Quote: sootyj @ June 28 2009, 9:05 AM BSTI believe that quote can be attributed to the Puppetry of the Penis guys.
Break the rules? Page 2
Quote: Griff @ June 28 2009, 8:56 AM BSTI've never understood "If it bends it's funny, if it breaks it's not."
Try it with your leg.
Quote: Griff @ June 28 2009, 8:56 AM BSTI've never understood "If it bends it's funny, if it breaks it's not."
Was it Crimes and Misdemeanors which seemed to show a very high level of disdain for that phrase?
Quote: Griff @ June 28 2009, 8:56 AM BSTI've never understood "If it bends it's funny, if it breaks it's not."
I've always taken it to mean "by all means tweak some foibles but for heaven's sake don't rape anyone."
Quote: Griff @ June 28 2009, 8:56 AM BSTI've never understood "If it bends it's funny, if it breaks it's not."
I always took it to be as simple as this - you can only take a joke so far before it ceases to be funny. Also in scripty terms I think it applies to remaining faithful to the tone of your piece, so for instance I read a very good script someone had sent me recently which had a general silly-ish tone throughout, but there was one scene that was so outlandish that it really jarred with the rest of the script and my opinion (for what it was worth) was that they should take it out. So in that case the tone of the script was being "bent" too far.
I fink.
Quote: Lee Henman @ June 29 2009, 11:27 AM BSTfor instance I read a very good script someone had sent me recently which had a general silly-ish tone throughout, but there was one scene that was so outlandish that it really jarred with the rest of the script.
My ears are burning. From the lightning!
Quote: David Bussell @ June 29 2009, 11:36 AM BSTMy ears are burning. From the lightning!
Hah
Quote: Griff @ June 29 2009, 11:58 AM BST"Try not to write stuff that isn't any good"
There go my ears again!
Quote: Griff @ June 29 2009, 11:58 AM BSTThanks Lee. I kind of suspected it meant "Don't take a joke too far", but wondered if it was making some obvious reference that I'd missed. As far as usefulness goes, I'd personally put it on a par with "Try not to write stuff that isn't any good", but different proverbs resonate with different people I guess.
It sounds like stating the obvious, and maybe it's a catch 22 thing, but most people absoluely don't edit their scripts enough before sending them in. So it's not so much 'try not to write stuff that isn't any good' as try to really be honest with yourself and take out stuff that isn't really working. Down to 'a word' level. The notion bandied about that scripts are going to get completely re-written if a production company takes them up isn't really very helpful.
The Simpsons have a very annoying plot template(?) With it starting off about one thing and then completely changing by the second half, as mentioned at the start.
It was even a joke referenced in the show, the one with the raccoon in the dogs house.
I don't like it, I tells ya. Plus I find the show mind numbingly boring now anyway. Thank God the first few seasons (well to 9) were that damn good it still can be remembered as a legendary show.
Quote: Griff @ June 29 2009, 12:23 PM BSTThat's all great advice, but I really can't see how you get "try to really be honest with yourself and take out stuff that isn't really working, down to a word level" from "if it bends it's funny if it breaks it's not".
It sounds to me like what you're saying is covered by that far more useful phrase "writing is rewriting".
Don't be completely tied to the rules, but don't completely ignore them either.
I guess an example might be The Young Ones? It 'bent' rules but didn't completely 'break' them.
Reminds me of the time I kept bending a plastic "shatterproof" ruler on my dad's desk. He kept telling me to stop, but I didn't. It snapped and so did he.
Quote: Griff @ June 29 2009, 12:23 PM BSTThat's all great advice, but I really can't see how you get "try to really be honest with yourself and take out stuff that isn't really working, down to a word level" from "if it bends it's funny if it breaks it's not".
It sounds to me like what you're saying is covered by that far more useful phrase "writing is rewriting".
Everyones a f**king editor! 
Well not really, it depends how much re-writing you do. It's not just the devil that is in the detail. It's about looking at repetitions of words. Listening to the bounce and the rhythm. Nitpicking. It's about delivering a draft an editor will find it really, really hard to edit.
Quote: Griff @ June 29 2009, 12:30 PM BSTThe Young Ones didn't just break the rules it shat on them.
But did it though, did it?
I don't know.
i
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ June 29 2009, 12:31 PM BSTBut did it though, did it?
I don't know.
I do. But I'm not telling you.
Well actually I don't think it did break them totally, but bent them. It was a flatshare sitcom, four main differing characters thrown together, there was a situation and it returned to the starting status quo at the end of each episode.