Become an Author

Hollywood cranks out shitty movies so fast, it’s difficult for us to keep up. If you’d like to help and you enjoy mocking movies in a needlessly self-limiting format, there just might be a place for you here on the site.

Selecting a Movie

If you’d like to write an Abridged Script, here are some guidelines for what movies you might want to consider:

Movies must not be already abridged unless they are previous contributions, which are fair game to be re-abridged, but don't steal jokes. Contributions before 2001 are particularly good choices.
Movies that "fill out" gaps in a franchise are great choices. For example, Bond movies, Star Trek movies, Paranormal Activities, or really any franchise where the site already has a few entries, but not all of them.
Underrepresented genres are often good choices. The site has a lot of sci-fi and action movies, but not as many dramas or romances.
Avoid comedies for the most part, they tend to be a lot of "X happens, but it's NOT FUNNY"
Don't pick controversial movies or movies about controversial issues. Seasoned authors can get away with these because they have a catalog of other scripts, but this script will be your first impression on readers.

Submitting a Script

Here’s how the process works:

First, send an e-mail to Rod, The Editing Room proprietor. Make a mention of what movie you'd like to write an Abridged Script for and, if it's a good candidate for inclusion on the site, you'll hear back relatively quickly. It's not a good idea to write a script and THEN ask to do it, the proposal might be rejected and then you wasted a lot of time on the script. Ideally, send a list of movies you'd like to abridge, it's the best way to get a prompt approval. Please note that Authors take priority over first-time Contributors, so if an author randomly decides to abridge the same movie before you're done with your version, you'll need to pick another movie. Recent or popular releases are the most risky.

Next, write your script. Be absolutely certain you read the How to Write an Abridged Script post. It covers general tips, formatting, and a list of the most common reasons scripts are rejected. It's long as hell, but very important.

Then, send the first draft of your script. It's a good idea to do as much revising and fat-trimming as possible BEFORE submitting it, you really want to send the best possible version of your script as your first draft. The more drafts a script goes through, the less likely it is to be accepted. And don't ever send a followup "better" version of the script before hearing back after sending the first draft, it just makes us wonder why you bothered sending the inferior one in the first place. Also be aware that you implicitly agree to allow your script to be published for any reason, and that it (and all other scripts you send) are published under a Creative Commons license.

At this point you'll either get a polite rejection, an impolite rejection, or a list of suggestions. If you get no response, just be patient, it can take a long time before we can get around to reading a script. That said, if it's been months and you haven't heard back, you can probably take it as an impolite rejection. Please go into this expecting to be rejected and don't take it personally; not everyone is good at this, even people who are huge fans of the site.

Once you've incorporated the suggestions, submit another draft. You might get more suggestions and go back and forth revising the script multiple times. This series of back-and-forths will either end with a polite rejection or publication on the site. Please note that this Contribution is written on spec, meaning you won't be paid for it. The site simply doesn't have enough money to pay first-time contributors.

After your script is published on the site, feedback from visitors will be solicited. At this point we're hoping to see a pretty high average rating as well as positive comments in the discussion on your script. If this script does well, you'll be invited to write another. Your second script you will write without submitting it to anyone for suggestions - you simply write the script with no "training wheels". You can select any released movie you wish that isn't already abridged or listed on the Coming Soon page, and once you've made your draft it's considered reserved (no other authors can grab the same movie). Your second script is published without any feedback, and it's scheduled in the middle of the week right alongside Author scripts. Once again, feedback will be solicited from site visitors. If this script gets good feedback, you'll be invited to become an Author and you'll be paid retroactively for the second script. If this second script doesn't get good feedback, that's likely the end of the road unless you really, really want to try again. Bear in mind though, only the last script that gets you turned into an Author is a paid, and we don't like stringing people along to get free spec scripts out of them.

Please note that you should mostly apply to be an Author because you think it'd be fun. While Authors do get paid for scripts, it's funded entirely by the site's Patrons and divided among all the scripts published that month, it usually works out to be about $30-$35. You likely won't get rich writing Abridged Scripts, though you're welcome to promote any other projects you have.