Thanks for all the advice.
So, have any of you ever seen the convention I mention in a script?
Mishearings on the page... Page 2
Quote: David Bussell @ March 26, 2008, 2:45 PMUm, 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.
Sorrry David, misread you. In which case I obviously disagree with you. Only joking, though I do think most readers are experienced to see the joke if it's written well enough. I tend to only use stresses in writing, e.g. italics, if it's only absoutely necessary to the joke or line. I think mainly one is encouraged of steering clear of dictating to a performer how a line should be said. Sort of getting a bit off the original point but still...
What about this Partridge example?
(I know it's not quite the same in a million ways but run with it0
"I don't want to be infamous, I was to be FAMOUS. Famous."
Even with italics (okay, caps in this case) it still wouldn't be clear he's pronouncing it FUMMUS.
Interesting one.
If it's a miss-hearing joke, I probably wouldn't spell it out.
Quote: Seefacts @ March 26, 2008, 7:24 PMWhat about this Partridge example?
(I know it's not quite the same in a million ways but run with it0
"I don't want to be infamous, I was to be FAMOUS. Famous."
Even with italics (okay, caps in this case) it still wouldn't be clear he's pronouncing it FUMMUS.
Interesting one.
If it's a miss-hearing joke, I probably wouldn't spell it out.
Of course the guy saying the line did write it...
Quote: David Bussell @ March 26, 2008, 7:43 PMOf course the guy saying the line did write it...
I know that, that's why I covered myself with 'it's not the same'.
Of course it could have been a Baynham line . . .
I think the rule of thumb is only to put in parentheses if the line is ambiguous.
I think credit the reader to get it. Either they do, or they don't. If they do, you're happy. If they don't, then there are two possibilities. Either there are enough other sparkling indications of your ability in the script for them to say to themselves: "this line doesn't work, what have I missed?" or there aren't, in which case they aren't interested anyway.
I guess I'm saying, don't worry about one line if your overall ability is on display.
The alternative is to do the parentheses thing, but my guess is that can only irritate someone who gets it anyway (i.e. the people you want to get it). "Yeah, I know!" they will scream as they tighten their fist to crumple your pages.
So, my amateur conclusion is "no". Depending on what the question was, which I've forgotten.