The prompt from Week #8: Something New And It's Up To You
My entry:
Michael: Who wants to try my new polygraph? Besides Dwight.
(Silence)
Michael: I tested it last night. It's fun.
(Silence)
Michael: Pam?
Pam: ... Alright.
A minute later, Dwight is connecting everything.
Michael: Oh, those go on your fingers? Whoops.
Pam: Where did you...
Michael: Kidding!
Michael looks at the camera.
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The big thing about this prompt was that written entries were limited to 50 words, while non-written entries had no word or time limits. At first I had no intention of doing a written entry, wanting instead to do an audio entry using one of the ideas I had from before the contest began, where [redacted]. But that seemed kind of off for the prompt, and when people started actually submitting 50 words (plus pictures) entries, I didn't want to be the one person with a 5 minute audio entry. Also, it turns out I vastly overestimated my audio creation and editing skills, and I didn't get much past downloading a few audio samples. I think it would have been really cool if I had been able to pull it off, but it was not to be. I was going to post the written version of what this entry would have been, but after thinking about it, I think I'll wait to see if I can use it on DMI somehow. After I decided to go with a written entry, the 50 word maximum was even more restricting than I first suspected. With the bigger word limits I was OK with having a mediocre basic idea and then sprucing things up by adding other things to it so that it wasn't too embarassing. But with just 50 words to work with, the basic idea has to be really good or else it's a lost cause. Whereas with past weeks I wanted to wait till late in the week to submit my entry to make sure I didn't regret not including something good I thought of later in the week, I usually submitted my entry early out of fear someone else would do the same idea. Well this week I didn't enter until Sunday because I didn't know for sure what I was going to do until Sunday morning, as I didn't like many of my ideas. Here are a few of the other entries I came up with:
Maury Povich: Andy, you... ARE NOT the father.
Andy: Dammit.
Maury: Dwight Schrute, you... ARE NOT the father.
Dwight: Frak.
Angela: If it's not them, there's only one other person it could be.
Maury: Please welcome Roy Anderson!
Roy: Hi Angela, Maury.
Maury: Roy, you... ARE the father.
Roy: Alright!
-----
Chili's
Michael: Over the past year, I've changed my spending habits considerately, and I'm no longer in debt. In recognition of this accomplishment, I'm proud to present myself... (removes blanket) this!
Next day
Holly: (Laughing) Michael, this fake expense report is hilarious! $6,400 for... that. Good one!
Michael turns white.
-----
(note: the following one is significantly over the 50-word limit)
"Attention Scranton business park, there will be complimentary pretzels available in the lobby from now until 4 o'clock as a thank you to our loyal tenants"
Everyone gets up to go get a pretzel, except for Stanley, who looks disgusted.
Stanley (TH): Last week I got a home soft pretzel maker. In the last 7 days I've eaten 36 soft pretzels. I don't think I'll be having another one for quite some time.
An hour later, the camera catches Stanley waiting in line.
Stanley: I guess one more won't hurt.
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There was other one that at first seemed really silly and fun, but in the middle of working on the visual component for it, it started to seem morally questionable / in bad taste so I abandoned it and won't post what I completed here.
Anyway, back to the entry I submitted: Because of the 50-word limit, I fiddled with it more than I did for most of the other entries. The biggest change was the ending, which until a couple hours before I submitted it was:
Pam: Where did you...
Michael looks at the camera.
Pam: Michael!
Not a big change obviously, but I fretted over it nonetheless. While at first I regretted the change after submitting my entry, now I like how he lied with the polygraph right there. Anyway, as I've written here before, I think the polygraph scenes from this last season of Reno 911! were the best scenes the show has ever done, and I think it would be awesome if The Office did an episode that involved a polygraph (probably as the B story). I'm sure the writers could come up with some awesome stuff several million times funnier and more creative than I ever could.
Anyway, I submitted my final votes a little bit ago. Like I said before, there were a good number of photo entries in addition to the written entries, as well as an animated entry (but no audio entries), so that, along with how short the written entries were, definitely made picking 3 favorites more difficult than any of the other weeks. After reading all the entries a bunch of times I had 2 favorites and 3 that were close behind, and then I reread those 3 several more times until I had my 3rd favorite.
This year's contest flew by so fast, it's hard to believe it's already over. Looking back at my own entries, the only one I really wish I could go back and change is probably the one for Karen's last words. I had 12 more words I could have used, and the other day I thought of something cool to use since the setting was an alternate universe: A laugh track! I don't know why I didn't think of that when I was working on the prompt. The only difficult part would have been picking where to put them. But that's not what I would have added. Instead, I would have added a Kevin talking head at the end, with him either adding something to his Pam/Karen list, remarking about what a wonderful day it was, that now he could die happy, or something like that. Looking back at everyone else's entries, all I have to say is wow. I have a long way to go before I can hope to get anything other than the least best award. But, as with the previous Office summer writing contests, it was a hell of a lot of fun and I look forward to next year's contest.
There are still 2 months until Season 5 starts. With no more weekly prompts to work on, and reading everyone else's incredible entries to look forward to, and just the soul-crushing golf this summer at DMI, it's going to seem like forever.
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