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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#207: Behind the Scenes

People usually bring their A-game when they know they’re being observed — but they’re often at their most interesting when they think no one’s watching. There’s a reason we’re all so intrigued by “behind the scenes” content, whether it’s about a celebrity we love, or an industry we find fascinating; getting to see all the work that goes into making something happen, especially when it looks effortless to the untrained eye.

With this week’s prompts, we’re lifting the curtain and going backstage. Whether we’re following a character who’s getting a break from the effort of performance, or exploring an industry where most of the action happens behind the scenes, let’s see what happens when we finally call “cut”.

PS — If you’re curious about the “behind the scenes” of Prompts, we’d love to have you! Get your own backstage pass by applying to be one of our volunteer judges.

This week's prompts

Set your story on a film or TV set, starting with someone calling “Cut!”

Dialogue – 46 stories

Write about a person who constantly has to put on a persona (e.g. at work, in their relationships, etc.) who can finally drop the facade.

Character – 80 stories

A journalist has been granted permission to visit the premises of a lab carrying out top-secret work. They could never have anticipated what they’d find…

Science Fiction – 38 stories

Write a story about a magician who never reveals their secrets — until now.

Character – 31 stories

Set your story in the kitchen of a bustling restaurant.

Fiction – 39 stories

Stories

“The Face of Death” by David King

Submitted to Contest #207

The barely legal tinted Challenger made everyone in the vicinity anxious. Not-so-subtle glances and obvious peeks were shot in the car’s direction from miscellaneous windows and partially open doors. Despite all this, Asura walked confidentially to the car. His smile glistened through his hairy and unkempt face as he entered the car. Not a single smile was present ...

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“The Biosphere Project” by Jillian Puckett

Submitted to Contest #207

The sun hung low in the sky as Sarah Mitchell pulled up to the heavily guarded entrance of the BioTech Research Facility. As a seasoned investigative journalist, she had covered her fair share of groundbreaking stories, but this one promised to be her most significant yet. The rumors surrounding the research conducted within those walls were enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. Today, Sarah had been granted unprecedented access to the lab, a chance to uncover the truth behind the top-secret work carried out there. Stepping out of he...

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“Volunteer” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #207

The security guard looked askance at Belinda’s aged Toyota Camry as she pulled up to the entrance booth of the exclusive golf community. Nettled, she announced the address she was visiting in imperial tones quite unlike her usual speech and saw the guard nod with grudging respect. As she drove past elegant homes with picture-perfect emerald lawns and manicured gardens, she wondered where everyone was. The scene was devoid of human life other than an occasional delivery van or group of dark-skinned landscaping crews. Belinda thought with rese...

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“Proof Positive” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #207

Howard Marks drove onto the Sequentrix Industries’ lot. He’d successfully passed the security gate. The sun had dipped behind the mountain. It felt like he’d driven forever up endless winding roads. ‘Thank God for GPS.’ The unassuming low-rise building built into the hillside was a former Buddhist monastery. He’d been called there but not informed of his purpose. He had lots of questions. Not sci-fi, Sequentrix was the most secure research lab in the world. Most didn’t know it existed. Fewer knew its purpose. Hardly anyone knew its locati...

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“it sings to itself ” by Masha Kurbatova

Submitted to Contest #207

You, my reader, used to do science experiments. Bianca did too. She got a kids’ chemistry set in third grade, and stained her mother’s rug blue with copper sulfate. Her baby safety goggles imprinted pink into her skin; she looked quite funny as Mother fussed about the rug. Mother wanted a freaky-geeky genius kid. She didn’t want the mess. Hunger coiled like a fat worm in Bianca’s stomach then. She fed it with experiments, mud pies, scabbed knees, Mother’s makeup smeared grotesque onto her babyface. But everyone told her (maybe you to...

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“The Command Performance” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #207

The Command Performance "Cut!" The gargoyle director swung his megaphone in my face when he yelled. He stood two heads taller than me when he wasn't on all fours. His fanged smile was both warm and menacing. With a wincing smile, I took a defensive step back and bumped into a set of golden elevator doors. As they slowly opened, I realized how I got here. Bladder cancer had ended twenty-seven seasons and 5000 episodes of my TV show. After tearful goodbyes to my family and friends, I took my last breath. My hospital room flashed blindingly wh...

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“Beautiful Catastrophe” by Alexia Kendall

Submitted to Contest #207

My life is very plain and simple. Wake up, work, home, repeat. It was like clockwork, and I loved it that way. That's how it's supposed to be, Monday through Saturday. I Struggle to get out of bed sharp and early, just to make it to work every day. Today is the same as yesterday, how was I supposed to know she would see through everything I worked so hard to build. I'm sitting just scrolling through the lists of contacts to call, listening to the constant clicking of keyboards and obnoxious conversations of my coworkers. My bright fake smile...

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“Cutting the Comedy” by Keelan LaForge

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” Everyone snapped out of what they’d been doing. They were like dreamers beckoned back to disappointing reality. They all looked at the one stern face. The room was unfathomably expansive. Everyone watching the filmed version sees the set, but they don’t see the surroundings that seem to go on for miles, with hundreds of people, cameras, microphones on poles. It’s like stepping back from the world and seeing the rest of the universe. You realise that the set only contains a small section of a story, and it often has a different atmo...

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“I'm Fine” by C. Charles

Submitted to Contest #207

**CONTENT WARNING: This story contains depictions of violence, mental health struggle, drug abuse, and overdose**“CUT!” Thomas yells just as I start my last line of dialogue. I throw my head back and close my eyes. I open them to find Thomas standing behind the camera with his glasses perched on his forehead and his fingers massaging between his eyes in frustration. The crew around him is silent, waiting and wondering, is he gonna blow up again?We’re in a tiny room in a dirty house; Thomas always insists on shooting on location, to try and c...

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“The Final Scene” by Juliet Carolan

Submitted to Contest #207

The Final Scene “Cut!” The Director’s voice echoed across the film set, signalling the end of yet another successful take. Cameras halted, lights dimmed, and the actors took a collective breath of relief. The movie they were filming, “Enigma” was an ambitious project, and the cast and crew had poured their hearts and souls into making it a masterpiece. Amelia, a talented but introverted actress was playing the lead role of Sarah, a brilliant codebreaker, caught in a web of secrets and deception, set in London in World War 2. She was know...

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“The Death of Stars” by Kat Z

Submitted to Contest #207

I think I might be the only person that is willing to die for my job. Maybe that is why I’m standing on this ledge. I know for certain, if I do this, I will be the most sought after actress in Hollywood. Let’s face it, no director wants an actor that refuses to do scenes and requests a stunt double. They want excitement and buzz, it’s the only reason I was given a chance in Hollywood in the first place. I will be praised for my performance in the movie, maybe it’s just my sick mind wanting to jump. Or maybe I have truly become the char...

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“Sylvia's Journal” by John Van Winkle

Submitted to Contest #207

Sylvia’s Journal (a short story by John Van Winkle) ‘May 26, 1998– June 3, 2012… things I’ve been told, things I recall, and a few other things: My birth mother- a single teenager of whom I know nothing else. She gave me up shortly after I was born. My birth father- no information (and no interest, really). My first foster home- Mrs. and Mr. Rios. I don’t remember much from that period, but I understand that they were good people who practiced and taught me solid values and a conversational mix of English and Spanish, raising me for...

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“Don't Blink or We're All Gone” by John-Paul Cote

Submitted to Contest #207

BIG IDEAZ16 February 2032YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH. I CAN’T.It is the most secret, most secure facility in the world–it’s thousands of feet under New York City. And the research being done will make us all question our very place in the universe.=========================Sindy ChenStaff Reporter, Big IdeaZ My life will never be the same. The burden of the secret I know has made me question the meaning of existence itself. Out of millions of journalists, I am the one that Project Starlight asks to come for a visit.Project Starlight....

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“The Harrowing of Hell” by Caroline Tuohy

Submitted to Contest #207

Tonight is not John Browns night. He sits, left leg crossed over right, on an upturned milk crate outside the back door of the restaurant kitchen, and lights a cigarette. A bucketful of water is thrown out the back door and splashes onto John Browns shoes. It is quickly followed by another. John Brown heavily inhales his cigarette. He looks away from the back door. If the kitchen is flooding, I don’t want to know, he thinks as he exhales the smoke into the air. Back inside, the dining room is booked out, over 100 guests, each barking a...

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“The cat blinked.” by Rose Lind

Submitted to Contest #207

To imply the word "facade" means cultural control. It means the ball of twine is tangled and dirty, and the culture wants to blame the cat for the abhorrent mess. The cats of the world are the most obvious blame, aren't they? So let the yod, or the finger of God, squarely point at the stereotype, the cat! The weak, the coward, choose not the internal journey of teasing out the dried leaves, spider webs, mud, and/or excrement from thyself, lest of all straightening the string. "NO," says the hive mind, readying to wre...

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$250

Prize money

234

Contest entries

96

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 21, 2023 EST

Won by Derrick M Domican 🏆

Title: Speed Fate

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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