Scriptwriter looking for help

[MikeEllis]

After preciousjeni's comment about other "researchers" (her quotation marks, not mine), I get the feeling that this place has had some trolls coming in asking questions like mine. Thenafter there were mostly comments and questions about the script, so maybe I should explain a bit, to establish some credibility.

A local company is trying to produce and sell a syndicated television series about a family of five. I'm one of three guys hired to turn their outlines into actual scripts, and I get to deal mostly with the oldest son character, who's a freshman at some fictional university. This is really just a writing job, which means I get a paycheck whether the show gets aired or not, but it could lead to bigger things so I want to get this right.

Like I said earlier, I went through rush at a very small college more than 20 years ago. Drinking was a lot more tolerated; STDs were not something people talked about, and there were no cell phones, text messages, or Facebook. After rush, I realized that I couldn't pledge, so I never got to see what went on from the inside.

What I'm most concerned right now with boils down to two things:
- The time schedule of rush. What kinds of events go, in what order, and how much time does the whole process take. (From what I've read so far, the guy seem to be expected to make a rather big decision in a few days. I don't remember being that rushed about it, but maybe we were.)
- How have things been changed by the fact that everybody can communicate instantly now? For example, I can imagine actives circulating a room of prospective pledges, saying polite things to them while texting their real opinions to their brothers around the room. Does crap like that actually happen?

Again, thanks for any help. Especially, so far, to MysticCat and aephi alum for giving me some specific leads to research.

And, aephi alum, please don't try to read/type while driving. You're a danger to yourself and others.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by MikeEllis

And, aephi alum, please don't try to read/type while driving. You're a danger to yourself and others.

LOL. She was referring to a common GC expression: staying in your lane or lane swerving. It means, in the context of things like rush/recruitment, commenting only on the things that you have experience with or that are truly common knowledge. So, for example, a guy trying to give detailed information about how NPC sororities conduct recruitment might be told to "stay in his lane." aephi was simply noting that if she said too much about how orgs other than NPC orgs do rush/recruitment/whatever they call it, she'd be swerving into other people's "lanes."

[MikeEllis]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

It means, in the context of things like rush/recruitment, commenting only on the things that you have experience with or that are truly common knowledge.

HA! And here I was, totally impressed at how well she could type while holding a steering wheel.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

LOL. She was referring to a common GC expression: staying in your lane or lane swerving. It means, in the context of things like rush/recruitment, commenting only on the things that you have experience with or that are truly common knowledge. So, for example, a guy trying to give detailed information about how NPC sororities conduct recruitment might be told to "stay in his lane." aephi was simply noting that if she said too much about how orgs other than NPC orgs do rush/recruitment/whatever they call it, she'd be swerving into other people's "lanes."

MC, thank you for posting this explanation.

When I drive, my main focus is on exactly one thing: the road. If it's a nice sunny day I'll have the radio on, I'll chat with my passengers, and I'll make and accept cell phone calls (my car has Bluetooth so it's hands-free). If I'm driving in a snowstorm at night, the radio stays off, and I've been known to tell passengers to shut up as I really need to concentrate on keeping us all safe.

My "lane drifting" reference, as MC explained, has nothing to do with actually driving a car. I am an NPC sorority alumna. As such, I can speak in general terms about NPC recruitment, but I am not qualified to speak about intake processes for non-NPC groups.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MikeEllis

After preciousjeni's comment about other "researchers" (her quotation marks, not mine), I get the feeling that this place has had some trolls coming in asking questions like mine. Thenafter there were mostly comments and questions about the script, so maybe I should explain a bit, to establish some credibility.

A local company is trying to produce and sell a syndicated television series about a family of five. I'm one of three guys hired to turn their outlines into actual scripts, and I get to deal mostly with the oldest son character, who's a freshman at some fictional university. This is really just a writing job, which means I get a paycheck whether the show gets aired or not, but it could lead to bigger things so I want to get this right.

Like I said earlier, I went through rush at a very small college more than 20 years ago. Drinking was a lot more tolerated; STDs were not something people talked about, and there were no cell phones, text messages, or Facebook. After rush, I realized that I couldn't pledge, so I never got to see what went on from the inside.

What I'm most concerned right now with boils down to two things:
- The time schedule of rush. What kinds of events go, in what order, and how much time does the whole process take. (From what I've read so far, the guy seem to be expected to make a rather big decision in a few days. I don't remember being that rushed about it, but maybe we were.)
- How have things been changed by the fact that everybody can communicate instantly now? For example, I can imagine actives circulating a room of prospective pledges, saying polite things to them while texting their real opinions to their brothers around the room. Does crap like that actually happen?

Again, thanks for any help. Especially, so far, to MysticCat and aephi alum for giving me some specific leads to research.

And, aephi alum, please don't try to read/type while driving. You're a danger to yourself and others.

Thanks for clarifying...we do get (more than) our fair share of trolls, as well as students doing "research" for term papers (do your own dang homework). I appreciate your concern for being accurate when it would be easier to just throw in a typical stereotype.

Re: texting actual opinions during a rush party...I don't think it's a common occurrence, but I'm sure it happens and could make for some hilarious copy. I kinda dig the idea.

[Lafayette79]

Originally Posted by MikeEllis

What I'm most concerned right now with boils down to two things:
- The time schedule of rush. What kinds of events go, in what order, and how much time does the whole process take. (From what I've read so far, the guy seem to be expected to make a rather big decision in a few days. I don't remember being that rushed about it, but maybe we were.)

Although it seems strange to say so, Rusty's Rush events on the TV show, Greek were not atypical, (with the exception of Kappa Tau of course). At most campuses, at least those with which I am familiar, Rush is very open with only a minimum structure. If you look at the Fraternity Rushes in the Recruitment Stories section of GC, you will find only a few and those few have little drama compared to the NPC. Both the houses and the Rushees make hurried decisions which are usually correct. But it's OK since both the Fraternities and Pledges have a Do-over (see below).

Some big southern schools have their own culture upon which I can't comment.

I have learned on GC that it is generally easier to get a Fraternity bid than a Sorority one because of the intensity of Sorority Recruitment versus the more relaxed format of Fraternity Rush. The difference is, again as I have learned on GC, that once you get an NPC bid, you are pretty much in, since you have gone through so much to get it. With most NIC Fraternities though, the process is just beginning. The pledges must be bound to their pledge class and that class bound to the whole Fraternity. Not everyone makes it, and it's not unusual to pull some Pledge Pins after Rush.

My point is that for most of the NIC, it is not a done deal after the few days of Rush. Some leave on their own and some have to leave. Those who are left are the new brothers.

The OP is to be applauded for asking questions of those that he thinks may know something, instead of making it up, which is easier and much more common.