How do you handle these three taboos in your writing?

If you'd like to know how not to handle these three "taboos," I'd suggest you read The Cabin in the horror section, so long as you don't comment on it. Even if you don't learn anything, at least it'll make you laugh. For sure. Ask anybody.

Anyway...

When it comes to sex and violence, I'd say ask yourself if what's happening is important to the story and try not to go aboard with the descriptions.

When it comes to language, I'd say let it come naturally. Don't throw in a bunch of f-bombs just for the hell of it.

There are already several threads about this kind of stuff, BTW. I suggest you check them out. There're a couple members around here who've already said it better than I have. For future reference, I'd look around to see if there aren't already threads with answers to your questions.

hahaah The Cabin... hahaha

hey the guy did something right... the script has become some sort of a legend on this site.

I read the cabin after this thread and had a great laugh. That was pretty funny. But on to the question at hand. In another thread about love scenes, someone posted a good link for writing sex scenes

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/tips/Tip138.htm

With sex scenes, I think they have to be done tastefully or don't do them at all.  There is no need to go into graphic detail about a sex scene.  We know what is happening.  Sometimes just saying, "They slide under the covers and begin making love," can go a long way.

I think violence goes hand in hand to what you are trying to convey with your story.  If a thug is robbing a bank and ends up killing a cop, he probably isn't going to chop his head off and gut him.  It will most likely be a quick kill.  I think its easy to go overboard here.  You just have to make sure that what you are doing is realistic for you story and for the rating you want to achieve.

Foul language is a toughy.  For me, personally, I don't curse so I hardly have any cursing in my scripts.  I think there are different ways of showing anger and aggression without foul language.  Once again, this goes hand in hand with your characters.  One character may be a hard ball and cursing is part of his personality.  Another may be a sqeeky clean geek who only talks properly.  

I read a script on here not too long ago that contained 11 and 12 years olds who were dropping the f-bomb left and right.  I don't see this as realistic.  Would kids this age really use this language so frequently?  Maybe so nowadays, but I didn't hear the f-bomb being tossed around a lot until I was around 14.

Hope this helps,
Jonathan

It's all about context.

Is heavy violence more fitting than a quick kill?  Are the characters you are writing the kind that would use foul language?  Is your sex steamy, or just plain vanilla?  These are the questions you need to ask yourself to avoid going overboard.

In regards to The Cabin, I've written a script that is set to go into production in a few months that uses the famous term "ass shining in the moonlight" not once, but twice.

I say a little prayer every day that at least one of them makes it through just for the sake of having a SS inside joke out there.  Right now the odds look spectacular.

Haha, Mike you kill me.  "Ass shining in the moonlight" needs to be copyrighted.

My philosophy regarding these three "taboos" is as Mike said based on context.  However, I think every writer has his/her own style of writing scenes.

For example for my sex scenes I usually describe the foreplay and/or the emotional build up right before actual "intercourse".  Because if you think about it, not too many sex scenes are shown in their entirety anymore.  It's more about the build up.  The actual sex is cut and dissolved with a bunch of images of the act, not just one continuous scene.

As far as foul language goes, I'm not a big fan of it.  I happen to like R movies that don't waste their rating on foul languge.  I try to use as little profanity as possible, but sometimes it's inevitable.  I think excessive profanity shows a lack of skill and vocabulary on the writer's part.  Unless there is a reason the character must curse, I don't usually force it.  I wrote a horror script that is on this site where I went the "Hostel" route and had my characters dropping the f-bomb and s-word nearly every other dialogue block and it just looks juvenille.  I don't know, maybe it's just me.  

Violence, hell, I have no limit to that.  I usually describe a violent scene with as much description as possible.  The filmmakers can always tone down a scene, but I don't think a writer should have to.  You don't have visual images to your advantage so you might as well write it all out.  

That's my two cents.

Most of my scripts do have strong language and violence.  My scripts usually have characters in my age bracket and  I know myself I swear all the time, it's just the way I talk, I don't think there is anything wrong with it, like when I stub my toe I don't say dagnammit.  And I did have 2 sex scenes in one, even though one of the sex scene involves beastiality, but nothing graphic.

If your doing a movie about nuns chances are it won't have harsh language or graphic sex or violence, even though that would be kinda cool

I think it depends on who your characters are and the kind of story your telling, if it's a family movie you leave the strong stuff out, if it's intended for adults you put in what you think is right.

Why are they taboo?  For many years films have had violence, sex and profanity.  My opinion is, to pick your audience.  Ask yourself, who am I trying to target?  Are you trying to go for a G, PG, PG-13, or R?  That's how I handle it.  

And for Guy Jackson (please don't take this the wrong way), but you said "excessive profanity shows a lack of skill and vocabulary on the writer".  Does that mean you think writers like Quentin Tarantino, Nicholas Pileggi, and Paul Schrader lack skill?  

  

Quoted from tomson To prove that point I once tried to write an explicit soft core porn piece without using any foul language what so ever.

Awe, what's the point???

Anyways, for one, as a writer, I don't think anyone should think of anything as taboo, so keep that in mind. But the way I deal with these areas.

"Bad" language - language ain't bad, just the person saing it and how it is used. However, I use it, but it's always more powerful when you don't use it ALL the time, and only in more intense situations. I also find it very useful in character development.

Sex - yes please. No, but I actually prefer writing scenes that are more passionate and about intimacy of the characters, rather than just an all out boink fest. I don't even like using much nudity. I like to go for sexy and not gratuitous.

Violence - The more the merrier, the bloodier the better. However, you also have to remember that sometimes, not SHOWING any of the violence can be even more powerful than throwing body parts around in some cases. Especially in horror.

as a writer, I think the fun of these three areas is finding ways to show these things and still make them clever, and cool, and tasteful. That I think benefits the story more than just showing T&A and gore and f bombs just because you can. Anybody could do that, so what's the point? Where's the fun in that? I like to at least try to fool people into thinking that I'm artistic and thoughtful, even if it's not true.

The best rule of thumb is not to go overboard.  If you need violence, have violence, but don't start describing heads exploding just because you have a gunfight.  Is your character angry, crude, or both? bad language might be in order - but don't have him start cursing every other word.  Is sex a necessary part of your plot? then have sex.  But don't turn your script into porn.

The exception is what I'll call the Big Lebowski rule.  If it helps your style and character sketching to use a lot of sex, violence, or language, feel free to do it.  Just be aware of the consequences.  The Big Lebowski wouldn't be nearly as funny without all the cussing, but the offside is as many people are turned off by it as love it.

Also, remember that effects are contextual.  In action movies, huge fistfights where people punch each other repeatedly are expected.  In low-violence movies, however, less strong scenes can have greater effect.  Take the scene where the fat owner punches Brad Pitt in Fight Club.  If it were a violence-less movie, Pitt's endurance (and the owner's violence) would be extremely powerful.  In context, though, it's just another violent scene.

To begin with, I can echo what's been said. Keep it within the boundaries of the plot. Don't have stuff in there just to have it. This goes not only for the items explicitly mentioned in this thread, but for everything. Everything should either emphsize character or plot and if these elements serve this purpose, then that's fine.

One thing to keep in mind about language, however. The language of a screenplay is often a reflection of the writer who wrote it. Our first drafts are often written exactly how WE would say something, so when you read something, you can pretty well figure that's how that person actually talks. I'll bet Tarantino has a pretty foul mouth on him. Those who have read my stuff may notice that most of my posts read like some of my dialogue. When I stub my toe, or whack my thumb with a hammer, I say "ouch". Not kidding. If it really hurts, I say "owowowowowowow!" Still not kidding. I do not use any foul language in my normal daily speech, so it doesn't find its way into my scripts. I naturally find other ways to say the same thing with no effort.

As an aside, my first realization that a lot of the foul language was nothing but filler and nonsense was when I was working with some rednecks (yup, we got 'em in Oklahoma in droves) and one of the guys spouted off something just laced with profanity in every other word. I looked at him for a moment completely confused and asked that he repeat himself without the profanity so I could understand what in the world he just said. I have felt much the same way during several movies I've watched. You wanna use it, fine, just don't lose the meaning in what you're trying to say.

Therefore, there will always be a division over the use of language, foul or otherwise. Personally, I find the "foul" language to be pretty useless. Most of the words are filler and while they can convey character in certain situations, screenplays are all about economy. A suggestion I've given before has been to use this language for a character near the beginning to show some of that person's character, but use it sparingly the further you move into the story.

You also may want to consider the meaning of these words. It is possible to use the useless words in a proper context so their meaning is conveyed. This way, you can build character through the language, yet forward the plot by the definition. This is a best case scenario.

Violence and sex are the same way for the most part. Can you have violence and still further the plot? Sure. In some plots, the violence is inevitable. In some plots, sex is inevitable. The inevitablility should be used to its fullest when it happens so if you want these elements, you can use them. But if they serve no purpose in either building character or forwarding the plot, then they should be omitted.

Use of any of these elements without a plot or character purpose reflects poorly on anyone as a writer. As shoddy as I felt the premise was, Hostel did have a purpose for its nudity in the beginning; it built the characters of our leads. No, it didn't make them terribly endearing or even relatable, but it did build their character. It did, however, get excessive and gratuitious the more it was used. As I said, screenwriting is about economy. This means get in, use it, and get out. When we saw them get it on in the brothel, in my opinion, that was enough to create their character. One picture on the camera (the one with Alex) was enough.

So there's my main point: economy. If you need it, fine. If you don't, cut it.

A lot of profanity can only be done in certain films.  Bad Boys is one. Two cops doing cases and what not. You know there will be profanity. So Action movies i think it doesnt matter how much. As long as you don't go  over the top. Adventures will rarely swear. Horror will use a little. Depends on the type of horror. Drama will cuss either a little or a lot. Comedy is the same as drama.

One other thing I think worth pointing out is in the distant past. Prior to movies having different ratings, they were all made with basically the same guidelines. This means that no film (that was widely released), regardless of genre (and they were all out there) prior to 1970 or so had any profanity, excessive violence, or nudity. There was a bit of it here and there but nothing on a wide scale as we have today.

Dramas were still dramatic. Horror films (the good ones) were still scary. Action films still had action. As has been discussed before, the good films of yore maintain their good status. The top of the IMDB list is The Godfather and has been for some time. It contains the moderate profanities of damn, ass, and hell, some violence, though never extreme, and one bit of nudity.

Who do we have to thank for the big change in ratings? Alfred Hitchcock and Psycho. He pushed the bar with that film forcing the people who certified films at that time to consider how they were doing things.

But NEED all this? Not to the extreme we seem to be pushing it to.

I think it is just a matter of taste, some people like it, some people don't.  There's an audience for both.

I saw this movie on the history channel called Bonnie and Clyde, and I'm pretty sure it was in the 60's, early 60's at that and it had EXTREME violence in it, just as violent as a lot of movies now a days, I wonder how that movie got a way with it with no ratings, same with the Wild bunch and the dirty dozen, the violence was very gory in those films.