIST has been struggling to make it on his or her own but everything is coming up crap for him (or her.) Write a scene in which he (or she) loses it in public in front of LOVED ONE, and things go from bad to worse. How you handle this scene, the setting and the style—dramatic or comedy—is entirely up to you.

Your PROTAGONIST is a college student studying abroad. A strange case of mistaken identity results in your protagonist being thrust into a difficult situation. Write the scene in which your protagonist tries to protect a loved one from danger at the hands of an enemy who believes him (or her) to be someone else. Remember to think outside the box. How you handle this scene and the style—dramatic or comedy—is entirely up to you.

Your PROTAGONIST is planning to double-cross his or her ALLY. At the same time, the ALLY is planning to double-cross your protagonist. Write the scene in which the paths collide. You may use any characters you feel are necessary to tell the story. Remember to think outside the box. The setting and style—comedy or drama? are entirely up to you.

It’s Thanksgiving, or something similar, and your PROTAGONIST is bringing home the new beau to meet THE FAMILY for the first time. But this is the family from hell. Protagonist will have to use all his (or her) wiles to survive this family get-together. One more thing—protagonist is petrified that one of the family members knows a secret about him which, if revealed, could not only nuke his relationship but have far wider-reaching ramifications to boot. Remember to think outside the box. The setting and style—comedy or drama? are entirely up to you.