14 August 2014

Is there anything wrong with TALKINSCRIPT?

This call for names and email addresses appeared on Reddit r/screenwriting a few days ago (Aug. 13th, 2014):



I'm not sure what "alpha testing" is.  But there is discussion in the thread of the legitimacy of the project, so let's see what it is.  Here is what you see if you follow the above link:


That's it. That's all the info there is.  If you click sign up there's a place where you must put in a first name, last name and email address.  That's all there is.  You give them your info, and ... I guess if you want info from them, you ask in the thread. 

People did.  That's when "Div" showed up. 

As part of a lengthy response, she says:


Click that link, and you get this:



You may have noticed, this is not a website. Well, it's Go Daddy's website.  Someone registered a domain and it's parked here. Maybe there will be a website one day.  But not now. So, her saying her website is "located" at that link, isn't technically a lie, is it?

"Div," as a business owner, is quite coy about her identity. No actual names are given.  But, still, she insists on her "I'm just an open book" persona:


Okay, I will.  Here is a typical entry in the Google results:


Written by ... you guessed it - "Div."  I imagine she does work for Gazoozle.  Guess what they do? 


Okay.  Div comes across as  - well - evasive at the very least.  Div answers no questions with actual information.  She's just a bouncy, fun, girl trying to help out writers and those who insist on actual information are  ... Bigfoot stalkers?  See, in advertising, if some attacks you 1- change the conversation and 2 - attack them.  That's what Div did:



Charming, eh? I mean, srsly, she's all charm.  All "Alpha female leading the cool kids (what with the 'rad' logo) into mocking the delusional, paranoid asshole who had the temerity to ask: who are you?" We change the topic from her empty online "business" collecting email addresses and no real information to the silly, silly poster who seems to need a thorazine drip. 

I have no problem with people starting businesses from scratch.  I have a big problem with people who want to collect contact info and can't give a straight answer to a simple question.  But I do not trust people who substitute charm or manipulative language for straightforward information. It's mendacious. IF this person were legit, why would anyone have to Google her? (Because 96% of internet users do not follow links, they make their decisions from what is in front of them.)  If they like her, they will believe her.  And will dislike anyone who "attacks" her. 

So we'll see. And I'll report back.