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Announcing the Classic-Castle Story Telling Contest

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 11:45 pm
by Glencaer
8-7-07: Updated Winners here
7-5-06: Updated the Contest Deadline to September

Classic Castle Story Telling Contest

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Purpose:
The object of this contest is to encourage the creation of castle theme stories.

Subject matter may be anything within the castle theme, including historical and the fantastical. All stories must have a beginning, middle and an end. We do not want chapter one of your magnum opus! There are major points for having an interesting plot and dynamic characters, so be creative!

Categories:
Comic Book
(Similar to Captain Ahnee stories by Dan Jassim)
Comic Book style is a story told primarily with pictures, with narrator boxes and dialogue bubbles to help. Each frame of the comic should be a separate picture. Sub-pictures are allowed for dramatic affect (Admins discretion will be used to figure if there are too many sub-pictures in a comic).
Maximum length: 120 frames

Illustrated Short Story
(Similar to Chronicles of Ikros by Anthony Sava)
Illustrated Short Story style is more literary, allowing for greater exploration of character and plot. We ask that there be around one LEGO picture per full paragraph, or approximately two images per page of text. Short stories can be uploaded
Maximum length: 20 pages (~50 pictures)

You may enter a maximum of two entries per category.

Evaluation:
Entries will be evaluated on their creativity in plot and character, quality of LEGO creations and quality of presentation. The judges will be the Classic-Castle Administrators and a special, Guest Judge who will be announced later.

Prizes:
We know that writing and illustrating a story is not the easiest thing to do, so to get your attention, we’ve got big prizes!

Best Illustrated Short Story: 7019 Viking Fortress vs. Fafnir Dragon
Best Comic Book: 7019 Viking Fortress vs. Fafnir Dragon
Best Overall (Guest Judge’s pick): 8877 Vladek’s Dark Fortress

(Special thanks to Steve Witt and the LEGO Group for generously providing prizes!)

How to Enter
Send an email to me (lenny DOT hoffman AT gmail D0T com) with a link to your entry. The only entries that will be allowed are those that have been emailed to me! Be sure to put "Story-telling Contest" in the title of your email.

The deadline to enter is September 25th and winners will be announced during the first half of October.

Any questions? Ask away and I will answer as soon as I can!

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:17 am
by eNiGMa
Oh man.... This is so cool! I'm gonna go fire up my pen right now....

One question, though, regarding the formatting of a short story. What kind of spacing should entrants use? Double? Single? 1.5?

Oh, and may we post our entries here after we've e-mailed them to you?

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:23 am
by Sibley
Ooh, what fun!

Just last week I found some stories I wrote back in '03. With some revision, and some making-it-longer, and of course some MOCing, I'll have a nice entry or two. Wait, is two allowed?

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:35 am
by JoshWedin
Great contest, Lenny! I assume that we lowly MODs can enter, like in the CCC? I also was wondering if you can enter more than once, but I don't know why I'm asking, since I will be lucky to finish one entry!

Josh

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:44 am
by Glencaer
eNiGMa wrote:One question, though, regarding the formatting of a short story. What kind of spacing should entrants use? Double? Single? 1.5?
Double spacing. I'm guestimating there should be roughly 250 words per page, making the total word count roughly 5000 words.
Oh, and may we post our entries here after we've e-mailed them to you?
Of course you can!
Wait, is two allowed?
Yes. I'll update the official post with that fact. Two entries per category.
I assume that we lowly MODs can enter, like in the CCC?
Exacta-mundo.

-Lenny

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:46 am
by TheOrk
Awsome!

Finally, a contest where I can go for the gold without horribly humilating myself with my bad MOC skills! This was a great idea Lenny, I'll enter for sure.
That is of course if the camera doesn't break for the dozenth time...

Now time to start planning. 8)

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 1:55 am
by TwoTonic Knight
Great idea for a contest - I'm really looking forward to the various entries. My own problem is that I'd find Lego too restricting and I'd dig out the pens, pencils, water colors, acrylics, etc., and that would kinda defeat the purpose.

Re: Announcing the Classic-Castle Story Telling Contest

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:05 am
by footsteps
Glencaer wrote:Classic Castle Story Telling Contest

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Crud. My summer will be spent preparing to move, moving, and settling in. My Lego won't be easily available to illustrate anything.

Crud.

Alan

PS But this is a great idea. I look forward to the results.

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:07 am
by smcginnis
Hmm, I would love to enter this, but I'm really slow at writing, and it would probably take me two years to write 20 pages, not two months. And I don't have the pieces for illustration anyway (let alone a comic). Ohhh, well. At least it'll be fun to watch.

~smcginnis

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:46 am
by Athos
The deadline to enter is August 25th and winners will be announced on September 1st, 2006.
Wow, that doesn't really give us much time to work... at least, given my story writiing timelines.

Steve

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:31 am
by Mike Viper
If our pics are a bit fuzzy, but the construction set is great, will we still lose marks? Does it matter what word program we use? Can we directly e-mail the stories to you? Is there a minimum lenght? Sorry about so many questions, I would just like to know, and can we have our own settings, like in our own fantasy lands?

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:09 am
by Athos
Question: does it have to be double-spaced or will the spacing in my prior stories be ok?

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Athos ... /bhg01.jpg

Question: can we post installments on the boards or in our brickshelf galleries as we go? Or do we have to hold off until it is completed?

Steve

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:14 am
by Fry_slayer
Woot, need answers in grey areas, some "manipulation" might be needed for story line... so

1) Is the old "photoshop creates an army" trick allowed?

2) Are custom parts/flags/capes etc allowed?

3) Are clone brands elements (heresy! :twisted: ) allowed for story's sake?

4) Are non lego elements ( props, real life objects...) allowed?

5) Any restrictions on the level of violence?

and finally...
6) Date line is a bit tight for such short notice, any chance of further delaying a week or two? :wink:

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:38 am
by ragnarok
That's one fantastic idea. Very kind of TLC to provide prizes - that's the least the fans deserve.

One question on my behalf - should the ilustrations be strictly pictures of actual bricks or they can be drawings? I believe TTK mentioned something about pens and pencils.

Re: Announcing the Classic-Castle Story Telling Contest

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:41 am
by Maedhros
Glencaer wrote: Illustrated Short Story
(Similar to Chronicles of Ikros by Anthony Sava)
Illustrated Short Story style is more literary, allowing for greater exploration of character and plot. We ask that there be around one LEGO picture per full paragraph, or approximately two images per page of text. Short stories can be uploaded
Maximum length: 20 pages (~50 pictures)
Does this mean 20 pages of raw text + pictures or 20 pages including pics?