It's illegal in America for anyone under the age of 21 to purchase alcohol. That means if you're writing a scene of 18 year-olds toasting to either graduating high school or starting college, you CAN'T SET IT IN A BAR!
That also means that you shouldn't have 18 year old characters openly drinking alcohol at a restaurant - so watch that mistake. Sure, when this thing is cast your "18 year olds" will be played by people far closer to thirty, but try to demonstrate at least a little commitment to plausibility.
Related to this, if you go to the trouble of your characters having fake IDs please spare us the obligatory scene where either the fake name is absurdly lame or the fake picture barely resembles the lead. Superbad got away with "McLovin'" but you're going to have to top that if you don't want it to feel like a retread.
If I wanted to show a 12 year old taking a sip or two of his Grandfather's homebrew vino (under his watchful eye), or drinking wine diluted by italian lemonade (just like they do in the old country) are these things I could get away with?
ReplyDeleteOr would a reader reject the script for unsuitability?
Yeah, that's different because it doesn't completely puncture plausibility. I believe that's the sort of thing a grandfather from the "old country" might do.
ReplyDeleteEstablishments that serve minors do so at the risk of their liquor license. They take that stuff very seriously, so that's why those scenes tip a red flag. If a guy sidles up to the bar in his varsity high school jacket, it should trip a red flag for most bartenders.
I wasn't worried about the plausibility, so much as the sensitivity of a reader/production company to such scenes.
ReplyDeleteIn the script I'm writing, the 12 year old wants to be treated more like an adult, and the grandfather is bemoaning the fact that society has become far too PC (for want of a better term). The father, in the middle, is besieged from both sides.
When the grandfather dies, at the wake there's a toast with all the men in the family, and the 12 year old makes a point of joining in, refusing to let his wine be diluted, out of respect for his grandfather. And it's an important dramatic point.
Assuming, for the sake of argument, the script is pretty good, I'm concerned that scene would be a dealbreaker for most prod. companies.
I don't see that context tripping a red flag, frankly. Certainly that alone wouldn't be a dealbreaker.
ReplyDeleteI remember I had to wear a wristband signifying I couldn't buy alcohol when I went to a gig in the States once (Las Vegas, of all places), despite my retort of 'Guys... I'm 32 and from the UK. I'm old enough to be some of these kids' dad!' so I know how strict a rule it is for you guys :)
ReplyDeleteMe thinks Le Bitter Scriptreader hasn't been to small town midwest bars.
ReplyDelete@Mouse - Well, it still wouldn't work for those of us who haven't been to those bars. We couldn't suspend our disbelief. UNLESS the movie was about some sheriff moving to that same small Midwest town and getting on the bad side of all the towns folks when he (or she) pull that same bar's license for selling to minors. With a big scene about how they've always done that and the sheriff says how just because it's always been done doesn't make it right.
ReplyDeletethat tim riggins is always doing it in friday night lights.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the bar - i'll believe it if it's in a small joint in Texas.
In 'Hot Fuzz' the scene with underage kids drinking in the local bar worked well in establishing the unusual town culture.
ReplyDelete@JamiSings - is that the scene you're talking about, cos it goes down basically the same (kids allowed to drink to keep them of the streets and out of trouble), but it's in country England.
@Jeremy - It's been so long since I've seen Hot Fuzz I can't remember. But possibly subconsciously I was thinking of it. In my mind it was more of an "In The Heat Of The Night" type moment. Sheriff from the Big City takes job in Small Town, pisses off all the locals by doing away with a lot of illegal stuff that's been tradition for them. Life lessons end up learned all around.
ReplyDelete