Short, Short Fiction…

1. Short, Short Fiction… …written and in the form of video.

2. Short, Short, Fiction • There is a genre of short story called “Flash Fiction”, or “micro-Fiction”. In the far east they are referred to as “Smoke Log Stories”. You may have heard these stories being called “Post Card Stories”. • The creation of this type of story is credited to George Hay, a science fiction magazine editor in the 1970s, who challenged some colleagues to write a short story to put on a postcard.

3. Quarantine - by Arthur C. Clarke • Earth's flaming debris still filled half the sky when the question filtered up to Central from the Curiosity Generator. • "Why was it necessary? Even though they were organic, they had reached Third Order Intelligence.“ • "We had no choice: five earlier units became hopelessly infected, when they made contact." • "Infected? How?" • The microseconds dragged slowly by, while Central tracked down the few fading memories that had leaked past the Censor Gate, when the heavily-buffered Reconnaissance Circuits had been ordered to self-destruct. • "They encountered a - problem - that could not be fully analyzed within the lifetime of the Universe. Though it involved only six operators, they became totally obsessed by it." • "How is that possible?" • "We do not know: we must never know. But if those six operators are ever re-discovered, all rational computing will end." • "How can they be recognized?" • "That also we do not know; only the names leaked through before the Censor Gate closed. Of course, they mean nothing." • "Nevertheless, I must have them." • The Censor voltage started to rise; but it did not trigger the Gate. • "Here they are: King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, Pawn."

4. Earth's flaming debris still filled half the sky (Gives us a setting- outer space) when the question filtered up to Central from the Curiosity Generator (some kind of machine). • "Why was it necessary? Even though they were organic, they had reached Third Order Intelligence.“ (The speakers are non-organic and appear highly intelligent) • "We had no choice: five earlier units became hopelessly infected, (humans “infected” these machines when contact was made) when they made contact." • "Infected? How?" • The microseconds dragged slowly by, while Central tracked down the few fading memories that had leaked past the Censor Gate, when the heavily-buffered Reconnaissance Circuits had been ordered to self-destruct. (These machines are supposed to “forget” about what happened) • "They encountered a - problem - that could not be fully analyzed within the lifetime of the Universe. (This “problem” could not be mastered even by these highly intelligent beings) Though it involved only six operators, they became totally obsessed by it." • "How is that possible?" • "We do not know: we must never know. But if those six operators are ever re-discovered, all rational computing will end.“ (These “operators” will be the end of computers) • "How can they be recognized?" • "That also we do not know; only the names leaked through before the Censor Gate closed. Of course, they mean nothing." • "Nevertheless, I must have them." • The Censor voltage started to rise; but it did not trigger the Gate. • "Here they are: King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, Pawn.“ (A reference to the fact that a complex game like chess could not be mastered even by computers at the time this was written.”)

5. The Premise of the “Tell It Your Way” contest: • Directors and film makers were posed with the challenge of creating a short film that: • could be in any genre and follow any storyline, but must use only six-lines of set dialogue. • Must be 3 minutes or less. • This contest challenged the film makers to tell a powerful story in a succinct and direct way. There was very little room for “extra” information. In a similar way, writers of short fiction must do the same trimming of the excess details and “keep to the point”.

6. Your challenge= In point form only, create a story based on the following Dialogue: • What is that? • It’s a unicorn. • Never seen one up close before. • Beautiful. • Get away, get away. • I’m sorry. • *See if you can: • reveal a setting by using just a few key words/images • reveal a plot through the limited dialogue and a few key details • introduce a character or character(s) through just a few actions or words • reveal a conflict/problem without a large build up (Jump to the point)

7. Examples of “Tell it Your Way”: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7McPh-ADz8 “Section 13” • A visually powerful film, but it leaves too many questions unanswered. Why is the character chased? Why is he being questioned? Why does he attack and how does the woman “predict” the attack? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=THiQVttS2Kc&NR=1 “Ultimate Unicorn” • A clear story, but there is no “depth” to it. There appears to be no meaning or theme behind the story. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw4XRaRniUg “Unicorn” • Nice. This film gives us enough to figure out a “background” story, but is still plot centered and doesn’t present a controlling theme. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59QlMAZc6ow “The Foundling” • This story provides excellent character development. It would be made more powerful if the watch (a symbol related to time) could be made into more than a simple link to the woman.

8. The People’s Choice Winner • The people’s choice winner was selected using an on-line voting system. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNBpaMKQPXM • How might this be made even more effective as a story?

9. The Overall Winner • “The film is extremely moving and sensitive, encompassing the whole range of must-haves of a good melodramatic story—war, children, romantics and emotional meeting after more than half a century has passed. • “I chose Porcelain Unicorn to be the winning film as it had a very strong narrative; a very complete story that was well told and executed,” says Sir Ridley Scott, commenting on why he decided to give the main prize to “Porcelain Unicorn.” • McD says “the unicorn is a symbol of childhood innocence and that symbolism makes this story stand out from the others.” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRMcPJrWm-g

10. Create your story. • Using your original idea, or by stealing something from the videos we watched, create a story that is about 150 words or less. • *Remember- The story should reveal a plot, introduce a character or character(s), give an idea of setting, and reveal a conflict/problem. In order for your story to be REALLY effective, it should communicate a theme.