OFFICIAL Top Cow Talent Hunt 2015 Discussion Thread

[hotroddii]

Thanks so much Pauul ... I really appreciated that :-)

[Pauul]

A further source of confusion is that "artifacts" are being called "characters". Obviously a past or future bearer of an ARTIFACT as is probably a new CHARACTER--in fact, IIRC, last year we were supposed to make up a "new" past or future bearer of one of the artifacts. That's certainly what I did. And yet other people in this thread are saying things like "As with the last Talent Hunt, you can create original characters to feature in the story but you are discouraged from doing so..." This makes me wonder if I misunderstood the guidelines last year. Were we strongly discouraged from creating original CHARACTERS (not ARTIFACTS)? I thought we were supposed to create original characters using existing artifacts.

I used an existing historical character last year, but yeah, I've taken it to mean that you can create a new past or future bearer... they just need to be the bearer of an existing Artifact.

The main reason that new characters were discouraged last year (and again this year) is because Top Cow would assume the rights to the character. And this is something a new creator might not be aware of or want. And, obviously, Top Cow doesn't want creators claiming that their characters have been stolen. This is why it has been made so clear.

Personally, I wouldn't use any characters that I've previously created and want to hold onto. But I would create a new character if I came up with one for a story set in the Top Cow Universe that demanded that a new character be created. I wouldn't be worried about Top Cow having the rights to such a character because I would've created said character for the Top Cow Universe.

The rules about which "characters" we can use are a little confusing. At one point the PDF says that any submissions that feature "those characters [listed] AND other characters not on the list will not be reviewed and their submission will be disregarded." Taken literally, this would suggest that there can't be supporting characters in the script that are not existing Top Cow characters included in the list given. Can this actually be what is meant, or am I taking this too literally? (When the rules say that violations of the rules won't even be reviewed, and will be thrown away, it makes me want to make sure I understand the rules properly!)

I think they are referring to characters like Batman here. Like, say, if you were to write a Darkness/Batman crossover. That wouldn't be allowed. The stories need to be based on these characters (and by these 'characters' they mean bearers of the Artifacts, pre-existing or newly created), not other existing properties or entirely new properties.

So, you can create a new character if they are the bearer of an Artifact or a cyborg existing alongside Cyber Force but not an entirely new concept.

That would be my interpretation, anyway.

Couple of questions. How many pages are we allow to summit? How many time can we summit work? Whats the deadline?
I already downloaded the documents and I didn't see any info on those questions.

It says it's a twenty-two page script (although, this usually results in more actual pages being written as part of a word document).

I don't know if we're allowed multiple entries or not this year, although it has been allowed in previous years. If you're referring to a single entry, they'll only want the final finished document. Only submit it once, if you're unsure and think you might want to rewrite it, wait until the deadline to submit.

The Talent Hunt will run 10/15/14 to 03/15/15 (or 15/10/14 to 15/03/15, if you're British like I am ). That means we have until the 15th of March next year.

[jamesmmo]

Do artists need to work from a sample script?

I am very confused about this as well. In fact, I understand how to submit a comic script..so if I wanted to submit for writing I am all set, that is all well explained. Unfortunately, I wanted to submit as an artist/penciller and after reading the rules I still have no idea what I am supposed to be doing? I cannot open any of the samples scripts. Can anyone let me know what to use? I tried using Adobe and Windows Doc and neither worked. Am I supposed to pick one of these scripts to draw from? Do I just make up my own Witchblade story and draw that? And do I have to include the script I wrote? Very confused and I have no idea how to start this at all. How many pages??

[Harry Koverr]

I think they are referring to characters like Batman here. Like, say, if you were to write a Darkness/Batman crossover. That wouldn't be allowed. The stories need to be based on these characters (and by these 'characters' they mean bearers of the Artifacts, pre-existing or newly created), not other existing properties or entirely new properties.

So, you can create a new character if they are the bearer of an Artifact or a cyborg existing alongside Cyber Force but not an entirely new concept.

That would be my interpretation, anyway.

What makes me nervous is that we should have to interpret the rules at all, since a misinterpretation would result in disqualification.

[jamesmmo]

So

1. How do I open the sample scripts? What type of app/program do I need?
2. I want to send in pencils/art. What script am I supposed to be referencing? Do I just pick any one I want out of those made available (which I still have to figure out how to open)
3. How many pages do they want us to submit? What is the minimum? What is the maximum?

The rules basically spend most of their time telling you to only use certain characters and not to use original characters that aren't background civilians, etc. but other than that....I have no idea what we are supposed to be doing???

[Pauul]

What makes me nervous is that we should have to interpret the rules at all, since a misinterpretation would result in disqualification.

To quote 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' - "Don't Panic!"

The people at Top Cow aren't trying to catch anyone out. They're doing this to give new writers an opportunity, not to trip them up. They're not going to be looking for ways to disqualify anyone. If you write a really awesome story, then they're going to want to publish it.

Just use common sense. No world changing events, nothing that will disrupt Top Cow's current plans for their titles etc and don't use characters which Top Cow don't own (DC Comics own Batman, so Top Cow won't be able to publish a story that has Batman in it. Common sense). Create a story based on one of their existing concepts, as listed.

As for the new character thing, I can say with absolute certainty what they're worried about is a writer putting a character into a story that they don't want to lose the rights to. That is why that warning is there and for no other reason. That involves a lot of hassle for both parties, which is what they want to avoid.

If Top Cow were going to disqualify people for creating new characters, then they wouldn't give people the option of creating new characters. This is purely about you giving up the rights to any new characters you create.

That, and, you should be creating a story based on a Top Cow property. Yeah, you can create new characters, but they don't want you to create a story where we see the Coin of Solomon for a single panel and then the rest is something entirely of your own invention. If you write an Artifacts story, make it an Artifacts story. If you write a Cyber Force story, make it a Cyber Force story.

Again, most of this is common sense, and things most people would do anyway. They're just spelling things out to avoid potential problems in the future.

You can put a new character in, just be aware that Top Cow will own that character, should they choose to publish your story. If you're cool with that, then use new characters. If not, then stick to the characters Top Cow have already created. There are plenty to choose from.

This is an amazing opportunity Top Cow is giving everyone. Yeah, you should take all the rules on board but once you've done that, stop worrying and just focus on writing the most fantastic story you can.

I'm sure Matt will be on in the next few days to answer questions. Based on what I remember from the previous Talent Hunts though, I'm pretty sure most of what I've said is right. There were pretty similar questions at the start of the previous Talent Hunts too. Hopefully my memory isn't too far off, and I've at least been a little bit helpful

[nebezial]

Pauul pretty much covers it

[Brian83]

So

1. How do I open the sample scripts? What type of app/program do I need?
2. I want to send in pencils/art. What script am I supposed to be referencing? Do I just pick any one I want out of those made available (which I still have to figure out how to open)
3. How many pages do they want us to submit? What is the minimum? What is the maximum?

The rules basically spend most of their time telling you to only use certain characters and not to use original characters that aren't background civilians, etc. but other than that....I have no idea what we are supposed to be doing???

1. If you're having trouble downloading the files, you need an app to unzip it. If you're using an iPhone or iPad, then download one from the App Store. I used FileApp. It's 99 cents.

2. If you're drawing from the script (which I highly recommend ) then draw all pages within that specific script. There are plenty of scripts to choose from. Coming up with your own story to illustrate might not be the best thing to do. I would just stick with the sample scripts. I particularly like scripts written by Ron Marz. He's very clear in what is going on panel to panel. The Cyber Force script is great also which is written by Silvestri especially because it's short and it's all up to you on creating the environments and camera angles. Which is helpful if you get hooked up with a writer that is not so detailed.

3. If you're drawing from the sample scripts then draw however many pages are in that script. If the script has 12 pages to draw then draw 12 pages. Every script is different. The sample scripts will test you on your storytelling as well as camera angles, perspective etc. so every script is different and contain a different amount of pages to draw. So I suggest you find one that will really show your strengths.

I was fortunate enough to receive a runner up for artist last year and had almost the same exact questions as everyone here. I'd bug Matt on Facebook and Twitter all the time.

Good luck!

[jamesmmo]

1. If you're having trouble downloading the files, you need an app to unzip it. If you're using an iPhone or iPad, then download one from the App Store. I used FileApp. It's 99 cents.

2. If you're drawing from the script (which I highly recommend ) then draw all pages within that specific script. There are plenty of scripts to choose from. Coming up with your own story to illustrate might not be the best thing to do. I would just stick with the sample scripts. I particularly like scripts written by Ron Marz. He's very clear in what is going on panel to panel. The Cyber Force script is great also which is written by Silvestri especially because it's short and it's all up to you on creating the environments and camera angles. Which is helpful if you get hooked up with a writer that is not so detailed.

3. If you're drawing from the sample scripts then draw however many pages are in that script. If the script has 12 pages to draw then draw 12 pages. Every script is different. The sample scripts will test you on your storytelling as well as camera angles, perspective etc. so every script is different and contain a different amount of pages to draw. So I suggest you find one that will really show your strengths.

I was fortunate enough to receive a runner up for artist last year and had almost the same exact questions as everyone here. I'd bug Matt on Facebook and Twitter all the time.

Good luck!

Thankyou Brian. That answers my questions on what to reference perfectly. However, I have the download file unzipped and can read the rules and regulations and contact through adobe. It is only the document files...the scripts, the word docs...that I cannot open. But they are not zipped. So I am a bit confused still. I am also using a laptop Toshiba. I have WinRAR. So I have extracted all of the word documents scripts but I still cannot open them with windows doc. Would Epub or CeltX work???

[Temujin]

about deadline: Top Cow's Talent Hunt opens today, and runs through March 15.

[Brian83]

Hmmm, not real sure. If they're unzipped then the scripts in the folder should open in Word. ePub should open it as well. Maybe try re-downloading the zip file and doing it again. Sorry, I'd be more helpful if I had the laptop in front of me.

[Qithos]

The script for Witchblade 134 has a few words missing from the script.

Page 7 of the word doc but Page 6 of the comic, Panel 5, line 3: Sara is examining the ...?

Page 8 of the word doc but Page 7 of the comic, Panel 3, line 2: Gleason gestures toward or points to the ...?

That's all I found so far.

[theMASman]

1.

2. If you're drawing from the script (which I highly recommend ) then draw all pages within that specific script. There are plenty of scripts to choose from.

Given that there's a good amount of scripts to choose from, I'm sticking to what will work with my style best and going for the Witchblade one since I'm more familiar with those characters anyway. Having said such, that particular sample script is 21 pages long. From here until the deadline that's more than ample enough time to crank out 21 pages of pencils....which is roughly a full comic anyway. But if I chose that particular script, will ALL 21 pages need to be penciled and submitted?.... or will a portion/maybe half of that will suffice? Everything else seems pretty clear I just wanted to know so I wont be disqualified or looked over.

[ksayed]

First, thank you guys so much for hosting these talent hunts, it means everything to us little guys that you give us these opportunities. Second, and I'm not sure if this is a stupid question or not, I did read that the files need to be sent as PDF or in Final Draft files, but when I was looking at references to study from publicly posted scripts(from the link provided), will you accept scripts sent in using/looking like the scripting format from Final Draft? with the dialogue centered in the middle of the page? Or do they have to be done EXACTLY like how the formats are shown from the links you provided?

[Temujin]

Iam in the mood to draw a Darkness centered story, any suggestions which script I should read first?