Do's and Don'ts

Screenwriters, this is dedicated to you! :-) Announce, discuss and shamelessly promote your screenplays here. Other stuff related to screenwriting welcome, too!

Do's and Don'ts

Postby Guest » Fri Sep 10, 2004 6:16 pm

From what I've read, when introducing characters for the first time you are not supposed to give their name until the point in the screenplay where they introduce themselves or something in the story gives us their name.

From what I understand, the first action a movie shouldn't be something like "Mike walks into a dark office" because we don't know who Mike is yet. So if he gets into a conversation in the beginning of a script before we know who he is, his name should not be included when writing dialogue at this time.

But if it starts out something like "A man walks into an office and turns on a light. On the desk is a name plate with the name Mike Smith. He sits in the chair behind the desk and picks up a picture of what looks like a family. There are two young children, a woman and him..." So now if he gets into a conversation now his name can be used because we established that he is in fact Mike.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but the more I read, the more conflictinn information I get

Thanks
Guest
 

Naming the character

Postby Tiffanylsu » Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:54 pm

Im not sure exactly, I dont have any experience with this but it sounds like college BULL that someone is trying to teach you as standard (thus killling creative ability, in my opinion). Just watch movies to prove or disprove this theory, casepoint Kill Bill, Vol.1: Uma Thurmans character is never officially "named" but you know who she is by her job. Then there is Bill, you are introduced to his character then see his name on a handkerchief in the first scene.....
Tiffanylsu
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:13 pm
Location: TX

Re: Do's and Don'ts

Postby angelus77 » Sun Feb 07, 2010 3:59 am

Unless the man's face is in shadow, if he's a major character you should give him a name at the first moment. For example, you could start the scene with:

MIKE, thirties, enters a dark office. Hair as slick as his suit, with eyes as bloodshot as a raver half his age. He collapses in his chair. Exhales with mighty force.
angelus77
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 3:43 am


Return to Screenwriters' Corner

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests

cron