Don't add swearing just for the sake of it. But if you feel that your character is the wearing type, then do it. Or invent a humourous solution around it, for example have a trumpet sound in the background or sommink?!
How many f***ings in a half hour slot? Page 3
Quote: Leevil @ August 12 2009, 1:22 AM BSTfor example have a trumpet sound in the background or sommink?!
It's relevant to his script 
Quote: Leevil @ August 12 2009, 1:23 AM BSTIt's relevant to his script
It's about a brass band with Tourettes?
F**king Brassed Off?
Quote: Leevil @ August 12 2009, 1:22 AM BSTDon't add swearing just for the sake of it. But if you feel that your character is the wearing type, then do it.
Depends on the clothes surely.
It sounds a bit pretentious, but you really have to justify them. And obviously they have to fit in with the characters. Shows like The Thick Of It can quite easily justify the amount of swearing because of the situation, the characters and the strength of the writing generally. Just occasionally I think that Peep Show uses more swear words than it needs to (usually from Mark, which sometimes doesn't always feel right for the character), but what do I know?
More heightened, fun, silly shows like Father Ted and The IT Crowd don't benefit from swear words generally. And when they do they are best covered by bleeps. (Lineham is a master of the well-used bleep.) Men Behaving Badly is a good example of a fairly boorish sitcom which has very little swearing in it, despite some of the subject matter.
One of my recent pilots has got major interest despite having the word "c**t" in the opening scene (it is the only serious swear word in the episode), which is set in a children's TV show. It works in the context of the scene and is used by a female character. Would I drop it if I had to? Definitely. In fact, I may well do voluntarily on the next draft. My latest has two bleeped "f**king"s because it is appropriate for the character (well, the glove puppet of a famous swearer), but no other swearing at all in the episode, which is a light, studio-based sitcom.
As a rule of thumb I would suggest trying to write your pilot with as little swearing as possible. Alan Bennett once was asked by one of his leading actors (Kenneth More in the play Getting On) to reduce the amount of bad language in the play (it wasn't good for the man who played Douglas Bader to be seen saying "f**k" by his loyal audience). He did so and with what I consider good advice. He said as long as the character was written and played as someone who seemed the type to swear then that was OK. Perhaps the play just captured him on a day when he didn't?
I think one f**k is enough and has an impact, whereby using it a lot, it just becomes boring or just like any other word.
I think the funniest is when a character that wouldn't normally swear comes out with it
Thanks for the advice. Something to think on.
I think I'll get them out. There weren't any in the original version, so maybe adding them in would be a big mistake.
I added them as the producer said to give the characters a voice - quite a few sounded the same ( see other thread). This character is actually Cardinal Wolsey - those who know their history know he was almost a big a git as his boss Henry VIII. The idea was having him being "The Bastard" character running around terrorising everyone.
He swears and blasphemes his way around court, dressed in his robes. The swearing is the only thing that would put this post watershed, so I think the removal would be good.
So what could a bastard cardinal say instead of f**k?
Tim - good points thanks - Bader actually opened a school my step dad worked at, in a five minute oppening speech in front of 700 kids he got in four bloodys, two buggers and a bastard.
Generally speaking, I stay away from f**king and the like. I can never make swearing work for me.
It is somewhat irksome to watch pretentious 'comedy' films like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Death at a Funeral, where characters say the word 'f**k' a lot, often repeatedly, such as "f**kity, f**k, f**k, f**k, f**k". Yawn.
Whereas the word f**k works well in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Quote: Kenneth @ August 12 2009, 10:29 AM BSTWhereas the word f**k works well in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Yes, it's always a real hoot seeing cartoon cockneys effing and blinding and smashing peoples heads in car doors! My how I laugh!
Quote: chipolata @ August 12 2009, 10:32 AM BSTYes, it's always a real hoot seeing cartoon cockneys effing and blinding and smashing peoples heads in car doors!
As long as they're doing it to other cartoon cockneys, it's fine by me.
It depends what you are aiming for. You could have every other word a four letter word and see how that goes.
Quote: Kenneth @ August 12 2009, 10:29 AM BSTIt is somewhat irksome to watch pretentious 'comedy' films like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Death at a Funeral, where characters say the word 'f**k' a lot, often repeatedly, such as "f**kity, f**k, f**k, f**k, f**k". Yawn.
Whereas the word f**k works well in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Posh people swearing often doesn't sound right - I think Withnail played up to this. I knew a girl so posh that every time she said "f**king hell" (pronouncing every syllable) I would crack up laughing.
Quote: bigfella @ August 12 2009, 8:51 AM BSTI added them as the producer said to give the characters a voice - quite a few sounded the same ( see other thread). This character is actually Cardinal Wolsey - those who know their history know he was almost a big a git as his boss Henry VIII. The idea was having him being "The Bastard" character running around terrorising everyone.
He swears and blasphemes his way around court, dressed in his robes. The swearing is the only thing that would put this post watershed, so I think the removal would be good.
So what could a bastard cardinal say instead of f**k?
Wolsey was a clever man - I think he would use pompous colourful language and alternatives to swearing. What about words and phrases from the time that sound a bit rude, but no longer in common usage?