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The Seven Rays Script-a-Scene Adaptation Competition

Stick-It-by-Jessica-BendingerOkay… You know me. I don’t normally do this but this is one of our own and because I actually DO admire her work, let’s talk about it… Ever heard of Jessica Bendinger? I actually heard her speak in Austin once and was motivated enough to check out STICK IT. So I rented it… And I gotta tell ya… Normally, that type/genre of movie is not my cup of tea but this movie is structurally about as perfect as a movie gets.

I liked it so much that I had to get the script and give it a read… It took me a while to find it… Had to ask for a few favors and if you know anything about this business, you don’t want to ask anyone for a favor unless it’s something big… LOL. Why? Because they always ask for a payback… Usually a lot sooner than you expect. But I really liked STICK IT that much so for me… It was worth it.

It doesn’t take one very long to watch STICK IT and realize whomever wrote it, definitely had some inside knowledge of gymnastics competition. And even IF, like me, STICK IT is not your cup of tea, it’s completely worth watching because of the way the story is told.

But enough about that… Let’s talk screenwriting competition. The Seven Rays Script-a-Scene Adaptation Competition. Very much like the scene challenges over at johnaugust.com — from what I understand, you take a scene from Jessica Bendinger’s book, THE SEVEN RAYS and turn it into a screenplay scene… Oops. A KILLER SCREENPLAY SCENE.

From THE SEVEN RAYS website:

Find that special scene that speaks to you and inspires you to get cinematic! Use the book as a springboard for your untapped creative energy, and put it on the page. This is a chance for screenwriters of all ages to explore a different side of the craft of screenwriting: the art of adaptation.

Contest Opens November 15 — closes February 15, 2010.

To Enter:
Read The Seven Rays and adapt any scene from the book into a 2-5 page screenplay using Final Draft screenwriting software. Read MORE about the competition here.

Winners get a personal, one-on-one script consultation for any screenplay you have written with acclaimed director and screenwriter Jessica Bendinger, author of The Seven Rays, valued at $10,000.

Damn… Maybe I should enter… LOL.

Unk



Thursday: 19 November 2009|1729|Under Competition

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16 Responses to “The Seven Rays Script-a-Scene Adaptation Competition”

  1. Christian H. on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1741

    Stick It was a good movie. It should have gotten more love. Cute virginal girls in leos?

    Sign me up.

    I did see that comp. I just haven’t had time. I may get a credit in a few months. I’m working with someone on a short I wrote. Here’s hoping all works out.

  2. Christian H. on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1745

    BTW, totally off topic, I got an opportunity to use Movie Outline and I’m making the switch from FD.

    As soon as I get the ones in the works finished I’m switching permanently.

    It fits too well with my process – and it’s recommended by you on the site.

  3. Unk on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1746

    Christian… It was definitely an underrated movie. My 13 year old niece tells me that it’s already a cult classic among her network of friends. She just happened to see it at my house many moons ago and loved it. From what I understand, she and her friends have it downloaded to their iPods and can recite lines from it.

    Unk

  4. Unk on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1749

    Christian,

    Glad you like it…

    Unk

  5. darby screenwriter on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1752

    long time reader and lurker here. wow, loved stick it! same here, my little sister and all her friends recite lines from the movie all the time. “the right to bare arms” immediately comes to mind. lol. and i thought the same thing when i watched it the first time. great structure! thanks for the link to the script, i’m buying it right now. great site unk.

    darby screenwriter

  6. MondoScenario on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1756

    Have to agree with Christian H. The lead in Stick It was awesome in every way. Never thought about reading the script but now that you mention it, I think you’re correct. Probably wroth reading. By the way, Jessica’s HOT.

  7. Vickie on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1800

    First of all Unk, loved Boondock Saints 2. Thanks! Watched it here in Los Angeles to a packed house. Buying the DVD when it hits the streets.

    I watched Stick It a few years back on DVD and fell in love with it! I even bought copies for my little sister and niece and they love it too. Jessica tapped into their essence with that film. The visuals were dazzling too. My little sister actually got into gymnastics because of that movie.

    Only one problem. I don’t have Final Draft.

    Vickie

  8. Kyle on Thursday: 19 November 2009|1831

    Saw Stick It on cable a year or so ago. I’d never heard of it and I expected to flip the channel fairly soon but before I knew it, I was all caught up in it. I’d love to read the script. Never thought about that but you’re right. The structure is nothing if not amazing. I might even check out the competition.

  9. Kristy on Thursday: 19 November 2009|2247

    I didn’t care for it or several other of her movies. But that’s just me. In regards to the comp, though, unless you’re planning to pick a scene from the first chapter, you have to buy the book. And I don’t use Final Draft, so while I could use the demo for the purposes of the comp, it’s probably just better to buy it anyway. Just money out of pocket. And all this for a consultation…I was underwhelmed.

  10. The Seven Rays » UNK from unknownscreenwriter.com shouts out Script-a-Scene on Friday: 20 November 2009|0853

    [...] the blog in its entirety and check out unknownscreenwriter.com here. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "UNK from unknownscreenwriter.com shouts out Script-a-Scene", url: [...]

  11. Christian H. on Friday: 20 November 2009|1928

    UNK,
    I feel really bad now that I know a lot of the lines. J\K. I liked that it had two males who weren’t after the protag. More of us should have female BFFs.

    It did have the funniest “picture them trying to do what we do.” I guess it should have been marketed more for the camaraderie. That was the best part. Rather than the usual big “contest at the end” she pulled a nice twist on the theme.

  12. Phoenix on Saturday: 21 November 2009|1731

    Hey Unk,
    Great to see this.
    I ordered her book and downloaded the first chapter. Love her style of writing.
    Will rent STICK IT.

    Cheers

  13. Chriss on Saturday: 21 November 2009|2156

    I found “Stick It” to be rather underwhelming. It was, essentially, a watered-down “Bring It On” with a less likable lead (and I hate Kirsten Dunst).

    I can agree that it was a by-the-numbers script, but it lacked charm. Nothing special at the end of the day.

  14. emily blake on Sunday: 22 November 2009|1609

    Gay.

  15. Phoenix on Monday: 30 November 2009|2233

    Hey Unk,

    Started reading chapter 1 of her book for the contest.

    She’s good. She has this very confident cool writing style. Kind of hypnotic and at times extremely smooth.

    Love it.

    Anyone else applying to “The Seven Rays Script-a-Scene Adaptation Competition”?

    Her writing, indeed a breath of fresh air.

    Cheers,

  16. Mark Kawakami on Monday: 11 January 2010|1604

    Funny you should mention Stick It, I’ve been praising the structure/story of Bring It On since it came out. I mean, it totally defies the calculus of these sorts of movies: you’ve got the rich, priveleged upper class school who have always won by stealing from the inner-city school who could never afford to compete before. Any exec would tell you, the movie is supposed to be about the underdog, non-cheating inner city school, not the rich bunch of cheaters, especially since the rich cheaters don’t even win in the end. But, hey, it’s those rich cheating snobs who you’re following and rooting for. This seemingly formulaic cheerleader movie is actually a little gem of unexpected surprises.

    So, thanks, apparently I have to see Stick It now.

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