A quick technical question: There is a mishearing in our script that many readers haven’t picked up on, yet somehow, they laugh at the resulting gag anyway, which is nice.
Anyway, I’m sure I’ve seen in some scripts the alternative interpretation in brackets after the line as idiot proofing. Can the panel confirm or deny this?
I think many people will be able to work out this mishearing anyway.
Quote: Norton&Wright @ March 26, 2008, 2:09 PMA quick technical question: There is a mishearing in our script that many readers haven’t picked up on, yet somehow, they laugh at the resulting gag anyway, which is nice.
Anyway, I’m sure I’ve seen in some scripts the alternative interpretation in brackets after the line as idiot proofing. Can the panel confirm or deny this?
I'm not sure I understand. Can you give an example?
Here's an awful example:
Have you met Helen? She works in a fertility clinic, don’t you Hel?
You mean, Hel freezes ova? (Hell freezes over)
This is an obvious one, of course and - as such - a poor example.
The thing is people DON'T get it on the page.
Now I understand. That's a tough one. I often hear those jokes in sitcoms and I wonder how the writer laid it out on the page.
I guess it comes down to whether or not you credit the reader with any level of intelligence and, as I believe one should never overestimate his audience, I would spell the joke out out plainly.
Agree with David... Trust your reader to pick up on such things.
So, in brackets afterwards, or did I just dream that?
Quote: Tim Walker @ March 26, 2008, 2:37 PMAgree with David... Trust your reader to pick up on such things.
Um, that's the opposite of what I said. I was half joking though.
The fact is, it's impossible to say whether or not you need to spell out your gag. The fertility joke you mention above reads fine but who can say if the one in your sitcom does without seeing it? Maybe you should offer it up for critique and find out that way.
Personally, I'd avoid the brackets if at all possible. Especially cos it might look as if they say it twice.
I just think it looks odd in the script. The helen one above might not be a good example, cos it reads fairly obviously, so the brackets made me feel the tiniest bit patronised.
You just have to be confident with it, if it fails when the time comes, just remove it.
If it fails when the time comes, it's too late. No?
I'm erring on the side I'm caught on. (on the side of caution)
But if you're not willing to take the risk that what are you bringing to us the as the viewer? I think you should just leave it in, without the brackets and if in production and the final stages it doesn't work it can be easily changed surely?
Unless you just come at it from a different angle? If you have to explain it with brackets, it's not written well - start the joke again.
I've heard advice suggesting that you leave out as many brackets as you can, and to credit the actors/directors/producers with some intelligence! Not just in your example but even as far as (DISGUSTED) or (CAUTIOUS) or something like that. Apparently they can get a bit narked if these instructions are in the script.
Dan
I've heard that too, but sometimes you just have to tell these people what to do. It's your script they're reading.
Stupid f**king actors, they're moving props when will they learn this Someone has to (TELL) them.