The Panda Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 I've gotten accused a few times recently for putting spoilers out in the open and I was left confused because from my view I didn't spoil anything because I gave no plot details but to others they saw even my emotional reaction as a spoiler. So I made this thread for people to discuss the rules and definitions of spoilers to help have a bit more clarity. What do you consider a spoiler? Do you think talking about minor spoilers in public for a recent release is okay? And if so what is a minor spoiler, and what's a major one? When do you think it's okay for spoilers of a TV Series or Movie to be discussed in public or online? Do you think this "spoiler-free" culture that exists today has gone too far? Do you think something like, "that last episode of X show was heartbreaking!" should be considered a spoiler? I have specific opinions on these, but I want to know what the forum thinks. I want to know what other peoples opinions are so I can know if I'm way out of culture norm when it comes to the nature of spoilers or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aabattery Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 I've definitely argued with my friend about this; his definition of a spoiler is, in my mind, completely ridiculous. He thinks even saying if something is good or not is a spoiler because it sets up expectations or something. He is notoriously whiny about spoilers though while I'm the opposite. I definitely do understand not wanting to be spoiled but I think you are right about 'spoiler-free culture'. A lot people these days seem a bit too precious about it. For me, movies and the like are more about the journey than the destination and knowing whats going to happen doesn't really bother me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AniNate Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 What do you consider a spoiler? This may not be exhaustive, and my sensitivity varies from movie-to-movie, but I think generally it's these: - Plot elements that dull intended narrative drama. This is a big issue with some trailers where they'll give away someone rescuing a character and when you're watching the actual movie that's what you're thinking about rather than being engaged in the action sequence beforehand. Plot twists also fall under these. - Individual jokes, since humor relies on an element of surprise. Celebrity cameos typically fall under these as well. - Unexpected emotional reactions. This is admittedly kind of a grey area but if you're on a film forum you're probably aware of the tone the advertising went for and that that's the idea that they wanted to draw moviegoers in with. Saying The Witch was "scary" or Deadpool was "hilarious" isn't a spoiler but saying a movie has a "shocking twist" or a "tragic ending" probably is - Additionally, people publicly drawing their own conclusions on any of the above based on marketing is a spoiler as well, since it puts thoughts in peoples' heads they may not have wanted or preferred to have the satisfaction of forming those ideas themselves Do you think talking about minor spoilers in public for a recent release is okay? And if so what is a minor spoiler, and what's major one? I think this forum is actually a little too lenient on this front. I would keep the spoiler policy in place until a movie is at <1% of its worldwide gross for the previous weekend, especially with staggered release dates. Again, this varies depending on just how big a movie is but for the blockbusters this is usually an issue with someone's probably going to have a problem with any spoiler for a recent movie, major or minor. When do you think it's okay for spoilers of a TV Series or Movie to be discussed in public or online? I'd say three days for the GoT/WD types. I think if you're that sensitive and you're an avid watcher you should be able to make the time in there Do you think this "spoiler-free" culture that exists today has gone too far? Somewhat. I don't think a movie is ruined if it's spoiled for me, but I do appreciate an unblemished first viewing which is an experience that can't be replicated. Of course if you're a movie buff constantly looking for the latest scoop it's nigh impossible to go into any big film completely unspoiled. Do you think something like, "that last episode of X show was heartbreaking!" should be considered a spoiler? As I said above, it depends on the show. Grey's Anatomy and Dawson's Creek are "heartbreaking" on a weekly basis but if the show doesn't usually have really heartbreaking scenes saying that forms an expectation that people hadn't formed beforehand 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 I thought this forum's definition of a spoiler is pretty clear. I'm too lazy right now to find a specific post where Tele or one of the other mods explains it, but pretty sure it run something along the lines of "anything not in the trailers or official marketing is a spoiler, scene specifics and plot points are spoilers". I think that's a good definition. If I'm interpreting it correctly, it fits with what I would consider a spoiler. I guess it's true that an emotional reaction to a film (or TV show etc.) is not something in trailers or official marketing, but it's also not even close to being a scene specific or a plot point. The definition of a spoiler as I've seen stated here before wouldn't lead me to believe an emotional reaction should be considered a spoiler, nor would my own experience of what friends and family would rather not be told. I also do not personally consider an emotional reaction to be a spoiler. I don't think "spoiler-free" culture has gone too far in general. Outside of these forums, people can be surprisingly assinine about spoilers. (I had a BIG Zootopia spoiler dropped on me that way, I now make a point of avoiding reading about films I intend to watch.) If we're talking about these forums specifically, I'm not sure, I don't feel I've paid close enough attention to enough of the threads to be able to judge. I don't have an opinion on what the difference is between a minor and major spoiler. In public, I don't think there needs to be any time-based rule on discussion of spoilers of any kind, because it takes just a few seconds to ask the people you're speaking to if they've seen the film or TV show in question, and if not whether they care if you continue to talk about it. Online, definitely not while a film is still in theatrical release. Not sure about when after that it becomes okay to casually mention plot points, scene specifics etc. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AniNate Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 2 minutes ago, Jason said: I guess it's true that an emotional reaction to a film (or TV show etc.) is not something in trailers or official marketing, but it's also not even close to being a scene specific or a plot point. The definition of a spoiler as I've seen stated here before wouldn't lead me to believe an emotional reaction should be considered a spoiler, nor would my own experience of what friends and family would rather not be told. I also do not personally consider an emotional reaction to be a spoiler. In a way it's similar to a scene specific in that it's an outside influence on audience expectations. If people hadn't expected to feel sad watching the movie, they're going to now that someone has said it's sad. "Good" or "bad" of course don't count here because everyone recognizes those are personal feelings, but saying a movie is unexpectedly sad is likely an emotion the filmmakers intended to convey, and at the very least their attempt at doing so has now been given away. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 13 minutes ago, tribefan695 said: Saying The Witch was "scary" or Deadpool was "hilarious" isn't a spoiler but saying a movie has a "shocking twist" or a "tragic ending" probably is I would have perceived the latter as plot points as well as emotional reactions. You're giving a plot-related reason (twist/ending) for the emotional reaction. 6 minutes ago, tribefan695 said: "Good" or "bad" of course don't count here because everyone recognizes those are personal feelings, but saying a movie is unexpectedly sad is likely an emotion the filmmakers intended to convey, and at the very least their attempt at doing so has now been given away. Agree 100%. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Old Tele Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 I'm pretty sure I'm one of the extreme ones. What do you consider a spoiler? Anything that gets specific about any aspect of a show or movie. If I'm interested in seeing something, I'd rather know as little as possible. I'm not so extreme as to avoid all trailers, but I try to avoid seeing them often, and if I'm really sold on a movie, I try not to watch any TV spots or trailers at least a month out. I've found that I find visual or aural spoilers annoying too: cool shots or music cues that sometimes are shown in trailers ruin the moment for me when I see them in the movie. (This is why I avoid listening to any soundtrack material prior to watching a movie.) Do you think talking about minor spoilers in public for a recent release is okay? And if so what is a minor spoiler, and what's a major one? I think talking about minor spoilers is okay, because I'm not a complete asshole and I realize that it's not that big a deal for most people. I consider a minor spoiler something that's either very inconsequential to the overall story, or is revealed very early on, or has been already promoted in marketing materials (though sometimes the promotional material contains big spoilers: WHAT LIES BENEATH, for example). When do you think it's okay for spoilers of a TV Series or Movie to be discussed in public or online? The Netflix/Amazon method of putting whole seasons up at once kinda screwed what I felt was best, which is a week for specific episodes while talking about the show (either in social settings or threads in a forum), and after the season's over for general talk at large. The former gives me the opportunity to leave the room, go refill a thread, stay clear of the thread, etc -- and if I haven't caught up with the show by the time the season's over, I probably don't care enough to make a huge deal out of it. Sure, if there's a show I'm a few seasons behind on, and am actively watching, there's the possibility of getting spoiled (even in a major way), but heck, the universe doesn't revolve around me and at that point it's on me, not anyone else. Do you think this "spoiler-free" culture that exists today has gone too far? No. I accept that some -- even many -- want to talk about things. I just want the opportunity to remove myself from the conversation or avoid it in the first place. In terms of online blogs or news, just saying "Spoilers" in the title is all I need. And not having the title itself be a spoiler seems pretty considerate to me. Do you think something like, "that last episode of X show was heartbreaking!" should be considered a spoiler? Depends on the show and circumstance. Personally, I would wish I hadn't seen a comment like that, but it's tough to police and it's vague enough I wouldn't flip any tables. But really, many of my best TV or movie experiences have come when I know very little (or even nothing!) about them. I like not even knowing critical reaction. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Community Manager Water Bottle Posted August 14, 2016 Community Manager Share Posted August 14, 2016 My answers are different than the forum's definition of a spoiler, which was made to be severe so as to accommodate those who hate spoilers, but these are my thoughts: What do you consider a spoiler? A major unexpected plot point or reveal. Do you think talking about minor spoilers in public for a recent release is okay? And if so what is a minor spoiler, and what's a major one? I think it depends on the audience. I consider a minor spoiler is something like "The Avengers defeat Loki at the end of The Avengers." It seems like a major plot point but it's an obvious plot point. No shit they win. I mean come on, that movie doesn't really have any plot twists. Not sure how you can spoil the Avengers. But if you tell me "Bruce Wayne fakes his death at the end of The Dark Knight Rises" then yeah, that's a big thing because it's something I wouldn't expect going into the movie. I guess there's also small things like the Hulk smashing Loki in the Avengers. But like, I won't even be thinking to look for things like that if the movie is any good. Trust me, when I'm watching a great movie, my brain has turned off and I'm in the experience. There was a movie today where a plot point was kinda spoiled for me and I knew it was coming but I didn't like the movie (Sausage Party) but since I didn't like it, I didn't care that my brain knew to anticipate it. When do you think it's okay for spoilers of a TV Series or Movie to be discussed in public or online? I'd say it depends on the site. Like, I'm not going to post spoilers on Facebook right after I see it but I might go to the spoiler thread and discuss it there. In the end, you have to make a judgement call when it's okay to make spoilers. Luckily this forum has a guideline you can follow and know when it's okay when and where to spoil on BOT! Do you think this "spoiler-free" culture that exists today has gone too far? It can. I think our "spoiler-free" culture has helped contribute to the demise of film criticism. Do you think something like, "that last episode of X show was heartbreaking!" should be considered a spoiler? No. Just because you found it heartbreaking doesn't mean I will. Also when I see the last episode of X show, chances are I won't even fucking remember what you said. It might be in the back of my mind, sure, but it's not something I'll be thinking about. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AniNate Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Maybe it could be put as simply as "If you didn't expect it, it's a spoiler" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Panda Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 3 hours ago, tribefan695 said: Maybe it could be put as simply as "If you didn't expect it, it's a spoiler" So if I see a Zack Snyder movie not expecting it to be good, and it turns out to be good, it would be a spoiler for me to say I thought the new Zack Snyder movie was good? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AniNate Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 So if I see a Zack Snyder movie not expecting it to be good, and it turns out to be good, it would be a spoiler for me to say I thought the new Zack Snyder movie was good? Hoped you would understand what I meant given my earlier posts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Panda Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 51 minutes ago, tribefan695 said: Hoped you would understand what I meant given my earlier posts I understand what you meant, was just poking fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Community Manager Water Bottle Posted August 17, 2016 Community Manager Share Posted August 17, 2016 An interesting read on whether or not spoilers are copyrighted or not: http://www.avclub.com/article/are-walking-dead-spoilers-protected-copyright-law-240390 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
