In The Red

I've made the finals of this year's Red Planet Prize! I would write more, but it's hard to type properly while dancing.

UPDATE (please forgive any dance-related typos): Congrats to fellow bloggers Tim Clague, Adaddinsane, Michelle Lipton, William Gallagher, Oliver Jeffery, Laurence Timms, Gerry Hayes, Tim Atack, Gavin Williams, Jon Peacey (a new addition to the list, as of Dec 4th! Hooray!) and The Bishop who are also through. Twelve bloggers, in the final. How cool is that?

66 comments:

Tim Clague said...

Are we all in or what? How many are finalists do you think?

Piers said...

w00t! Go Arnopp Go!

I'm not through.

But that might have something to do with not entering this year.

Jason Arnopp said...

See, Beckley, I *told* you that would dampen your chances.

Piers said...

Dammit. And I was sure that wouldn't count against me.

Andy Phillips said...

Hoorah! In fact, 'Hoorah'!

Piers said...

Just goes to show. They don't UNDERSTAND my GENIUS.

I'm going to my room now.

*SLAM*

Tim Clague said...

Thank god he didnt enter. We took the opportunity jason!

missread said...

Yay! Well done Sir. Jolly good show.

Rachael Howard said...

Well done! Good to see bloggers getting in.

martin said...

Fantastico! Go Jason, it's your Birthday! Go Jason, etc.

Andy Coughlan said...

And well done that man!

Adrian said...

Congratulations Mr Arnopp.

I've heard nowt so it looks like mine's a non starter. Still there's always 2009.

Jason Arnopp said...

Thanks everyone!

Adrian: Two things... they might not be sending out all the notifications simultaneously. And check your spam! That's where I found my e-mail, terrifyingly.

Anonymous said...

I'm through too!
Care to join me in a dance sir?

laurence timms said...

I'm through too, godammit all. Will someone dance with me, please? I'm looking very odd out here on the dancefloor wheeling about like a loon.

Anonymous said...

I will - Sorry Jason, you snooze you lose...

Jason Arnopp said...

I'm back! I'm back! And I suggest that me, Clague, Adaddinsane, Lipton and Timms enjoy a spot of line-dancing. Well done, Michelle and Laurence!

William Gallagher said...

You dancin?

You askin'?

I would ask someone to step aside, I'm in the group dance too.

Whoo-hoo and congratulations to all of us!

William

Lara said...

Wow - this is great news! Well done all of you!!! Like Mr Beckley, I was expecting them to understand my genius from afar...alas.... ;) x

Sally A said...

Mr Arnopp,

that is f**king awesome!! Well done! Woooo!!! Brilliant!!!! Made up for you.

Sally xx

Adaddinsane said...

(I've been trying to post all evening, unfortunately my Rubbish Internet has been foiling my every attempt.)

Yay! Go, us!

(That was it.)

James Moran said...

Wahey! Well done Mr Arnopp, and everyone else too! I am doing a sitting down dance, and waving my head around like a nutter (no change there).

Oli said...

ME TOO! ME TOO! Well done you. And everyone else! And me! ME TOO!

Dominic Carver said...

Well done, sir :-)

Near by said...

well done Jase and everyone!!

Phill Barron said...

Congratulations, I'm not dancing for you but that's only because I've just woken up and will probably have a restrained jig later on.

Which script was this? Have I read it?

Anonymous said...

Seems an appropriate time to delurk and 'get some'. I too received the large, red-lettered communiqué.

Hearty congratulations to all other finalists (although I then have to wish ill on everyone so that I can win - it's such a dichotomy).

laurence timms said...

Gerry: I've been thinking that too. About the dichotomy.

But only thinking, mark you.

[fx: whispers to self}
ihopeiwinihopeiwin

Lee said...

It's nine bloggers you div. Forgot to count yourself, didn't you?

Thank god you're a writer and not an engineer, or there'd be bridges collapsing all over the shop.

Hearty congratulations to everyone who's through.

Paul Campbell said...

I'm bored now.

Alright. Hurrah for you too!

But, remember, there can be only one. So, sharpen those two-handed broadswords, and watch your neck.

Caroline said...

Hi,

I'll join your party (belatedly) if that's OK. I'm through too...and I'm probably more shocked than anyone as had a few problems with my story. But delighted as well. Now I'm thinking 24 hours to make it better. Eek.

laurence timms said...

Well done Caroline!

Surely there must be some finalists who aren't floating around the interwebs commenting on these blogs?

Lucy V said...

Hi guys, well done! No luck for me it seems, C'est la vie...

Jason Arnopp said...

Well done Gerry! Well done Caroline!

Thanks to the congratulators.

And Lord Thomson: that's just me all over, see. Selfless. Yes.

Unknown said...

Yay xx

William Gallagher said...

'Ere, how did he get to be Lord Thomson? You're just calling everybody Lord now. And I thought I was special.

So, to recap: an unexpectedly large proportion of the total number of finalists are right here. And many of them will also be at the Dover Castle on Tuesday.

First round of hemlock is on me.

Congratulations to everyone who's come out since I was last here, way back when the comments thread was short and young.

William

laurence timms said...

What's happening at Dover Castle? Are those damn Frenchies invading again?

Elinor said...

Yay! Congrats to all. xx

Adaddinsane said...

I should like to point out that, if William wins, I taught him everything he knows ;)

If he doesn't, it was nothing to do with me.

Anonymous said...

Late to the dance, as ever...

However. I'm through, too.

Congrats to all! And great blog, Mr Arnopp.

"Surely there must be some finalists who aren't floating around the interwebs commenting on these blogs?"

Heh heh. Looking less and less likely, isn't it?

John Soanes said...

Oh, well done!
J

Jennifer said...

Well done everybody!

Sal said...

Question is, when must the final script be in? I am frantically polishing mine now. Well, I was until I started surfing the net....

Jason Arnopp said...

Well done, Sal! Join the party - have a vino tinto. I don't know to be honest, but I'd imagine it's ASAP, within reason.

laurence timms said...

Sal: I asked them that. They said "in the next few days".

I've taken that to mean Monday.

Polish polish shine shine polish.

Jason Arnopp said...

Yep, Monday's the polite limit I'd say!

Sal said...

That's what I was aiming for. Gulp. Pressure. Never expected this. Thank God I'd forced myself to finish the damned thing. Just a few little glitches to iron out now....

Jason Arnopp said...

Fellow finalists: please carry out last-minute tweaks on your entry in such a way as to make it rubbish, as opposed to top-notch. Much obliged to you.

Chip Smith said...

Belated congrats, Mister A!

(Tell you what, it's exhausting, all this congratulating - I'm tuckered out with all this blog visiting).

Hope you knock 'em dead in the next round (well, not too dead - they've got to read it after all).

Jason Arnopp said...

Jesus! Apologies, Mr Atack - I somehow managed to miss your comment! Congrats for getting through too. And you have the finest surname in the world.

martin said...

I say we track down Mr Atack and steal his surname!

Gavin Williams said...

Planets are red, violets are blue... I'm an RP finalist and so are many of you!
Hey, hang on- surely violets are VIOLET!
Anyway, whatever, I'm through also, but have been keeping quiet as I was still writing and polishing- but as everybody seems to be planning to drop their scripts in tomorrow - and that was MY plan - I thought I'd come out of the planet cupboard as well.
For statistics fans, there are apparently 72 finalists! (out of 1000ish entries)
As for there being "only one". Well, yes, one official winner, but Tony J did say at SWF when announcing the comp that he hoped they might find *more* than one project to develop.
Let's hope he wasn't just caught up in the fun of moment...

Well done to everyone. Well played. Boys n girls done good etc

Jason Arnopp said...

Excellent - the Williams is in! Well done, sir. And I'm counting you as a blogger, even though you haven't blogged for over a year, you madman.

Gavin Williams said...

I'm waiting for the right moment! I'm the cusp, I tells ya! The cusp...!

Anonymous said...

hello, Mr. Arnopp firstly congratulations on the Red Planet comp, and secondly congratualtions on a great blog. I have only just discovered it!! but I must say it is a very entertaining read. I'm pretty new to this blogging lark but am looking to be in it for the long haul so you may be getting more post from me.

Peace
JQ

Unknown said...

Hello all,

I've heard not a word from Red Planet of either the ya nor nadda variety - does anyone know if they are repsonding to the losers or letting them wallow in silence?

John Soanes said...

Hi T, I got a nay e-mail on Friday afternoon (personalised with the name of the script and my name to boot), so they do seem to be letting people know either way.
J

Unknown said...

Cheers for that John and better luck next time bro.
Mmmm, has anyone else heard nothing at all?
Had better check my spam filter for the 20th time.

Caroline said...

Hi Jason,

Did you get an acknowledgement email from RP by any chance? I sent mine on Mon and (stupidly) didn't put a delivery receipt on it. And haven't heard a dicky bird since. But I'll not panic if no-one else has had acknowledgements. I'm guessing they're pretty snowed under.

Ta

Jason Arnopp said...

Hi Caroline! Must admit, I didn't expect an acknowledgment e-mail, so I'm not too concerned. One other finalist didn't get one, so it seems the norm. Worst case scenario: if our scripts somehow fail to arrive at RP Towers, I'd imagine we'll get a reminder e-mail.

Caroline said...

Cheers Jason, you've put my mind at rest :)

And good luck!

Jason Arnopp said...

Thanks Caroline - you too!

And hello Mr Quest - yet another cool surname on this thread. Pleased to meet you, and yes, please do keep up the posting.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say thanks for the response Jason. I was beginning to think that the small fry like me just drifted through you net, but turns out I assumed wrongly.

Unfortunately Quest isn't my real surname, it's Wright. the name purely reflects my life - a quest to get to the top. If you get a chance read my blog. It would be a pleasure to hear what you think.

Peace
JQ

Jason Arnopp said...

Small fry, Mr Quest? I won't have that for a second! I've just been a bit rubbish with this thread - because there have been so many wonderful comments, it's been hard to keep up with, what with concentrating on polishing up my RPP entry. I shall indeed inspect your blog - looking forward to it.

Anonymous said...

I understand you may need to get a lackey soon to sort auto sign you threads and stir tea so you can keep both hands firmly on the keyboard.

I hope you like my blogging banter.

Jon said...

Somewhat shocked to discover I got the call-back on the RPP too.

Congratulations to the other finalists and good luck to all!