Unlock this door
with the key of your imagination.
Somewhere between light and shadow, between science and superstition, we invite your to submit a story of things and ideas, that could become… As Timeless As Infinity!
Imagine a new Twilight Zone episode. Write Rod Serling’s opening and closing narrations. Give it a title.
Send us your entry!
A new twist for this year: write about a known character. Someone else’s character… from a book, or a short story, or a TV show or a movie, or comics. Even from real life!
For example, I wrote an opening narration about the main character in Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre:
Sample Opening Narration:
Witness Jane Eyre, a self-effacing young woman ascending a rickety staircase, pausing to realize that her affection for Mr. Rochester may be something stronger. And what of her beloved’s room? What does it think of her? Watch her ascend, unaware that each step draws her not closer to her unrealized love, but deeper into The Twilight Zone.
As a second example, I wrote a closing narration about characters in the original Star Trek series:
Sample Closing Narration:
Mr. Spock returns to the Land of Illogic occasionally–and privately–to validate his extraordinary experience, to recognize that he was changed irrevocably, and to enjoy boffing the Captain once more. Such dark fantasies will cross a Vulcan’s mind near the edge of the galaxy, or… in the heated center of The Twilight Zone.
Got the idea? They are someone else’s characters, but they’re caught in The Twilight Zone. You can play it straight as I did with Jane Eyre, or you can get naughty as I did with Mr. Spock. (It’s a nod to fan fiction, which has been naughty for years!)
Please do write both of your opening and closing narrations using the same character(s).
THE ORIGINAL RULES STILL APPLY
How to Win
Don’t write a treatment; this is more like a 60-second pitch. And it’s OK to leave some mystery: stimulate our imagination! MORE EXAMPLES: read last year’s winners–and all the entries–here.
Warm yourself up by writing new narrations for an existing episode, and read it aloud to friends to see if they recognize which episode. Then write the narrations for your original idea.
- Maximum word count, excluding titles and labels: 150 words total, both narrations combined.
- Maximum entries: 2 per person.
- Title and Narrations only–any additional content will be ignored.
- We will not consider a previous entry.
- Deadline:
Halloween 2019 (October 31)EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 3
Send your entries to:
Stephen Schlich, RodSerling.com webmaster
Judging
Judging by Rod Serling Memorial Foundation board members, using these criteria:
- Originality. Humor also appreciated!
- How easily we can imagine Rod speaking your words.
- How well your narrations suggest the imaginary episode.
Prizes
Immortality! The Rod Serling Memorial Foundation offers to you: your personal area of our Twilight Zone. Actor Stephen Dexter will again perform the three top entries. We will announce the winner and runners-up in time for Rod Serling’s 95th birthday–Christmas Day 2019. And the video will be accessible from our website www.RodSerling.com forever!
Watch the 2018 winners here Watch the 2017 winners here
NOTE: We will publish all the entries on our website. By entering, you are granting permission to publish your entry (with your byline and copyright notice attached) on the rodserling.com website.