I think you’re looking at it backwards. All of those non-common names you cited are memorable. It’s people like me who worry about what’s in a name.

My last name was Rudolph for about six months before my parents were married and they had my name changed to match. Growing up as Nicholas Rudolph would have been a nightmare, but today I would much prefer it to the John Smith name I’m saddled with. If I ever earn a credit, my listing on IMDB will be Nick Miller (XII). Who wants to be the twelfth name down on a list of identical names?

There have been a few posts on here where John has mentioned his changing of his name because it’s easier for people to pronounce, remember, etc. What I am wondering is, how important is that, really? Especially for writers and directors (actors, who want top billing, may be in a different situation — though maybe not if you’re Shia LeBeouf, one of the Gyllenhaals, or a Schwarzenegger)?

M. Night Shyamalan changed his first name, but before he became a “phenom” hardly anyone in the U.S. could pronounce Shyamalan. Before 1942, could anyone pronounce Mankiewicz (can they now)? Chayefsky and Jhabvala seemed to do alright for themselves (ok, Jhabvala works in England). Kubrick, Scorsese, Aronofsky, Gondry — not very common American names — never mind Timur Bekmambetov or Alejandro González Iñárritu, both of whom have broken into the U.S. market from their foreign roots. Once upon a time, even Coppola and Goldman would have sounded suspiciously “foreign” to the whitebread moviegoing masses.

So when is a stage-name change warranted? Is it ever truly necessary? Or is it always a matter of personal preference?

Thanks so much for answering my question (and the advice about using my legal name) – this helps SO much!

And Layne, Diablo Cody’s real name is Brook Busey – and the more that I think about it, only she could get away with using such a cool, yet outrageous pseudonym.

Nope.

When you get the paperwork to join the Guild, you just put your chosen stage name on the proper form (there’s a form specifically dealing with your requested credited name) and that’s what credit you will get.

The previous registration won’t mean anything.

Let’s say I already registered a script using my legal name, but within that 5 year period decided on using a stage name/pseudonym/what-have-you.

Let’s also that we’re in Fantasyland and that that script gets sold and fast-tracked and into production by Friday. Would the original registration (with my legal name) be legally bound to the Writing Credits?

Or could one go the WGA and submit a name change (not legal, just professional) for the eventual Writing Credit?

John, it sounds like you legally changed your name to keep things organized, or did you legally change it because that was the only way you could use the name “John August” on your title card?

Last I checked, “Diablo Cody” is just a pen name and not the name on her driver’s license. Or maybe it is? Not sure.

Confusion…

Can anyone help?

Anybody…?

The DGA discontinued the “Alan Smithee” tradition when too many people caught on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlanSmithee#DGAreplacesthepractice

Hey, take it from me. I changed my name to Speed Racer when I was 10. Try getting a job with that name. Or even a date.