More F-bombs than you can shake a stick at!

Cracker Funk

Cracker Funk

You know how low-budget indie productions (especially those being made by first-timers) have a reputation for F-bombs galore? I think I have one possible explanation for that, and a warning for others to heed.

I almost put this in the lobby, because this is mostly just a humorous way to laugh at my own foibles, but I chose to put it in "On the Set", because maybe others might learn from my mistake.

Okay, so when I was writing this beast, I intentionally kept F-bombs to a reasonable minimum, writing them into scenes only when I felt the character would truly find that the best word to use. Though I definitely wrote an R-rated movie, I made a point of not letting the curse-words get gratuitous.

Here's where things went askew. I fashion myself a director, not really a screenwriter. As a strong-point, it seems I have a knack for writing natural-sounding dialogue (or so I've been told). However, it's only natural-sounding in the flow of the conversation. As far as specific vocabulary is concerned, pretty much all of my characters sounded exactly the same (which is to say that they all sound like me).

Going into the shoot, I was aware of this problem, so the natural fix was to ask the actors to paraphrase things. Feel free to rewrite the dialogue; capture the essense, the main points, but put it in language that is more natural to you. On one hand, this worked exquisitely. On the other hand, F-bomb alert!

It's not that my actors are just constantly dropping F-bombs; they talk the same as most other people I hang out with. However, when you're shooting just one short conversation at a time, or even just one bit of a conversation, it's easy for one F-bomb to slip it's way in, going un-noticed. Only when the entire scene is edited together does it become appearant just how many of them there are.

And WOW, there are lots of them in "Antihero". I think we've set a record. :lol:

I'm capable of laughing at this, cuz I don't think it ruins the movie, but yeah, I would defintely keep a closer eye on this next time. Keep 'em to a minimum, kids. They don't just lose their effectiveness, but can be a little distracting.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
WOW, there are lots of them in "Antihero". I think we've set a record. :lol:
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I edited a short for a buddy of mine, who is notorious for half-writing the script and insisting the actors improv the rest. I'd wager we had more than you.

When the talent have little improv experience, the f-bomb starts flyin' like like you wouldn't believe. Especially when it's supposed to be an "angry" scene, but it also carries over into everything else.

It makes the editing a lot harder, too, since the dialogue is never the same on subsequent takes... and trying to mangle essentially random phrases into a storyline is pretty darn hard.

The original cut was unwatchable, as almost a solid string of expletives. :no:
 
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who ever decided that F**K was a cuss word to begin with?
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A mis-spelling/mispronunciation/adaptation of the European words for having sex.

Norwegian - fukka (to copulate)
Swedish - fokka (to strike, to copulate)
Swedish - fock (penis)
German - ficken (to fuck)

One urban legend is that the word fuck came from Irish law. If a couple were caught committing adultery, they would be punished "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge In the Nude", with "FUCKIN" written on the stocks above them to denote the crime.


In the late 1800s - the Victorian era - was extremely prudish and society frowned upon any discussion of sex considering it vulgar and uncouth. Another era of censorship came in the early 30's after the 18th Amendment was repealed.
 
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Alcove Audio said:
One urban legend is that the word fuck came from Irish law. If a couple were caught committing adultery, they would be punished "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge In the Nude",
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See, I was once told it was durring population crisis in England, coppulation was outlawed, lest the population keep up the increase, however when allowed to engage in sexual activity, signs that said "Fornication Under Consent of King" were hung on the door.... This is not an "official" explaination, just what i was once told, add it to the "Urban legends" part.
 
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Where do you suppose AntiHero ranks on this unconfirmed list?

1.Nil by Mouth 470
2.Casino 422
3.Another Day in Paradise 327
4.Summer of Sam 326
5.Twin Town 320
6.Sweet Sixteen 313
7.Narc 298
8.Born on the Fourth of July 289
9.Big Lebowski 281
10.Tigerland 276
11.Made 274
12.Fubar 274
13.Pulp Fiction 271
14.State Property 270
15.Wiseguys vs. Zombies 258
16.Reservoir Dogs 252
17.Jarhead 251
18.State Property 2 248
19.Dead Presidents 247
20.Goodfellas 246
21.Boondock Saints 246
22.My Name is Joe 230
23.Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 228
24.True Romance 225
25.Empire 220
26.State of Grace 210
27.Scarface 208
28.Suicide Kings 207
29.American History X 205
30.8 Mile 200
31.Four Rooms 193
32.Magnolia 190
33.Monster 189
34.Belly 186
35.Donnie Brasco 185
36.Devil's Rejects 175
37.Blue Collar 173
38.Get Rich or Die Tryin' 170
39.Shaft (2000) 165
40.Hoffa 153
41.Snatch 153
42.Paid in Full 153
43.Bad Santa 147
44.Commitments 145
45.Glengarry Glen Ross 138
46.Domino 138
47.South Park: BLU 133
48.Blair Witch Project 133
49.Harlem Nights 133
50.Midnight Run 132
51.Jackie Brown 131
52.Confidence 130
53.Platoon 130
54.Good Will Hunting 129
55.Cabin Fever 128
56.Raging Bull 128
57.Assault on Precint 13 127
58.Gigli 123
59.Phone Booth 122
60.Chasing Amy 121
61.Training Day 121
62.Dogma 120
63.Any Given Sunday 117
64.Sexy Beast 117
65.Lock, Stock, & 2SB 114
66.SLC Punk! 110
67.25th Hour 110
68.Point Break 105
69.Trainspotting 104
70.Last Boy Scout 102
71.Aristocrats 100
72.Bulworth 95
73.Swingers 95
74.Detroit Rock City 83
75.Shaun of the Dead 77
76.Life 63
77.Dazed and Confused 59
78.48 Hrs. 48
79.Gunner Palace 42
80.Four Weddings and a Funeral 42

-Thanks-
 
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I take it you guys have never seen The Thick Of It or In The Loop? The most beautifully creative swearing I've ever heard… lots of clips on YouTube if you fancy a listen (definitely NSFW).
 
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Buddy Greenfield said:
Where do you suppose AntiHero ranks on this unconfirmed list?

1.Nil by Mouth 470
2.Casino 422
3.Another Day in Paradise 327
4.Summer of Sam 326
5.Twin Town 320
6.Sweet Sixteen 313
7.Narc 298
8.Born on the Fourth of July 289
9.Big Lebowski 281
10.Tigerland 276
11.Made 274
12.Fubar 274
13.Pulp Fiction 271
14.State Property 270
15.Wiseguys vs. Zombies 258
16.Reservoir Dogs 252
17.Jarhead 251
18.State Property 2 248
19.Dead Presidents 247
20.Goodfellas 246
21.Boondock Saints 246
22.My Name is Joe 230
23.Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 228
24.True Romance 225
25.Empire 220
26.State of Grace 210
27.Scarface 208
28.Suicide Kings 207
29.American History X 205
30.8 Mile 200
31.Four Rooms 193
32.Magnolia 190
33.Monster 189
34.Belly 186
35.Donnie Brasco 185
36.Devil's Rejects 175
37.Blue Collar 173
38.Get Rich or Die Tryin' 170
39.Shaft (2000) 165
40.Hoffa 153
41.Snatch 153
42.Paid in Full 153
43.Bad Santa 147
44.Commitments 145
45.Glengarry Glen Ross 138
46.Domino 138
47.South Park: BLU 133
48.Blair Witch Project 133
49.Harlem Nights 133
50.Midnight Run 132
51.Jackie Brown 131
52.Confidence 130
53.Platoon 130
54.Good Will Hunting 129
55.Cabin Fever 128
56.Raging Bull 128
57.Assault on Precint 13 127
58.Gigli 123
59.Phone Booth 122
60.Chasing Amy 121
61.Training Day 121
62.Dogma 120
63.Any Given Sunday 117
64.Sexy Beast 117
65.Lock, Stock, & 2SB 114
66.SLC Punk! 110
67.25th Hour 110
68.Point Break 105
69.Trainspotting 104
70.Last Boy Scout 102
71.Aristocrats 100
72.Bulworth 95
73.Swingers 95
74.Detroit Rock City 83
75.Shaun of the Dead 77
76.Life 63
77.Dazed and Confused 59
78.48 Hrs. 48
79.Gunner Palace 42
80.Four Weddings and a Funeral 42

-Thanks-
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Awesome. Thanks for that. Makes me not so self-concious about it, anymore. I've contemplated counting, but decided to let the MPAA do that (I think it's part of the rating process, no?).

Oh, and I'd predict we're somewhere between "Swingers" and "8 mile".
 
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Zensteve said:
When the talent have little improv experience, the f-bomb starts flyin' like like you wouldn't believe. Especially when it's supposed to be an "angry" scene, but it also carries over into everything else.
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Bingo! Right on the money. Amateur actors with little improv experience will use the F-bomb as a filler. It's a really bad habit. Just like using an 'umm' or 'like'...they use f*ck.

It makes these 'mumblecore' films unwatchable to me. Plus I promise you there will be major problems with the edits and continuity. It's a tell tale sign of amateur work. Usually if your script or actors are lacking, you will adopt the mumblecore improv style, which instantly makes even the most amateur actors seem more natural...however, it weakens the entire film on many other levels, and stands out like a sore thumb.

Just be careful with it. And don't let your actors use the f-bomb nearly as much...have improv rehearsals to work on it.

:)
 
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M1chae1 said:
Bingo! Right on the money. Amateur actors with little improv experience will use the F-bomb as a filler. It's a really bad habit. Just like using an 'umm' or 'like'...they use f*ck.

It makes these 'mumblecore' films unwatchable to me. Plus I promise you there will be major problems with the edits and continuity. It's a tell tale sign of amateur work. Usually if your script or actors are lacking, you will adopt the mumblecore improv style, which instantly makes even the most amateur actors seem more natural...however, it weakens the entire film on many other levels, and stands out like a sore thumb.

Just be careful with it. And don't let your actors use the f-bomb nearly as much...have improv rehearsals to work on it.

:)
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I'm not sure if you caught my post in a seperate thread, but you pretty much hit the nail on the head. Continuity was one major bitch in this edit.

I've already written, in this thread, of one major weakness in my screenplay, and I've never claimed to really be a screenwriter, and so yeah, we definitely adopted the mumblcore improv style, very much intentionally so.

My actors were all-around terrific, though. They seemed natural when they delivered the script almost verbatim, just as much as when they were 100% improv. Ironically, and perhaps the one thing you didn't quite nail, at least in reference to my movie, is that the F-bombs were scant when they were improvising, but rained freely on the stuff we rehearsed extensively.
 
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