Not sure exactly how to word this, but has anything ever turned you off while reading a script?  And I'm not talking about formatting issues...

For example, I recall there was a female member on here who was in the middle of Mark's script Thistles and she told him flat-out that she stopped reading his script because of a specific -- and graphic -- scene that took place.  (I won't spoil it, so just go and read it for yourself if you haven't yet)

Has this ever happened to anyone?

Just asking, 'cause I'm in the process of writing a script that's not for the weak of heart... and I'm a little iffy about posting it.  More along the lines of really, really nervous. haha



-Steve

I don't think you should be worried about what other people are going to think. You're in the business of writing so you're not going to please all of the people all of the time.

If I don't like something and can't continue the read for whatever reason I'll usually stop and not comment. Alternatively I might tell the reader that the subject matter really turned my stomach, much like 'reader' you referred to did with Mark's 'Thistles' That's just the name of the game. It doesn't mean something is not worthy however, or well written just because the subject matter is controversial or not to my liking. And, it certainly doesn't mean censorship should come into play either, imho.

If I had the confidence in what I was writing, I certainly wouldn't hold back for fear of what reaction it might elicit.

Just put a rating-warning on it. In the process you'll probably get you more reads.  

Libby

P.S. What's the significance of the name change btw? At first I had no idea who you were.

Go for it. If you're truthful in the storytelling, I think readers will know where you're coming from.

It's clear nothing turns me off to scripts, violence-wise. Now, some types of stories definitely aren't appealing to me -- I've never been a huge fan of the "rape and revenge" subgenre -- but you can't offend me with a screenplay.

In fact I think it's more of a turn off when writers tip toe around the uncomfortable parts rather than just telling the story the way it happens. Too many writers, particularly horror writers, try too hard not to "go too far", when really the most popular films of the genre (TCM, The Exorcist, Last House on the Left) did just that when they were released.

I reckon a photo of Jeff in the nude would do the trick

Plenty of people have been turned off by my scripts and not been able to finish them. Do I care? No. I write what I write because I want to. The few people out there that like my scripts though, seem to really like my type of scripts. So, to me, it's better to have a few people that really dig your stuff than trying to please everyone with something bland. I know Babz doesn't like horror, but that's mostly what I write so I won't let her read my scripts. I'm not changing to please her. I have to stay true to myself and she's cool with that.

Write what you love and your scripts will be better.

Well the biggest turn off for me is when a woman uses her... oh wait, we're talking about turn offs in scripts?  

In that case, the biggest turn off for me is when I am reading something cheesy or cliched, or something written by someone with little to no knowledge about the subject matter which it is that they are writing about (which are normally linked, because those with little subject knowledge are likely to revert to cliches to write about the subject).

Apart from that, there is little that actually turns me off.

I don't mind extreme violence in the films I watch or the scripts I read, as long as it is justified. If I feel that what you are writing is written purely for shock, then I might check out, simply because it will take me out of the read, as I can feel the writer's manipulating presence.

Quoted from stevie I reckon a photo of Jeff in the nude would do the trick

Or an Aussie in a pair of shorts that should've been tossed a decade ago.

I agree with Toby. Anything I've seen before is just plain boring. I'd much prefer to watch/read something that was completely different to anything else, regardless of how 'not for the weak-hearted' it is.

Just out of curiosity, is your script in the 'Antichrist' or the 'Bug' territory?

Quoted from Toby_E ...something written by someone with little to no knowledge about the subject matter...

I couldn't agree more.  I tune out when there is a gaping hole in the story due to inadequate research.  I usually see this with military scripts.  

I'm guessing that the story you've written is of a controversial subject such as rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, coprophagia...  

Considering that the movie Chinatown has some of those subjects in it, I think you'll be okay with whatever you've written...unless you wrote a story about a man who rapes his adopted puppy and eats its shit.  Then that would be weird.

Jordan

Quoted from LC P.S. What's the significance of the name change btw? At first I had no idea who you were.

I didn't like that there was another member with a similar reaper name, ReaperCreeper.

So I just picked the last name of my favorite actress and used that.

She's in my avatar with Bruce Campbell.  

Quoted from jwent6688 Or an Aussie in a pair of shorts that should've been tossed a decade ago.

I would rule Cleveland in these shorts bro.

Then again, even Jeff in the nude could rule Cleveland

As far as violence and the like goes, I'm turned off by shock for the sake of shock and content that generally works against what is best for the story at hand or otherwise isn't included for a good reason. What's funny is that for all the over the top slashers and torture porn scripts out there, most of them try so hard to shock that they actually backfire and get more and more tedious and stupid as the gags get grosser, more lurid, more sadistic, more sexually violent, etc. It's self sabotage, really.

Naturally, what's appropriate for one script may not be appropriate for another. Slashers and torture scripts, for example, have a lot more leeway than others and can be quite good if the writes focus more on what's effective than what they think is superficially shocking or disturbing. What is or isn't appropriate is for the writer to figure out. But you can always feel when a given script's trying too hard.

I also agree with Toby. Whoteheartedly.

Other than that, you're really going to shoot yourself in the foot worrying too much about how other people are going to react to your writing. Good art just doesn't come about that way. Do what's right for the script. If you think that's going to require pushing the envelope a little, you should do it. Scaling back and playing it safe can be just as harmful, even more so, than going too far, so to speak.

For me the biggest turn off has to be the cliches that Toby brought up, namely the "pretty" descriptors.  I can't stand the whole "attractive", "beautiful", or "handsome" adjective that people toss in with their character descriptions.  That to me is just done to death and comes off a bit lazy.  It's safe to assume that EVERY protagonist in EVERY script is a Calvin Klein supermodel unless otherwise stated.

I'm not really turned off by any subject matter.  James brought up a good point with the overkill on some horror scripts that are just after shock value.  There was a short that I commented on a little while back that had too many twists near the end that it just ruined the story for me.  It started off nicely but as they gunned for more and more twists, it totally ruined the illusion and rapport for me and thus killed the entire script.

Can't wait to check your script out, Levy.  If the subject matter, as gruesome as it may be, flows well then it shouldn't be much of a problem for a good deal of the peeps on the site.  I agree with Nomad though, adopted puppies should NEVER be victims!

Everything has pretty much been covered here, so yeah I agree I hate cliched stuff and extreme violence just there to shock.  A story needs to be believable, characters need to be believable and then you don't need to write over the top scenes to try and draw the readers attention.

Quoted from RegularJohn For me the biggest turn off has to be the cliches that Toby brought up, namely the "pretty" descriptors.  I can't stand the whole "attractive", "beautiful", or "handsome" adjective that people toss in with their character descriptions.

I agree, but for another reason. A writer doesn't have to worry about those things. H'wood casting will have no trouble at all filling roles with hard, hot bodies.