Mature Content in Shorts

sfoster

sfoster

Staff Member
Moderator
I read through an old thread about cursing but it didn't quite answer my question. Maybe you guys could help me figure out where to draw the line?

I'm preparing to make my first short film, and the characters have implicit drug use.. like, they're either on drugs or passing drugs around but I never show them actually doing the drugs. There is some mild sex talk too, but nothing I would consider vulgar.

At this point, does it matter if I use a couple curse words here or there?

I'm not trying to get distribution, it's just a little short I want to get out there to prove myself as a writer/director. If it reaches it's potential then I'll send it to a festival, otherwise it'll end up online somewhere.

Maybe I should stay true to myself and my characters, regardless? No money to be made here anyway, I just want to be heard.
 
As a non-writer I would think there are two things to consider - your audience and your characters.

As far as the characters; is the cursing implicit to them and their culture? Your characters, your story, your decision.

As far as your potential audience you would know best.


I personally dislike foul language when used simply for shock value, just as I dislike excessive violence or gratuitous sex - or even lots of CGI in place of plot, story and character development. But I have no issues with language, violence or sex (or CGI:D) when it makes the project better.
 
Was it inferred that mature content should stay out of shorts?

I generally believe that you should infer as much as possible (often inferred violence, for example, is more powerful than actually showing it), unless necessary. There are definitely times where showing these things is valid, if you are just interested in making the best film you can (if you were trying to get it to sell to as many people as possible, maybe that's a different story). I wasn't aware that there is (if there is) any sort of taboo around mature content - if there is, i think it can be artistically justified.

Besides, shorts are a great place to experiment and push boundaries. If you are simply trying to make a good film, then show what is required to tell the story in the most effective way. You might not be able to reach the widest audience, but you might reach a more niche audience that you connect with better.

Maybe I am being ideological.
 
Alcove Audio said:
As far as the characters; is the cursing implicit to them and their culture? Your characters, your story, your decision.

As far as your potential audience you would know best.

I personally dislike foul language when used simply for shock value, just as I dislike excessive violence or gratuitous sex - or even lots of CGI in place of plot, story and character development
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I'm totally with you on the shock value thing. Also my GF hates violent movies.. so Jules makes a statement here that rings true for me.

Pulp Fiction: "Well, if you like burgers give 'em a try sometime. Me, I can't usually get 'em myself because my girlfriend's a vegetarian which pretty much makes me a vegetarian."

For this particular short, I'm thinking my audience will be the "guys under 25" crowd. although more likely guys under 35

cheeseandachallenge said:
Was it inferred that mature content should stay out of shorts?

Besides, shorts are a great place to experiment and push boundaries. If you are simply trying to make a good film, then show what is required to tell the story in the most effective way. You might not be able to reach the widest audience, but you might reach a more niche audience that you connect with better.

Maybe I am being ideological.
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More than inferred - outright stated.. in that thread on using curse words some people were saying that it could reduce your popularity and make it harder to grow an audience.

In this particular case.. I think a WTF is simply more powerful and poignant than a WTH
 
Do what's right for the story - if the story calls for one character to have every second word an expletive, then do it.
Back when I was in film school, I think probably only about 10% of the films that were made didn't include a single curse word - some involved full on sex scenes and nudity!

With short films, you're not trying to get an MPAA rating that will allow you wider audiences and better ticket sales.
 
If you can take out a line from a song, and the song still has it's message and powerfulness, then take the line out. Same goes for film.

Does that line in anyway make the film more powerful or interesting? What impact does it have on the story? If it doesn't make the film better in any way, or push your creative vision further, you don't need it.

:)
 
thanks jax. I have no experience with film festivals.
If two films are neck and neck, do you think the judges are more likely to accept the film that doesn't curse ?


chimp - the other side to this coin is.. if my actor improvs a curse word and thats the best take I end up with. then you'd keep that rather than going with the inferior acting right?
 
sfoster said:
chimp - the other side to this coin is.. if my actor improvs a curse word and thats the best take I end up with. then you'd keep that rather than going with the inferior acting right?
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If an actor delivers a superior performance, with cursing, I would use that because the actor did an amazing job on that take.

If an actor delivers a superior performance, without cursing, I would use that because the actor did an amazing job on that take.

So, yeah. Whichever take has the best acting in it, I would use.
 
sfoster said:
thanks jax. I have no experience with film festivals.
If two films are neck and neck, do you think the judges are more likely to accept the film that doesn't curse ?
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Nope, the judges are more likely to accept the better film. Films at festivals are full of curse words.

Of course, it depends on the festival - a festival for kids, for example, isn't going to take films that include such words or nudity or mature themes etc but from what you've described so far, that's not really your target audience, and IMO, I don't see how a film containing drugs and sex talk could be without such language - assuming you're attempting to add some sort of realism to what I assume are younger characters anyway.
 
jax_rox said:
Nope, the judges are more likely to accept the better film. Films at festivals are full of curse words.

Of course, it depends on the festival - a festival for kids, for example, isn't going to take films that include such words or nudity or mature themes etc but from what you've described so far, that's not really your target audience, and IMO, I don't see how a film containing drugs and sex talk could be without such language - assuming you're attempting to add some sort of realism to what I assume are younger characters anyway.
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Yes characters are mid-twenties and if I'm being true to them I think a couple curse words should be there. Thanks for the advice!

And I very nearly cast a 14 year old to play 19 with heavy makeup (they do it ALL the time in photography) but I ended up finding a real 19 y.o. girl instead :lol:
 
Tit-balls-ass-fuck-shit-cunt!

I just felt like this thread needed that.

You can definitely have too many filth-flarn-filth words (I think I might have experience with that). But one or two f-bombs in a short? That don't fucking matter, just fucking do it.
 
MileCreations said:
There's something about black guys saying the F word.

This comment is not intended to be taken in a racial way
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Erm.... It probably will be.



sfoster - if you want your characters to swear, have them swear. If your audience is a mature audience, they can handle mature content. You wont lose the audience for your sexy, drug-fueled short if you include the odd profanity here and there.

There is, of course, the issue of censorship on the internet - how do you protect children from the mature content of your short? But, that's a different issue entirely....
 
Fuuuuuuuck meeeee.

For really: no one gives a shit.
Anyone who does suffers from penile encephalopathy.

Seriously, would these potheaded junkies passing and using swear? (Witches "curse", BTW.)

Code: 
INT. CRACK DEN - DAY

NEIL, DICK, & BOB lounge about drinking, toking,
and popping mollies as funky tunes mellow into 
nicotine stained wallpaper and drapes. 

		NEIL
	Pardon me, Dick. Will you
	please pass the grey mara-juan?

Dick smiles, hands a cigar box over the back of 
Bob who snorts a monster line of cocaine.

		NEIL
	Thank you, sir.

Harry bolts up!

		BOB
	Goodness gracious! That's a 
	splendid line of junk!

:lol::lol:
rofl2.gif
:lol::lol:

I don't think so.
 
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It's funny, in real life, I don't swear a great deal. But the moment I start writing (anything) I can't stop. The Flight of the Flamingo as 4 cunts and maybe 30 fucks, which would be too many for a 10 minute short, but didn't feel like that much for a feature...

When it comes to swearing, drug use, violence and sex, you have to consider the implications. Glamorous drug usage is often frowned upon- but depicting the negative consequences of drug use is one of the most common themes of short films. Likewise, happily consensual sex is great! Start making the sex violent, voyeuristic, exploitative...etc, then you'll run into problems. And with violence (which is my least favourite of the 'difficult' subjects to address) just think about the implications- does the violence have consequences? Is the violence there as entertainment, or is it there because it's part of the story?

Anything can be done tastefully.
 
Thanks for the great responses.

I'm sick and tired of these murder sucking snakes, on this smother trucking plane!
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:lol:

Originally my characters were just going to be drinkers, but I was inspired by miley cyrus's "we can't stop" glamorous MDMA usage
 
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