Misused: Money Shot

I am proposing that we rename this trope to Money-Making Shot and cut the Money Shot page.

The definition of this trope is as follows:

• in this case, it can refer to any really critical scene in a film (especially a scene that makes the trailer of the film). It is, essentially, the bit you bought your ticket for, so one could say that it's the point at which you get your "money's worth." Some films might have more than one Money Shot.

However, the term also has other meanings. The porn meaning is spelled out on the trope page, however the page is not about the porn trope, in spite of the horrible bit of writing involved in listing what a trope is not before listing what the trope is.

The term also has multiple meanings outside of porn meanings. According to The Other Wiki article here:

• In general, a money shot (also called a money-making shot[2]) is a provocative, sensational, or memorable sequence in a film, on which the film's commercial performance is perceived to depend.[3] The scene may or may not be a special-effects sequence, but may be counted on to become a selling point for the film. For example, in an action thriller, an expensive special-effects sequence of a dam bursting might be considered the money shot of the film. Many filmmakers read a script and look for the most dramatic or climactic moment—the money shot—in the proposed film. Even though the costs or technical challenges of filming such an impressive scene may be huge, producers and directors will do whatever it takes to get that shot completed. It is because of its box-office importance and expensive set-up, that this climactic scene is often referred to as a money shot.
• In TV talk shows, a money shot may be a highly emotional scene, expressed in visible bodily terms, such as a guest's tearful confession of a previously well-kept secret, or his dramatic retelling of a traumatic experience.
• Money shots in journalism are shots that grab and hold viewers' attention. They can include images of a person in an unusual, noteworthy, tragic, embarrassing, or incriminating situation, or news footage of a notable event, such as an earthquake, tornado, or explosion. A money shot is typically a shot that would be difficult to set up or anticipate in advance.
• In printed publications, a money shot may be a photograph that in itself drives an important percentage of the sales of the publication.

Unfortunately, this trope has been heavy used on this wiki as a porn trope. Of the 29 wicks, 11 are related to the porn definition. It is even listed on the Porn Tropes index.

Also, even though this has been classified as a YMMV, very few of the wicks are on YMMV tabs, and ironically enough, one of the two such wicks is related to the porn usage.

Wick Check

Correct: Used as a subjective trope on a YMMV trab in accordance with given definition.

• YMMV.The Force Unleashed
• Audience Reactions

Incorrect: Porn or other sexual meaning

• Break the Cutie.Anime
• Bara Genre
• Film.Batman XXX
• YMMV.Boku No Pico - what is really ironic here is that someone moved it to the subjective tab even though what is was describing was something objectively present in the work.
• Porn Tropes
• No End In Sight
• Film.Starship Troopers
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?: In the third movie cute Bridge Bunny Holly Little is sprawled awkwardly after getting a [[ Money Shot faceload of alien goo ]]
• Sugar Shooter
• The Auteur
• The Sex Star
• Visual Innuendo

Probably Incorrect: Most likely the porn meaning, but not stated explicitly.

• Shoot the Money: "Please do not confuse with Money Shot."

The tone on that one makes me think the writer thought it was a porn trope.

Uncertain - Used as an objective trope or uncertain meaning

• A View To A Kill
  • Scenery Porn: San Francisco is shown in all its glory (as is Paris to a lesser extent). The end credits are basically a Money Shot of the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Dr. Strangelove
  • Orchestral Bombing: And [[ Money Shot what a bombing ]]
• High-Speed Missile Dodge
  • This gets used for a Money Shot in GI Joe The Rise Of Cobra where Duke and Ripcord dodge several missiles in Bullet Time.
• Independence Day
  • Money Shot: The alien ship blasting the White House is the emblematic shot of the movie.
• Just Here for Godzilla: Even the movie itself didn't really seem to care why the Apocalypse was going to strike in 2012, but it didn't half put [[ Money Shot the money up on the screen ]] when it was time for the geological shit to hit the fan.
• Last Note Hilarity: Beat. Beat. Beat. [[ Money Shot *orchestra hit*]]
• Maniac Cop
  • Money Shot: Cordell punching through his coffin and picking up his badge in one of the trailers for the third movie.
• Saga Rage Of Vikings: "you should move the resources to that place before starting the construction and ([[ Money Shot perhaps the most particular fact about this game ]]) in order to gain new troops you must make your troops reproduce
• Notable Trailers: The trailer for Independence Day had basically a terrific Money Shot: a scene of the alien mother ship vaporizing the White House. And in case that failed: "Welcome to Earth.*punch*"
• Sleepaway Camp
• The Bachelor
  • Money Shot - At the Rose Ceremony. Those who are not given a rose are shown with tears-soaked faces, which defines the narrative of "who will go home heartbroken."
• Trailers Always Spoil: Since the Eiffel Tower's collapse is the Money Shot of GI Joe The Rise Of Cobra...

Other

• I Read That As: Money Shot [[ Everythings Better With Monkeys Monkey Shot ]]
• Trope Names For A Band

Usage

Money Shot found in: 29 articles, excluding discussions.

Since January 1, 2011 this article has brought 11 people to the wiki from non-search engine links.

edited 4th Mar '12 2:36:34 PM by Catbert

I don't know. Most of the listed examples look good. Needs a better description, I think, with less explicitness on the porn sub-meaning. And it needs to be rescued from Porn Tropes.

More then one third of the wicks are misuse. I think that's a good reason for a rename. Not to mention that the term has far to many meanings to be a good trope title.

Yes, this isn't about Porn. It shouldn't be there. Supporting rename.

edited 4th Mar '12 7:15:49 PM by shimaspawn

Set Piece is a similar term. If we want to use it in a narrow technical sense, some minor trimming might be required.

I think the basic objective idea is also called the Trailer Shot, the big moment that they make sure to put in the trailers. Similar to Shoot the Money.

Money Shot has several definitions in real life and that is why it can't seem to make up its mind.

The porn definition is going to be the first one anyone will think of when seeing the phrase, so if that's not what you want, then it needs to be renamed. Trailer Shot or Trailer-Ready Shot sounds good.

The term has to be almost a century old, and it definitely predates on-camera ejaculation. We shouldn't rename it. But I'd be fine with just leaving it as a definition page that points people toward relevant related pages. I'm sure we have no shortage of pages for (something close to) "awesome scene."

I think we should rename. Money Shot can then be a redirect, and anyone who uses it in the porn sense will then simply be obviously wrong, to the point where cleanup will be quite simple for any motivated troper.

edited 5th Mar '12 12:27:55 PM by pawsplay

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

I'd suggest making Money Shot a disambiguation. It has way too many meanings to be locked into a single definition, and there is the porn aspect that most people seem to think of when they hear it. I know I do.

If we do that, what would we do with the wicks and examples? Do we make other tropes to cover them?

Yes, make other tropes. This term is too general.

edited 15th Mar '12 10:06:16 AM by Fighteer

Well, there is the Trailor Shot idea. And I suppose we could do a trope for the talk-show meaning.

I'd rather not have a trope for the porn meaning.

Why not? We have Porn Tropes, and it's not an endorsement to list something that is in fact a valid trope, however distasteful (or not, why else would it be a trope if people didn't like it?) the subject matter may be. We don't cut Rape Tropes because some people find them distasteful.

The problem is that the porn definition is the least one, yet the term is not the best one for the non porn versions. If you want the porn thingie, by all means, YKTTW Cum Shot or whatever you want.

I sure as hell am not going to YKTTW it. If that makes me a hypocrite, so be it. Point is that we have to address the fact that it's attracting wicks that are about the porn definition.

if it redirected to a page called Trailer Shot or Set Piece that mentioned nothing of the sort, I think that would discourage porn-context linking.

How many people click what they wick to and notice a redirect, though?

It's really looking like the only solution is to turn Money Shot into a disambig page that explains the different ways the term is used. Given the current other issue about removing creepy stuff from the wiki I do not see how documenting examples of the actual porn trope involved will actually pass, so I say leave the definition of the porn trope on the disambig page and leave it at that. That way the other tropes like Trailer Shot can be fully seperated and grow.

Sounds good to me. I don't see the need for wicks to Money Shot as a porn trope either, except as it relates to other tropes. I can't see how examples of it on works pages would do anybody any good. <Porn Work> <Money Shot: The money shot in this film is when he does [X] in her [Y].> No, that doesn't work at all. Let's just have it define the term and remain exampleless.

edited 16th Mar '12 6:57:56 AM by Fighteer

I can see wicks to comedy versions, parodies, that sort of thing. It's something non-pornographic media mocks a lot.

Fair enough. As long as the examples are not pornographic in and of themselves.

Are disambig pages customarily used on this site?

We've found increasing need for them recently.