OFFICIAL Top Cow Talent Hunt 2015 Discussion Thread

[Nezotholem]

Hi,

I downloaded last version of cyber force script on 20th but I'm not sure if it's a good version or not. (I tried several times to download it to see if the file has been corrected as it was mentioned above in comments but it doesn't seem changed).

1. PAGE#3 - On the third page of the PAGE#3, it's not specify if the text starting by "Let’s not do a family beat here. We can save {…} the rubble" is a new panel. It seems that yes but someone could confirm it?
CF-PAGE3.jpg

2. PAGE#4 - It seems that some panels are missing on PAGE #4.
CF-PAGE4.jpg
CF-PAGE4bis.jpg

3. PAGE#6 - Explanation of Panel #1 is missing too… Is it a black panel?.


(Sorry but english is not my mother tongue. I hope it's understandable)

[jamesmmo]

Thank you, Lightning. That about covers it.

Thankyou Lightning that was very helpful. I will definitely save your answers and look back at these tips. I will draw East Asian women. On a side note, facepalm at Americans calling all South Asians "Indians" even if they might be Bhutanese, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, etc. But I guess they used to say Chinese for all East Asians regardless of if they were Japanese, Korean, etc. *Shudder* Rinse, Recycle, Repeat, I suppose.
Very happy to know that patching is something that is actually done. I think that will help my art a long way.

I suppose I will try and futz around with some references. What I have done in the past is I will draw from my head, with no reference, and then when I get stuck or draw a part poorly, I will look up a pose/photo on the internet to use as a reference to help me with anatomy or a texture I want. That is usually all I do.

[Top Cow Ryan]

Hi!

I gave the questions that were answered so far a quick read so, hopefully, I didn't miss anything and this was answered already.

I know you can make a story about past bearers and it should use one of the 13 Artifacts. I'm just a little confused about the continuity? So, let's say I'll write a story starring Danielle Baptise. Am i allowed to make a story set in her time as the Witchblade? Or even as the Angelus? A little one shot during that era/time of her life? Or does if I want to use her, does the story have to follow her as she is know in the current "world" with Finch as the Angelus?

Another question, can we play around with things like the bearers of certain artifacts in a new way? For example, I want to write a story about Danielle Baptise getting a hold of the Wheel of Shadows for one issue? Would that be acceptable as well?

That's all I have for now. Thank you so much for taking the time to help us out!

Writing pre-Rebirth is okay, but the more within established continuity, the better. I wouldn't discount a story outright, for example, if it featured Dani as the Witchblade/Angelus - but suppose I had two stories of equal quality:

One features current continuity Dani as Detective Baptise and Finch as Angelus, and the other features Dani as the Witchblade in the pre-Rebirth continuity. If both of those stories were written equally well, I'd probably select the current continuity one over the pre-Rebirth one. Make sense?

Dani getting the Wheel of Shadows might be cool - but remember, the more you futz with the continuity, the more you're playing with fire.

[Top Cow Ryan]

Hey @TopCowRyan, not sure if my post was responded to or not, I searched but probably overlooked it. Anyway, I was looking at the scripts in the download and the guidelines and rules for the submission and noticed that the scripts should be submitted in the format provided in the examples on the link of the rules page, and on the acceptable files it says PDF or Final Draft. My question is if I(or any one else using Final Draft) submits the script(s) in will it be accepted if it is submitted using the default Final draft format, action and descriptions in normal page format, Character dialogue center of page, or do they HAVE to be submitted in the scripting format of everything written left of page?

They don't have to be written left of center if you're using Final Draft.

Personally, I would really prefer files to be sent as .doc, .rtf, or .pdf. Final Draft is kind of a pain in the butt, since not every computer has it. That being said, I will not discount or mark down anyone for using Final Draft. Just stating a preference as it can kind of inconvenience me as the script-reader. But if you have a lot of experience in Final Draft and prefer using it, go ahead.

[Andrew1]

Hey Ryan, what format would you guys like the art submissions to be? Your rules state you want an email submission and the max size of attachment is 10mb. As an example, would it be best to compile the pages into a pdf with the first page the signed submission agreement. Or is an external link actually preferable? And is there a naming convention for the files you guys would prefer for organization, ie RyanCady_TopCowTalentHunt2015.pdf?

[jopua]

Writing pre-Rebirth is okay, but the more within established continuity, the better. I wouldn't discount a story outright, for example, if it featured Dani as the Witchblade/Angelus - but suppose I had two stories of equal quality:

One features current continuity Dani as Detective Baptise and Finch as Angelus, and the other features Dani as the Witchblade in the pre-Rebirth continuity. If both of those stories were written equally well, I'd probably select the current continuity one over the pre-Rebirth one. Make sense?

Dani getting the Wheel of Shadows might be cool - but remember, the more you futz with the continuity, the more you're playing with fire.

Okay, I got it! Unless an idea comes up that I can't pass up, I guess I'm writing Detective Baptise then.

Thanks so much for the speedy reply!

[Top Cow Ryan]

Hey Ryan, what format would you guys like the art submissions to be? Your rules state you want an email submission and the max size of attachment is 10mb. As an example, would it be best to compile the pages into a pdf with the first page the signed submission agreement. Or is an external link actually preferable? And is there a naming convention for the files you guys would prefer for organization, ie RyanCady_TopCowTalentHunt2015.pdf?

Lo Res jpgs in compressed .zip file are pretty convenient, as are lo res PDF. External links can be a little inconvenient for this sort of thing. That naming convention is perfect, except make it TalentHunt2014, since that's the year in which we've begun.

[Harry Koverr]

There's no rule against submitting multiple scripts - I'm just giving you advice based on the years of submissions I've read. Hypothetically, write as many as you want.

I appreciate the advice. Sorry if my follow-up questions seem annoying. It just seems to me that in any given year, there are scripts that just barely don't make the cut (I think Matt has talked about how the first year there were around 30 writers he considered capable of writing professionally, and last year he had you narrow down a top 40, which he then further narrowed down.) So it seems like if one of those writers had written multiple scripts, maybe one of their other scripts just barely would have made the cut, you know what I mean?

In regards to my confusion about the creation of new characters--again, I'm not trying to be difficult or nitpick the rules just for the fun of it. It just sounds like people are saying that every year participants have been strongly discouraged from creating new characters, even though last year, aside from the Jackie/Sara framing narrative, the idea was to use a non-present-day bearer which in most cases would require creating a new character (if I understand correctly, many of the artifacts don't even have any canon non-present-day bearers yet.) Which makes me think maybe I don't understand what is meant by "creating a new character" (like, if I were to write a script for DC in which some new person I made up ends up with a Green Lantern ring, does that not count as creating a new character, because the character is the ring and its associated powers, not the person using it?) But, I'll drop it, since I seem to be the only one who doesn't get it. My apologies for being a little slow.

[hunter_peterson]

Hey, just a quick question (you guys are doing great at covering most of it): if you do a future story, can it be large in scope like the Edge of Spiderverse mini Marvel is doing now? One of my story ideas would have to be set in a very different world. And if we want to do a fake recap page, does that count towards the page count? No problem if it does.

Also, I'd just like to say that researching for this contest has been pretty fun! I really like the potential stories you can pull from the Artifacts... though one-shots are harder to pull off, I think.

[jsnyder1979]

Hi, Ryan,

Last year, I found out too late about the talent search to have time to put together a script, so I promised myself that if there was another talent search this year, I would submit. I have a few questions, though.

1) In the talent search guidelines, I noticed that there was a list of publishers that excluded someone from participating. If we've been published by a comic book company, and that company was not included in that list, then I assume submitting a script is fair game. Is that correct?

2) For the twenty-two-page script, you mention including "recap page" as page one. Does that go toward the twenty-two pages? In my mind, the recap page does not count, but I wanted to make sure Top Cow had the same perspective on the idea of story pages.

3) In the e-mail that we send our script, would you like a short bio/background section in terms of writing experience or past publications, or do you simply prefer a "Hi, my name is ______. This is my script for the Top Cow Talent Search" and simply attach the script in a document?

Thanks again, Ryan!
-Jason Snyder

[Top Cow Ryan]

Hey, just a quick question (you guys are doing great at covering most of it): if you do a future story, can it be large in scope like the Edge of Spiderverse mini Marvel is doing now? One of my story ideas would have to be set in a very different world. And if we want to do a fake recap page, does that count towards the page count? No problem if it does.

Also, I'd just like to say that researching for this contest has been pretty fun! I really like the potential stories you can pull from the Artifacts... though one-shots are harder to pull off, I think.

Spider-verse style stuff is tricky - alt-universe is pretty unlikely to be chosen, as that's not technically past-present-or-future. Recaps, fake or otherwise, do count! As for large in scope, well, just remember - the more you play around with continuity, the more dangerous the game becomes. After all, Aphrodite IX and IXth Generation take place in the future of the TCU, so there's a whole lotta timeline goin' on.

[Top Cow Ryan]

Hi, Ryan,

Last year, I found out too late about the talent search to have time to put together a script, so I promised myself that if there was another talent search this year, I would submit. I have a few questions, though.

1) In the talent search guidelines, I noticed that there was a list of publishers that excluded someone from participating. If we've been published by a comic book company, and that company was not included in that list, then I assume submitting a script is fair game. Is that correct?

2) For the twenty-two-page script, you mention including "recap page" as page one. Does that go toward the twenty-two pages? In my mind, the recap page does not count, but I wanted to make sure Top Cow had the same perspective on the idea of story pages.

3) In the e-mail that we send our script, would you like a short bio/background section in terms of writing experience or past publications, or do you simply prefer a "Hi, my name is ______. This is my script for the Top Cow Talent Search" and simply attach the script in a document?

Thanks again, Ryan!
-Jason Snyder

You're on time this year!

1. If it's not on the list, you're good to go!
2. Recap pages do count as part of the 22.
3. A short bio wouldn't hurt you, but generally a greeting is all that's required.

Cordiality is key!

[hunter_peterson]

Spider-verse style stuff is tricky - alt-universe is pretty unlikely to be chosen, as that's not technically past-present-or-future. Recaps, fake or otherwise, do count! As for large in scope, well, just remember - the more you play around with continuity, the more dangerous the game becomes. After all, Aphrodite IX and IXth Generation take place in the future of the TCU, so there's a whole lotta timeline goin' on.

Sorry, I had a brain fart. :P

I meant as in the world is fully established in one issue, but despite story threads being left, is a one-shot/contained story. Probably a better example would be the Swamp Thing Future's End issue. I didn't mean alternate reality, just a drastically changed near future Top Cow universe.

Thanks for the quick response!

[jsnyder1979]

You're on time this year!

1. If it's not on the list, you're good to go!
2. Recap pages do count as part of the 22.
3. A short bio wouldn't hurt you, but generally a greeting is all that's required.

Cordiality is key!

Thanks for the quick reply and clarification, Ryan!

[Temujin]

Is it possible to see the submissions from last years talent hunt somewhere?