Next fest is: Twilightfest!!

Zak Forsman said:
if you really watch the show (and read this thread) you'd know the show didn't rely exclusively on stories with twists.

doesn't mean you can't do one.
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I have read the thread and all the twilight zone endings people have mentioned sound like twists to me. Though I havent seen every episode...so i guess I don't know.
 
Mark Harris said:
Well, in the dramatic sense, it is very much irony. Which is basically an outcome opposite what he intended.

Coincidence can certainly be the engine of the irony in that one.
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See, I would consider it irony if he'd caused the end of the world somehow -- then the outcome would, indeed, be opposite of what he intended. But in this story, he was just the survivor of a catastrophic event who thought somehow he would now be happy -- but cruel Fate stepped in, with tragic results.

It might still be irony, though. Perhaps I'm applying too narrow a definition to it.
 
Zak Forsman said:
if you really watch the show (and read this thread) you'd know the show didn't rely exclusively on stories with twists.

doesn't mean you can't do one.
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Can you point us to a resource for scripts from the show? Because honestly I haven't seen an episode mentioned yet that I was familiar with that didn't have a twist. I'd like to read scripts from those episodes mentioned that I haven't seen.
 
Scripts, not films. :)

I did find this site, which should resolve the issue for anyone interested.

http://tzone.the-croc.com/twilight1.html

I do see that occasionally there are some stories which don't have dramatic twist endings. However, far and away most of the stories do end with a twist. I think that twist is the primary hallmark of a 'Twilight Zone' story. It is for me, anyway.

Good luck to everyone!
 
i was initially a little disappointed with the idea of twilight fest. I'll, of course, hold out final judgement until the rules are revealed, it just seems a little more restrictive (comparatively speaking to a timefest or lovefest) and we'll end up getting a lot of entries that look like they are made out of the same cookie cutter.

Almost like when I heard the required element for Timefest ...

Ben : "please don't let it be a clock, please don't let it be a clock" *checks DVXuser* "aww ... poop."
 
I feel as if this might result in 80 films with the same general idea.

I feel as if this might turn into twist fest. Twilight zone has pretty much eaten up most ideas. I mean, I had an idea for my thought, monster fest, which never happened. I might try to adapt it. I don't know. I'm not saying this can't be done without a twist. But I have a feeling twilight is synonymous with twist. And thus most entries will include twists.

I am concerned. But hey, it might be good to see it play out.
 
Mattykins said:
I feel as if this might result in 80 films with the same general idea.

I feel as if this might turn into twist fest. Twilight zone has pretty much eaten up most ideas. I mean, I had an idea for my thought, monster fest, which never happened. I might try to adapt it. I don't know. I'm not saying this can't be done without a twist. But I have a feeling twilight is synonymous with twist. And thus most entries will include twists.

I am concerned. But hey, it might be good to see it play out.
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i don't want to speak for those who will decide the thematic requirements, but i would call the presence of a "monster" an unusual circumstance for your main character.
 
Yeah, we shall see what happens in the coming days. I do intend on entering. With what, I haven't a clue. Though I don't think I need one before the rules have been announced.
 
I know this is a bit late, but I want to give my 2 cents on the irony deal. That story was definitly ironic, the man finally has the chance to read but is inhibited by another factor. Some might consider it a twist, I think it is very subjective. One might think something is a twist, another might not. But as long as the twists are done well, I don't have a proble with every person save Forsman uses one. Now, if you can jump in the same boat as Zak and make a creative piece that fits the theme without a twist, more power to you!
 
maybe this isn't universal but i've always considered a "twist" to be a reveal of unknown, but existing circumstances that change the context of, and our understanding of, the preceding story. the usual suspects had a twist (verbal was improvising the story). and we all know how the sixth sense changed our understanding of the story with the reveal that brice willis had been dead all along.

based on that, I wouldn't classify the episode Mark mentioned as a twist. to me its simply a morality tale that concludes with "careful what you wish for (to be left alone so he can read), you just might get it".
 
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Zak Forsman said:
maybe this isn't universal but i've always considered a "twist" to be a reveal of unknown, but existing circumstances that change the context of, and our understanding of, the preceding story....
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I agree completely with this. For example, in O2 the plan was for the two to die all along but we were lead to believe otherwise until the big reveal. That was a twist ending because it was something that had happened but we thought the opposite was happening until the end.

Zak Forsman said:
...based on that, I wouldn't classify the episode Mark mentioned as a twist. to me its simply a morality tale that concludes with "careful what you wish for (to be left alone so he can read), you just might get it".
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This I am not so sure of. Was it ironic that a guy who all his life wasn't allowed to read finally had the chance but broke his glasses and thus couldn't read anyway? Absolutely. Was that as twist? I don't know. Some would say yes, some would say no. I would have to lean towards no on this one, I think. His glasses breaking was not an event that was inevitable or that was happening all along and we just didn't know. It was just anothe plot point which made the story ironic. That example is a tough one though, I can see the other side too.

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I think we have established what a twist is. Jason was just saying that it is possible to do this without a twist to (I think) discourage people from doing cookie cutter twist endings. That being said, a twist ending would not be a bad thing if it is done in a unique and clever way. On the other hand, pulling off a non-twist ending could be equally (if not more) creative...it could also be much worse. Let's just see what happens when the rules come in and we can go from there...
 
i think any filmmaker would be hard pressed to pull off a twist that genuinely works here because everyone in the audience is going to be looking for any little piece of evidence that one is coming. and even if you go thru the trouble of hiding all the clues, then it becomes a twist that negates the story (deus ex machina, it was all a dream, or it was all a lie like the usual suspects). and those are lame.

personally, i'd love to see the lack of a twist as a requirement. haha!
 
Zak Forsman said:
i think any filmmaker would be hard pressed to pull off a twist that genuinely works here because everyone in the audience is going to be looking for any little piece of evidence that one is coming. and even if you go thru the trouble of hiding all the clues, then it becomes a twist that negates the story (deus ex machina, it was all a dream, or it was all a lie like the usual suspects). and those are lame.

personally, i'd love to see the lack of a twist as a requirement. haha!
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Now that is an interesting thought. I think it would be a challenge, but it probably won't happen because the mods like to keep these fests open to several different stories and outcomes. Regarding the cliche twists, I said in my last post people should stay away from them because any of those would not be good. I also said that twists would not be bad if done in a "unique and clever" way although I see your point that people will be looking for twists.

I agree that the lack of a twist, if done well, would probably show more creative talent than going the expected route. I think I kind of said that before...
 
I just watched an episode of "Tales From the Darkside" on Sci-fi, and it did not have a twist. Two kids trying to escape the wrath of a life-sucking vacumn cleaner... What? I didn't say it was a good episode :)

Anyways... looks like there is at least another hour and a half more of tales from the darkside on scifi right now.

Later,
Jason
 
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