I have written a Horizon fanfic.

[Aris Boch]

Over the past few weeks I have endeavored to learn as much as I could about script writing. Now I've leart a fair bit. I find that the best way to examine ones knowledge is to apply it so I decided I would challenge myself with writing a script. I had a good story that fit really well into the Horizon universe so I decided that I would do a Horizon fanfic.

Now there are a few things you'll have to forgive me for.

My laptop can be very...temperamental and it wouldn't allow me to download the appropriate program for writing in this format. But I wasn't going to let this get in my way and unfortunately I was forced to use word. The formatting was difficult but I managed to get it nearly just right. And it doesn't affect the reading of it too much.

I haven't read every episode currently up in season two yet so I hope my fanfic will still fit in with continuity as I really felt that this was something I needed to get done.

Finally there are some parts where It gets a bit complicated and I may have gotten it wrong.

You've been warned!

Now If people would like me to I'll post it here at Gatewrold in the fanfic section.

I feel inclined to ask Alex and the rest of the Horizon team. Would that be okay?

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

HOLYCRAPCONGRADULATIONSOMFGZOMGANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM!
Okay, n00b moment over. But seriously, way to go! Please, let us see it!

[Aris Boch]

Okay. I'll have to load this as a html file so I hope this works.

[Aris Boch]

okay, not sure if that worked. I've never uploaded a fanfic before.

Well unfortunately I will be going away tomorrow for a few days so I may not be able to bear the brunt of your feedback but keep it coming while I'm gone.

[Alex Rubit]

I feel inclined to ask Alex and the rest of the Horizon team. Would that be okay?

Sure, feel free to upload it. So long as it's clear that it's not officially part of the series to avoid confusion.

[Lord Zedd]

Interesting but where to find it? So Alex what does a person have to do if they wish to write an episode? Wouldn't that be a bit more interactive?

[NoDot]

You're behind the times! I've already written two FanFics!

Beat that!

[goes off to look for another Plot Bunny]

[Alex Rubit]

Interesting but where to find it? So Alex what does a person have to do if they wish to write an episode? Wouldn't that be a bit more interactive?

If someone is interested in writing episodes, the best approach would be to apply for joining the staff by submitting a writing sample.

Things behind the scenes are very interactive actually. It's never a matter of someone going off, writing an episode, and then turning it in. There are a lot of notes and talks that go into it even before the outline is written - the outline is usually revised before work on the actual script begins. By the time we get to the script stage, everyone will already have a very clear picture of the episode from the very first scene to the conclusion.

After the first draft is done, we again talk about it, give notes on it, and then it's all about revising and polishing. Once that is done a majority of scripts will be edited by yours truly, before it's handed off to the script supervisor/proof reader, who will again edit it, focusing on grammar and spelling. After that is done, the script comes back, waiting to be approved by its writer and myself. A huge amount of focus goes to the dialogue. Every single word can be important, because it's about maintaining the character voices, which is what often my primary focus is when giving notes on a script. You ask yourself not only what does one of the characters say, but also how would they say it (of shall I say, how would the actors in the virtual cast say it). Naturally that's more difficult for new writers than it is for someone who might have already written one or more episodes. The more you write, the easier it gets. If you've written say 20+ episodes, the main character voices kind of just flow with you. You start developing a natural feel for each of them, as they kind of become a part of you. The first episode you write for a series will always be one of the most difficult ones, as I keep telling new writers (while hoping not to scare them away ). It'll get easier.

Don't know how much I've gotten off topic, but what I'm trying to say is... the production of every single episode is a very interactive process.

[Aris Boch]

Really absolutely hyperly super sorry. It didn't work. If anyone could explain the process further it would be greatly appreciated.

That's great NoDot! Where can I find you're fics?

[NoDot]

That's great NoDot! Where can I find you're fics?

Their respective threads on SGU can be found at these URLs:
Horizon's First FanFiction!
FF-Inner Voices

[Aris Boch]

Wow. Well done NoDot. They were short but they were good.
Mine's just under sixty pages. Still sorting out how to upload it.

[NoDot]

Mine's just under sixty pages.

[eyes fall out of head]

How the devil can you write 60 pages!? What is it, a 30-min episode!?

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

An actual 23-minute episode should come out to about a 29-30 page script. His is probably closer to a real, full-length episode.

[NoDot]

An actual 23-minute episode should come out to about a 29-30 page script. His is probably closer to a real, full-length episode.

What I meant was that it'd likely air in a 30-min timeframe. (Like Horizon would air in an hour-long timeframe.)

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

Yes, I know. 30 minute slots are usually for shows with a runtime of about 23 minutes per episode, and their scripts are about 29-30 pages. Horizon would probably take up about 50-odd minutes of a 60 minute timeframe, whereas SG-1 takes about 42 minutes and McGuyver took up about 47 minutes (at least, in the first episode). Horizon's actually a wee-bit longer than SG-1. Not necessarily in just the extra description, but a little extra description here and there doesn't necessarily account for about 30 extra pages.