Rejected episode script?

[8990]

While looking through an online .txt archive website I doscovered a supposedly rejected Deeps Psace Nine episode script called, "Convictions", (link provided below). I can't seem to find any more direct information about it and wondered if it was genuine or a fanfiction thats been mislabelled, (by accident or not).
If anyone could shine any light it would be appreciated.

Raw .txt file: https://cdn.preterhuman.net/texts/m...ipts/Star_Trek/DS9/Convictions (Rejected).txt

Viewable .pdf version: https://www.docdroid.net/r9byIWS/ds9-convictions.pdf

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Is it a script (with dialogue)? Who is the writer?

If I am not mistaken, DS9 (as well as other Trek series) accepted story pitches. If the story was accepted, it would be worked over by the writing staff and the story writer, and then would be assigned to someone who would write the script. There were certainly story pitches that were purchased but not developed, or which were credited to a writer because someone on staff decided to develop and idea that was not central to the original story. I think that if a story had been purchased, the staff would complete the script if the original writer were not deemed up to the job.

 

[Tosk]

It contains glaring spelling mistakes and some weird phrasing. No credited writer. Hinky. It doesn't read like a real script (in my completely unprofessional opinion) but what real difference is there between fanfic and an unsolicited rejected script anyway?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

It contains glaring spelling mistakes and some weird phrasing. No credited writer. Hinky. It doesn't read like a real script (in my completely unprofessional opinion) but what real difference is there between fanfic and an unsolicited rejected script anyway?

"Rejected" doesn't say much. If it were an unsolicited script that had been ignored, I wouldn't think this had been big deal. However, if this was a script from a writer who pitched it, and either the staff turned it down or bought it without developing it, then it would at least give some insight into what was going on the show. The line between fanfic and unsolicited work could seem thin.

 

[Tosk]

I see your point on the distinction between some fan sending it in and it being a rejected pitch. (Although a completely finished script for a pitch?) I very much doubt it is the latter.

 

[Takeru]

I see your point on the distinction between some fan sending it in and it being a rejected pitch. (Although a completely finished script for a pitch?) I very much doubt it is the latter.

I'm pretty sure only completed scripts were accepted, so it would have been the latter.

 

[Tosk]

"The latter" in this case is a rejected pitch. They did accept pitches that were not finished scripts. Often the pitch was no more than a one-sentence idea.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I suspect that unsolicited submissions had to be scripts, but from what I can tell, they were never the finished product. The writer would be brought in (at their own expense) where the story would be broken (put into acts) with the staff and conformed to the producers' interests. The writer would be sent off to write the actual script. That would be sent to staff writers and producers for additional writing.

 

[at Quark's]

It's an interesting read but I don't feel some characters would act in this way without at least some more substantial justification (o'Brien for example who really has nothing to go on except a fluke experiment from years ago and his gut feeling, other characters willing to commit serious offenses only because they "trust" O'brien, etc). Also, the second subplot (quark and the grunn) is left dangling a bit, or I've must overlooked something when reading.